Kate Winslet is one of the most respected actresses of her generation. You likely know her as Rose from Titanic, but her career is full of gritty, real characters. She famously fights against Hollywood beauty standards. Furthermore, she risks her life for her roles. From freezing water to holding her breath underwater, she does it all. Let’s explore the life of the British icon.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet held her breath underwater for over seven minutes while filming Avatar: The Way of Water. Remarkably, she beat the record previously held by Tom Cruise for Mission: Impossible. This proved her incredible dedication to performing her own stunts.
She refused to wear a wetsuit under her costume during the filming of Titanic. Consequently, the freezing water caused her to develop hypothermia and pneumonia. She almost quit the production because the physical toll was so severe.
She keeps her Best Actress Academy Award in her guest bathroom. She wants her friends to have a private moment to hold it and practice their own acceptance speeches in the mirror. Thus, everyone gets to feel like a winner at her house.
A drama teacher once told her she would only get roles if she settled for “fat girl” parts. Fortunately, she ignored this cruel advice and became a leading lady. She later dedicated her BAFTA award to any girl who has ever been doubted.
She was working at a delicatessen when she got her big break in Heavenly Creatures. She was making a pastrami sandwich when the director called to offer her the role. Immediately, she left work early to celebrate and never looked back.
Kate Winslet met her husband, Ned Rocknroll, during a house fire on Richard Branson’s private island. Lightning struck the main house, and she helped carry Branson’s 90-year-old mother to safety. The intense experience brought the couple together instantly.
She named her son Bear Blaze to honor the fire where she met his father. The middle name “Blaze” specifically references the flames on Necker Island. However, they chose the first name simply because they loved the idea of a bear.
Leonardo DiCaprio walked her down the aisle at her third wedding. They have remained best friends since they met on the set of Titanic in the 90s. In fact, her children refer to him as “Uncle Leo.”
She explicitly bans film producers from retouching her photos or movie posters. She insists that her wrinkles and natural lines remain visible to the public. This stance challenges the unrealistic beauty standards often found in Hollywood.
She achieved a top-ten hit single in the UK music charts. She recorded the song “What If” for the animated movie Christmas Carol: The Movie. Surprisingly, the producers asked her to sing it after they heard her humming on set.
She missed the glamorous premiere of Titanic to attend a funeral. Her former boyfriend, Stephen Tredre, passed away from bone cancer just days before the event. Loyally, she chose to say goodbye to him rather than walk the red carpet.
She was pregnant during the filming of the movie Divergent. The costume department had to use iPads and folders to hide her growing baby bump in various scenes. Despite her condition, she insisted on doing many of her own stunts.
Kate Winslet keeps her CBE medal in her kitchen. The late Queen Elizabeth II awarded her the Commander of the British Empire title for her services to drama. She prefers to keep it among her cooking supplies rather than in a display case.
She learned to sew for her role in The Dressmaker. She wanted to look authentic while using the sewing machine on screen. Eventually, she became good enough to help costume designers with small adjustments on the set.
She broke the record for the youngest actress to receive five Oscar nominations. She achieved this milestone at the age of 31. This record stood for years until Jennifer Lawrence eventually broke it at a younger age.
Buster Keaton stands as one of the greatest silent film stars in history. Initially, he conquered the vaudeville stage before he revolutionized cinema with his dangerous stunts and deadpan humor. Furthermore, he directed and starred in some of the most technically complex movies of the 1920s. Consequently, his influence on visual comedy remains unmatched nearly a century later. Explore these fascinating details about The Great Stone Face.
Buster Keaton
Harry Houdini gave him his famous nickname. When Keaton was just six months old, he fell down a flight of stairs but remained completely unhurt. Consequently, the famous magician saw the fall and remarked, “That was a real buster,” which was slang for a spill or fall.
As a child, a cyclone sucked him out of a window. Amazingly, the strong wind lifted him from his room and deposited him unharmed in a street several blocks away. This event happened in Kansas years before The Wizard of Oz made similar storms famous.
His parents used him as a “human projectile” in their act. Specifically, his father sewed a suitcase handle into Buster’s clothing to throw him around the stage more easily. Therefore, the authorities frequently investigated the family to ensure the child was not being abused.
He broke his neck while filming Sherlock Jr. During a scene where water from a railroad tower hits him, the force slammed his neck against a steel rail. Surprisingly, he kept filming and only discovered the fracture thirty-five years later during a routine X-ray.
Dangerously, he performed the famous “falling house” stunt without trickery. In Steamboat Bill, Jr., a two-ton house facade collapsed around him with only two inches of clearance on either side. Reportedly, the cameraman looked away during the take because he was too terrified to watch.
He modified Stetsons to create his signature porkpie hats. Because he wanted a specific look, he cut down fedoras and stiffened the brims with sugar water. Thus, he created a unique silhouette that fans instantly recognized.
He never smiled on camera to get more laughs. Early in his career, he realized that audiences laughed harder when he maintained a stoic expression during chaotic situations. As a result, he earned the nickname “The Great Stone Face.”
