Kate Winslet covers the new issue of Marie Claire UK. I wonder what she’s promoting? Let me look it up…eh, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe she’s promoting A Little Chaos, which doesn’t come out in America until next year. Maybe she’s promoting one of her modeling contracts. Maybe she’s just promoting herself and how she’s going to turn 40 years old (in October 2015). In any case, it’s a nice cover and a pretty nice shoot. Kate manages to get through the interview without trying to convince us that Ned RockNRoll is secretly a genius, so that’s always nice. Some highlights:
Stop talking about her “dewy” skin: ‘I had a terrible bout of acne after I turned 30. I kept reading about my sodding dewy complexion and thinking, “Oh sh-t, look at me, I’m covered in bloody spots, proper cystic bumps, if only they knew…”‘
Diets: ‘Whenever I go to LA the make-up artist or hairdresser will end up having a conversation about how fat they think they are and I really just can’t take it seriously at all. I’m just like, “Yeah, you’re right, you look gigantic, you need to lay off those boiled bits of chicken you’ve been eating because have you seen your arse?” And they’re the size of a blinking pin. I’m no stranger to the occasional dodgy juice, but it doesn’t taste very nice and it is bloody boring. It’s not a way to live.’
Her friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio: “I think the reason that friendship works is because there was never any romantic thing. It’s so disappointing for people to hear that, because in the soap opera of the Kate and Leo story we fell in love at first sight and had a million snogs, but actually we never did. He always saw me as one of the boys; I’ve never really been a girly-girl. We needed each other to lean on because we were very young and working all kinds of crazy bloody hours and it was a shock to the system.”
Turning 40 just after Leo: “He’s 40 this year and I’m 40 next — that’s weird. Isn’t that weird? He wouldn’t have a joint party with me, he really wouldn’t. Definitely not. He likes to have his moments. But, also I don’t think I’d want to have a joint party with him, more to the bloody point!”
How many times did she say “bloody” or “arse” or “blinking”? It’s like elegant Kate Winslet is trying to be accepted as someone “downstairs” at Downton Abbey. As for her complaints about her skin… she’s always had great skin. Even when she was a teenager, she had great skin. It wasn’t just Photoshopping in magazines either – she’s always had that rosy-cheeked glow in films and TV. I don’t know why it’s so hard to just say, “Yeah, I’ve had good skin most of my life, I’m lucky.” And I really don’t get the Leo stuff at all. Why is she still talking about him? This is the most random interview.
Photos courtesy of Marie Claire UK.
I just rewatched her Extras episode so no the language doesnt jar me at all. That was probably the first time I ever heard the word “sodding” which is without a doubt the most fantastic cuss word I ever!
As for Kate and Leo, theres a sizeable group who still root for them together. I didnt even realise until I spotted it on Youtube comments I think. And they are still pretty tight going by stuff they both say, so whatever.
She was so funny in EXTRAS.
I love that series.
In the movie Jude and Titanic,you can see her “bad skin” under the make-up.She never was like Cameron Diaz but her skin always was not beautiful.I guess it was because of too much or not-adapted make-up
I don’t know why not being girly makes you one of the boys. I’m not a lover of pink, sparkles, fashion or make-up. I never owned a doll or a My Little Pony when I was wee. I guess I’m not a girly-girl. But I’m still a bloody (hi Kate!) girl. I’m not one of the boys. I’m a girl who isn’t pink. Not an honorary sodding (hi Kate!) boy. Gah. Rant over.
Yeah, this is subject’s either of no interest because we can make up our own minds about a sleb’s essential personality and don’t think there are clear dividing lines…..or it’s fraught with pitfalls.
If I were a sleb-adviser I’d counsel “keep away”. The woods are full of those who don’t trust women with only male friends; women who are ‘too’ girly; women who… blah blah blah…….Leave them to pigeonhole you themselves, it’s easier.
