Kate Winslet has appeared nude in 10 films, according to Mr. Skin. The nudity she displayed for her latest role, as a concentration camp guard in love with a barely post-adolescent teen in The Reader, has garnered both praise and extreme criticism. Some said the nudity was natural, lovely, and a necessary way of displaying her character’s vulnerability. Others found it an offensive means of humanizing a war criminal who committed horrific acts.
Winslet is considered the front runner for the best actress award at Sunday’s Oscars. She told Time that she won’t be doing nudity in the future – because she’s not sure she can “keep getting away with it” and doesn’t want to pigeonhole herself as the actress who is always nude:
When Daldry approached her about replacing Nicole Kidman, who had left the project in January 2008 after becoming pregnant, “I was concerned about whether I was skilled enough,” Winslet says. The nudity required for the film’s sex scenes didn’t unsettle her — though she now says, “I think I won’t do it again: a) I can’t keep getting away with it, and b) I don’t want to become ‘that actress who always gets her kit off.'” But she wondered if she could handle a German accent, play Hanna convincingly into old age and find a foothold in a character who exemplifies the banality of evil. “You don’t have to make the audience like you. And not worrying about that makes the job much more interesting,” she says. “But I did say to myself, Come on, Kate. You don’t have to humanize her, but you do have to understand her.”
Time has a slideshow of Winslet’s “10 best roles” and when you remember the great films you’ve seen her in it’s easy to see why she deserves an Oscar. Movies like Sense and Sensibility, Iris, Holy Smoke, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Revolutionary Road had her playing complicated, nuanced characters of all kinds.
After six nominations and no wins it’s generally though that Winslet’s time for an Oscar has come. Whether she deserves an Oscar for this particular film, or if she’s receiving one as a kind of tribute to her incredible career doesn’t seem to matter despite all the debate. This is an actress who is willing to bare herself on many levels and who has the ability to use her body in a way that enhances a character and doesn’t detract from the story. I don’t see why she shouldn’t continue to do that if it’s called for.
Kate Winslet is shown at the “US Ireland Alliance Pre-Oscar Gala Awards Ceremony” on 2/19/09. Credit: WENN/Fayes Vision
Well, Helen Mirren has regularly gotten her kit off throughout her career and has an Oscar, so maybe Kate shouldn’t be ruling it out just yet! I think she’s obviously not that bothered about it so she probably will continue to do so if there’s a good role involved. Like it or not she already has that reknown, there’s not much she can do about it now.
Others found it an offensive means of humanizing a war criminal who committed horrific acts.
But, as Kate herself says, isn’t that the point of the movie? That is kind of a stupid objection.
Basically I object to people objecting to her nakedness. Now excuse me while I cry a little over this development.
shes been naked because the role calls for it. she made a picture called Little Children ? its good flim that noone ever saw yes she was naked in that she was having an affair with a out of work house daddy. Her nudity has been in the confines of her film roles.
Why is noone complaining about the stupid nudity in Kumar and Harold bust out of Guantameno Bay? that was gross
I really want to see this movie after reading the book. Very powerful, yet I find it interesting with her playing the part of Hanna. Kate seems so sweet, so it will be a huge surprise, I’m sure. Anyone seen The Reader yet?
Thank God. I really like her and think she’s a great actress, but come on…does she need to be naked in every movie?
Kind of disappointed in her that she’d say that about her on-film nudity. It has never been gratuitous, it’s always been an integral part of the role. Wonder why she felt the need to say that? Something to do with talking to the American media perhaps. Don’t go all puritanical on us, Kate.
She is sometimes quite beautiful & usually enjoy her in films, but her being naked in “Little Children” seemed like more than enough, those twin puppies look rough & tired, I am tempted to say its time to put them to bed for good, but if the role demands it & its appropriate, then I dont see why not. She isnt a model, she doesnt have to have breasts of perfection.
Ugh, these arguments against the movie are so stupid. Guess what! War criminals were real people with love lives and families and everything else! I love a lot of Holocaust movies, and of course this moment in history is really lamentable. But not every Holocaust-era movie necessarily has to be weepy. It’s completely unrealistic for people to complain about that.
I loved Little Children! The book is amazing too. I thought she looked great, but I don’t think that’s the point. Nudity can be used to convey sincerity, honesty, and intimacy, and I’ve never seen her in a film where it wasn’t completely natural.
She doesn’t need to get naked in every movie. She’s too talented for that. Leave the nudity to nobodys that can’t get a part without it.