Buster Keaton served in France during World War I. He joined the 40th Infantry Division and suffered permanent ear damage due to loud artillery fire. Unfortunately, this hearing loss plagued him for the rest of his life.
He wrote gags for the Marx Brothers later in his career. After his own stardom faded, he worked as an uncredited writer for MGM. For instance, he devised several physical comedy bits for films like A Night at the Opera.
The General features the most expensive shot in silent film history. He purchased a real locomotive and drove it across a burning bridge until it collapsed into the river below. Consequently, the train wreckage remained in the river as a tourist attraction for decades.
Tragically, signing with MGM was the biggest mistake of his life. In 1928, he gave up his independent studio to join the massive corporation. Therefore, he lost his creative control and his career spiraled downward for many years.
He appeared in the classic noir film Sunset Boulevard. He played himself as one of the “Waxworks,” a group of forgotten silent film stars who play cards with the main character. This role highlighted the tragic reality of aging in Hollywood.
Unusually, he possessed a “fingerprint” memory for bridge. He was an avid card player who could recall every hand played in a game. This sharp mental acuity contrasted with his physical, tumble-heavy public persona.
He starred in a Twilight Zone episode called “Once Upon a Time.” Creatively, the episode featured a silent segment that paid homage to his early work. Thus, he introduced his unique style of comedy to a new generation of television viewers.
Finally, he received an Honorary Academy Award in 1959. After years of obscurity, Hollywood finally recognized his unique talents and contribution to the industry. The standing ovation he received marked a triumphant return to glory before his death.
The Green Mile stands as one of the most emotional adaptations of a Stephen King novel ever made. While many fans know it for the heartbreaking performance of Michael Clarke Duncan, the production was filled with hidden tricks and happy accidents. For instance, the towering size of John Coffey was largely a camera illusion, and the mouse Mr. Jingles was played by an entire squad of rodents. Furthermore, the movie broke historical accuracy rules just to make the guards look cooler. Prepare to walk the mile with the inmates of Cold Mountain.
Green Mile
Bruce Willis is responsible for Michael Clarke Duncan getting the role. He worked with Duncan on the movie Armageddon and called the director of The Green Mile personally. Willis told him that he had found the perfect John Coffey.
Tom Hanks was originally supposed to play the old version of himself. The makeup team spent hours turning him into a 108-year-old man. However, the tests looked too fake, so they hired the actor Dabbs Greer instead.
Over fifteen different mice played the character of Mr. Jingles. Each mouse was trained to do a specific trick, such as rolling the spool or sitting still. Therefore, the scene where he pushes the spool required a very specific “actor” for the job.
The actor playing Percy Wetmore asked for his shoes to squeak. Doug Hutchison wanted the character to be as annoying as possible. Thus, he requested special squeaky shoes so the audience would hate him before he even spoke.
Michael Clarke Duncan was not actually that much taller than his co-stars. He stood six feet and five inches tall, which was only one inch taller than David Morse. Consequently, the crew used forced perspective and smaller furniture to make him look like a giant.
Historically, the guards would not have worn uniforms in 1935. At that time, prison staff in the South usually wore street clothes. However, director Frank Darabont felt the uniforms gave them more visual authority on screen.
Stephen King sat in the electric chair during his visit to the set. He asked the crew to strap him in so he could feel what it was like. Reportedly, he found the experience incredibly uncomfortable and spooky.
Sam Rockwell requested that the makeup artists give him acne. He wanted his character, Wild Bill Wharton, to look greasy and repulsive. Therefore, he spent time in the makeup chair adding fake pimples to his face.
The electric chair period is technically incorrect for Louisiana. The movie takes place in 1935, but the state did not adopt the electric chair until 1940. Before that, the method of execution was hanging.
Production designers built the prison set to be smaller than real life. They made the beds shorter and the cells narrower to emphasize John Coffey’s size. Thus, the environment itself helped sell the illusion of his massive stature.
Tom Hanks stayed in character when Stephen King visited. The author arrived while Hanks was filming a scene as Paul Edgecomb. Instead of breaking character, Hanks invited King into the “Green Mile” just as a guard would.
The crew had to silence their footsteps to avoid scaring the mice. During scenes with Mr. Jingles, everyone on set had to remain perfectly still. If anyone made a sudden noise, the mouse would run away and ruin the take.
The urine infection scenes were surprisingly difficult for Tom Hanks. He had to portray the relief of being cured by John Coffey without saying a word. He later joked that acting like he had a bladder problem was one of his greatest challenges.
Harry Dean Stanton improvised the song during the rehearsal scene. When the guards are rehearsing the execution, his character Toot-Toot starts singing. This bizarre moment was not in the script but the director loved it.
Finally, Stephen King considers this his single favorite adaptation. Although he has criticized movies like The Shining, he praised The Green Mile endlessly. He called it the most faithful film version of his work ever produced.