(Thank you to whoever planted in my brain an image of getting one’s teeth into ‘bollocks’, here. Are we still on man-hating feminism today?) 😉 😉
Edit: ah Frisbee it was you! Heh heh. I do strongly agree….it’s a superb and versatile word, for all occasions.
I kind of got the impression, a couple of years ago, that she actually may have had a thing for Leo that wasn’t reciprocated and so now she’s covering with I’m one of the guys and he-has-always-seen-me-as-one-of-the-guys rationalizations. I could be wrong, it was just a feeling.
You are never one of the boys.
I find that women who distance themselves from womenhood usually are idiots, they equate feminine with weak, bitchy or superficial wihtout realizing that these attributes were socially constructed by patriachy.
+1
+2
You said it better than me.
I don’t like the implication that non-sparkly, non-pink girls aren’t “proper girls”.
I didn’t think, in this case, she was trying to distance herself from womanhood.
Maybe because Leo is attracted to VS models, I think I could sort of understand what Kate meant. Not saying VS models can’t be “one of the boys” but Leo’s type is so specific, she probably does feel less girly in comparison to them (or their image, anyway). He probably also acts differently around her than he would around someone he’s trying to woo, which, in his case, would always be a VS model. She did seem to draw a dividing line between friendship and romance, so that’s how I took her comment.
At least half of the VS Models rant about how much of a Tomboy and/or Nerd they are or were. So annoying.
@stellalovejoydiver, that is staggeringly insulting and speaks volumes about the pigeonholing women do to one another. I have always been more of a tomboy because of my interests and activities, not because of some rejection of my or anyone else’s womanhood. My most fulfilling friendships have come from both sexes but I’ve never felt glaringly judged by men…you comment exemplifies this shallow judgment and it’s frankly a shame.
I could not agree more with your sentiment that denying femininity is irksome. Though I’d say these women aren’t necessarily “idiots,” they’ve just probably never thought critically about what they’re doing when they downplay their femininity. There is more than one way to be a woman. Liking things the guys like doesn’t make you a better person than a more feminine woman. Saying you’re “not like those girly women” as if that makes you better than them seems to be trying to ameliorate yourself by denying some negative associations of femininity. Embracing stereotypically feminine behaviour or tastes does not make you weak or stupid or less worthy than a man. IMHO denying femininity as negative is harmful to the way we think about gender.
Precisely. Every time I hear a woman say that I roll my eyes. And I don’t understand why ‘not a girly girl’ and ‘one of the boys’ have to go hand in hand when people make a point. I mean, really, to say either one of those probably makes it not as bad, but to put them together?!
I actually copied this in my archive of interesting comments on feminism. As a teenager I was one of these girls who did a lot of things considered unfeminine and rejected femininity altogether. It took a while for me to see this was a strong reaction to patriarchy and my not wanting to feel inferior or dominated. When i look back it is still strange for me to think of all the girls who went along with imposed gender roles with NO reaction whatsoever. I guess this is why women rights took so long to become a real social concern.
Well said.
There are girls (often women) saying they are not like the other girls.
Reason: being girly is often equated with negative things.
They don’t want to be associated with ‘dumb’ or ‘shallow’. But instead of attacking the idea that feminine = bad, they perpetuate this idea by trying desperately not to be part of it.
Truth is, most guys never see you as one of the guys. They might think of you as a ‘cool girl’, but they often gossip (yes, guys do that too) about women who go ‘too far’ in being manly.
I think parsingher remarks on being “one of the boys” is a little misleading. What she said is that her personality isn’t girly-girl, and that’s why she and Leo never hit if off romantically – he saw her as he would one of the guys. Which makes sense because I’m sure we’re all aware by now that the female gender breaks down into two categories for Leo: under 25 and f*ckable or hags.
Yeah, because she was referencing Leonardo Dicaprio, I didn’t take offense to her girly-girl comment. We’ve seen his type, and most of us don’t match it.
