Kate Winslet Opens Up About Brutal Body Shaming and Being Told to Play “Fat Girl Parts”

Kate Winslet has spoken about being body shamed when she was young and how it affected her early life and career. She shared the story while appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.

Winslet said she knew she wanted to be an actor from a very early age. She was inspired by old black-and-white photos of her grandparents performing on stage.

Acting felt natural to her, even though she often played smaller or background roles when she was young. She said she never really dreamed of being the lead and did not mind staying in supporting parts.

But as she got older and began taking acting more seriously, things became harder. After getting a child agent, she remembers a comment from a drama teacher that stayed with her. The teacher told her that she could have a career, but only if she accepted certain roles.

“Well, darling, you’ll have a career if you’re ready to settle for the fat girl parts,” the teacher said. Looking back, Winslet reacted strongly to the memory, saying, “Look at me now. It’s appalling the things people say to children.”

Winslet also spoke about being bullied at school because of her body. She said other students teased her, called her “blubber,” and even locked her in the art cupboard. These experiences forced her to toughen up early. “I learned to have a pretty thick skin pretty early on,” she said.

She left school at 16, around the same time she landed her first film role in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures in 1994. Even though her acting career was starting, the damage from earlier years stayed with her.

Winslet said she struggled with body image and went on and off diets from the age of 15 to 19. At one point, she said she was barely eating and later realized how unhealthy that period was. She said it was something she deeply regretted.

During the worst moments of bullying, Winslet said she focused fully on acting and her creative world outside of school. She refused to let others stop her from chasing what she wanted. “I wouldn’t let them spoil a trajectory that I was determined I was on,” she said. She also said having a loving family helped her cope. “At least I had a lovely family to go home to.”

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