Kate Winslet has spoken about the 'horrific' press intrusion she endured after starring in the 1997 film Titanic. The 50-year-old actor told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that she was followed by paparazzi, had her phone tapped, and that people searched through her bins to 'try and figure out what diet I was on or wasn't on'.
Winslet, who rose to global fame as Rose in James Cameron's blockbuster, recalled seeing herself on magazine covers accompanied by what she described as 'awful, terrible, actually abusive names'. She said she was terrified to sleep and felt alone during the onslaught.
She also faced further intrusion during her divorce from film director Sam Mendes in 2010. Winslet said she was followed by paparazzi in New York with her two young children, who wanted to know the reason for the split. She managed by keeping her head down and leaning on friends, including a neighbouring couple who left her pasta and wine on the garden wall.
Reflecting on body image, Winslet said she experienced negative comments from a drama teacher who told her to 'settle for the fat girl parts', and was nicknamed 'blubber' at primary school. Between the ages of 15 and 19, she dieted on and off, 'barely eating', which she called 'really unhealthy'. After Titanic, magazine images were edited without her knowledge, making her look slimmer and more toned than she actually was.
Earlier this month, Winslet called on fellow actors to keep their looks natural amid the rise of non-surgical cosmetic procedures and weight-loss drugs, stating that chasing perfection for Instagram likes is 'devastating'.