As a Brit her language seems pretty mild to me and she doesn’t even use my favourite word -bollocks – which I always think is a word you can really get your teeth into…
What about knackers? Same thing, but perhaps slightly less naughty. I like knackers better’n bollocks. Although, when I was at school, we all wrote bollocks upside down on our calculators and thought it was the best joke ever.
sadly, there’s a part of me that still think it’s the best joke ever…possibly why I have such a soft spot for the word – oh dear – there’s really no hope is there?
Ha. It wasn’t just my class, then?!
Sixer
You’ve reminded me of how much fun it is to read American authors who write UK-based fiction. Take knackers and bollocks….there are important differences in usage, same with the rest of our patois, sometimes so subtle only bats can hear it. You can be innocently enjoying Elizabeth George’s Scotland Yard capers and trip over someone saying: “Oh sodding damn./ Oh bløody damn hell”….not to mention Martha Grimes’ utter misunderstanding of delights such as ‘He gave her one’…..she creates hysterically funny scenes with such miscues. (It’s probably the same the other way about….RJ Ellory, Brit, writing as an American)
Wouldn’t that be a cool job in publishing: swearword adviser for the trans-Atlantic trade?
@ Chris
I just edited an American YA book for a UK edition where the girl’s love interest was a British boy. What you say is so true. Misunderstandings of tiny, subtle usages can turn to unwitting parody so easily!
I’m jealous, the most I could ever spell on the calculator was “boobs”
On the subject of swear words, I use ‘bloody’, ‘sh!t’, ‘tit’, ‘bullocks’,’numpty’, ‘ijit’ <-ie idiot, 'wank*r' and 'mingin' far too often.
It’s not a cuss word, but I’ve always liked “queue” for some reason. I’m American but I occasionally break it out instead of line-up or line. I love the looks I get from my family. LOL
They know I’m a little off anyway, but it still gets a eye brow lift from them.
Well there’s nothing like a bit of an eyebrow lift – try throwing ‘bollocks’ at ’em (not literally) with a side order of ‘wanker’ (the classic British derogatory term as in “he’s a wan—-well you get my drift) which is very rude – I think the rather more publicly acceptable American version of that one is ‘Tool’, OR try a gentler version altogether like Numpty’, which is a bit like saying “I know you’re an idiot but I quite like you anyway.” We have so many gradations of swear words as Chris 2 points out above – which is why the language is so much fun. We could have a general Trans-Atlantic swap and throw everybody a curve ball (see what I did there?) 🙂
Frisbee
There’s a fortune to be made!
•£10: How to differentiate between twit and tw*t; and free, for one week only: how to negotiate prat vs twerp.
•£20 de luxe edition: bålls, böll*cks, knæckers, and knickers: which to use and when.
•£25: A Level guide to f*ck vs feck. (caveat: does not apply to ‘feckless’)
•£26: (top shelf only) Various words, often beginning with C, with which to wake up your audience.
🙂
Chris2 – Brilliant idea, how about a free taster – just to pull the punters in on the milder end of “bugger” (sorry no pun intended there) “manky”, “git” and – my all time favourite- “pillock?” Not to mention “turd”, “tit” and “tw*nny” 😀
I love this, you mardy shitstirrers!
i’m sad to say that all of my knowledge of english swearwords come from Malcolm Tucker, which (as someone told me) is not entirely common in the UK. it’s like being told that Santa is fake.
🙁
Hahaha! Bollocks is a fabulous word. I heard it the first time while watching the movie, High Heels and Low Lifes. Minnie Driver threatens a bad guy with a stiletto through the bollocks. It was a great line
I think she’s beautiful, but I’ve never found her to be especially interesting. Always with the “don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” protests – I’m so down to earth, I swear like a sailor, I have a big behind, I have acne, I eat real food, I’m just like you. Yeah, except I’d never date a man who changed his name to RockNRoll, let alone marry him. Sorry. She just never did anything for me.
Um, wow! You really dislike Ms Winslet, huh? Her answers seem pretty innocuous to me. And I imagine she talked about Leo because she was ASKED about Leo. If she’d refused to answer, wouldn’t everyone have read something into it??
Right? Her answers were great and I think its hard to tell if actors have skin problems as they can cover it so easily with makeup.
I’m one of those Kate/Leo fanatics. I could listen to them talk about their relationship all day. Rose and jack forever!!
I’m not a massive fan of hers (and – sorry – not a fan of Titanic either!) but I do feel sorry for her. Actors are required to do these interviews, under contract, to publicise a product, whatever that may be. But maybe they’d be better off not doing any interviews at all for the amount of projection critics can pour onto each word or comment. I mean, it’s possible to read something into anything, especially if you’ve already decided you have strong feelings towards someone.
“Oh, I HATE dogs,” she said, grinning as she ruffled her Chihuahua’s ears. Now take out the description and the context and it’s just: “I HATE dogs!” Cue stupid headlines and animal rights groups demanding apologies and…
Yeah, ok – it was a RIDICULOUS example! But you get my drift, I hope!!
I would have SO MUCH respect for Leo if he got with someone like Kate. Or Kate. Because it seems that all he does is pick these models based on how high their boobs are. He doesn’t even bring them to red carpets or anything……
I like Kate, I do, but pretty much every actress, when asked about her youth says they were one of the boys and they weren’t girly. Or they’ll say they don’t trust women without girlfriends. Like there is no middle between those two. Now, I’m sure some of them are like that, but all of them?
+1
I know right? Why would anyone want to describe themselves as “one of the boys” or “girly girl” anyway? Such a ww4ird trend… But in Kate’s defence, she doesn’t say that she is one of the boys just that Leo sees her that way.
Yes I agree, she’s ‘genderising’ personal characteristics as male or female, which is rather old fashioned.
This!
She better watch out with that “girly-girl” talk.. Chealsea Handler will be coming for her..
It seems to me that her random answers are responding to random questions. I’ve always liked her well enough.
Hi, Kate! I’m girly! I’m really girly. I’m ultra-girly. And despite being ultra-girly, I still have friends who are guys and there has never been anything other than platonic friendship between us despite the fact that I’m really girly. You see, Kate, despite being really girly, I still like sports and discuss sports trivia and stats in great detail with my guy friends and I can hang out for a drink with them and I can talk about movies and politics and music and doing yard work just like guys do! It’s possible, Kate.
I’m similar. My closest friends are female, but I occasionally hang out in social groups that are mostly male.
If anything, many of my guyfriends seem to like the fact that I indulge in “girly” activities. I have a lot of gender-neutral interests (television, politics, history, whatever), but I will occasionally fill them in on the latest celebrity gossip or show them a funny screenshot from the Kim Kardashian game etc. I think some of them like having a bit of a window into “girl world”.
I don’t see a problem with her saying she isn’t girly-girl and sees herself as one of the boys. Not every woman wants to hang out with women all the time, not only that a lot of women have jealous and petty behaviours. And it’s probably just easier for her to relate or befriends with men.
Because men are never petty. *eye-roll* I just don’t understand why we should generalise behaviours, tastes and hobbies as feminine or masculine. Women can like cooking, dressing up and pink and still play sports, same for men. I happen to have more men friends than women friends but I would not describe myself as “one of the boys” because I find the term stupid. I am not “one of the boys”, I am a girl who hangs out with boys. Isn’t that enough? Why do I have to discard my gender to be “cooler”?
In this interview, I think she meant that there is no romantic spark between her and Leo as Leo only sees her as one of the guys. She meant she’s not feminine acting not exactly implying that girls are weak.
@Tmh- Because masculinity = good , cool and accepted right ? while femininity means – nagging , drama , jealousy and not cool right ? So when a woman takes on traits of a man shes cool ? Get a grip. Men exhibit many of the same traits as women but culture tries to sell us something completely different and you are falling right into that – sad. Humans act like guess what HUMANS. There are men that can be major drama queens and women who are not. Works both ways. You might want to look up violence and men – which is fueled by JEALOUSY and pettyness not to mention multiple others issues- so your statement is rather flawed and does a disservice to both men and women. Kate is playing the card that society is handing out by saying she’s one of the boys so she’s ohhhh so cool and laid back.
Never did I say nagging, jealousy, and drama means femininity, that’s just mean your irritating. And just because you like to be around men more than women doesn’t mean the woman is being masculine. Being a woman I don’t have any female friends other than my sisters, like I said women are very jealous hearted and petty towards other women. Women just don’t like to admit that it’s true.
So you say that woman are petty and jealous (while hanging out with men is soooo easy) but you also say that being petty and jealous is not a feminine trait?
Do you truely not see how you contradict yourself.
@tmh actually yes you did , you stated WOMEN are petty and jealous and in your response back you repeated the same loaded cr*p again.. Google hegemonic masculinity and you will understand where my comment is based. Men act the same way as women – WHETHER THEY WANT TO ADMIT IT OR NOT. See how that works ?
@TMH & Tifygodess24: I shouldn’t get involved, but that never stops me anyway.
I’m going to say that maybe Kate wanted her pettyness and jealousy to come from a person with a deeper voice. And then when she gets tired from that, she’ll go back to getting pettyness and jealousy from a slightly higher pitched voice. See? You’re both right:)
As a woman who hung out with mostly men throughout her 20s, I can personally attest to men being petty and jealous. I find even more so than women. They just hide it better. I’ve never had a problem with pettiness with my circle of female friends, but plenty with my guy friends. Oh, and get this: men gossip too! Go figure!
I agree. My best friend is a male and he is the most dramatic person I have ever met. He is bitchy and gossips too! And no, he is not gay.
TMH really should let go of her inner-misogyny.
They hide it better and (some) people look upon it differently.
A woman is bitchy/petty/jealous, when a man does the same thing as the woman people say he knows what he wants and deserves and is competitive enough to go for it.
I have always felt more comfortable with my guy friends than my girl friends. My girl friends are super judgy. What are you wearing? I don’t like your hair today, looking me up and down and judging if I don’t have a mani/pedi, not wearing makeup etc. It is very exhausting. My guy friends never say anything negative about what I am wearing, but I get a that looks good or you look hot a lot. I actually loathe most of my female friends unless they act more tom-boyish because otherwise, they make me feel extremely uncomfortable and out of place. I am totally not a girly-girl.
Andrea it sounds like those women you know aren’t actually your friends. Generally when I call someone my friend it’s because I like them.
I used to say crap like this in my 20s, because yeah, I skewed “masculine” because I liked Kubrick films and hockey and wasn’t much for high heels etc. But I also had bucketloads of internalized misogyny that I’ve since recognized and exorcised (thank Dionysus). This stuff is just red-flaggy as heck for me, now.
First clue? If you don’t get along with other women, examine the common denominator–oneself. Once I got over my misogyny, I made tons of amazing wonderful female friends. I feel sorry for women who think “men make better bosses” and “guy friends only” etc. And if I sound condescending, it’s because I kind of am. I’m like an ex-smoker about this stuff.
I just have a very hard time with other women, always have and at 33, I figure I always will. I try very hard to fit in and to do things I may not want to do to please them. I feel like women get very jealous when they find out I have a lot of guy friends or when friend’s boyfriends tend to want to hang out with me etc. I am not out to steal anyone’s man (which is where some of the problems start because some people believe you as a woman should have only female friends which is so 1750 IMO).
I also have found that a lot of women are just too girly for me, I don’t get emotional very much at all and I have a low tolerance for those who are full of drama and weep or complain over the silliest little things. I feel I am just too laid back for most women. I just don’t care about so-and so’s ugly dress or haircut or whatever. I feel like it is always a competition and a show, dressing up for other women. I don’t like wearing makeup, I don’t like dressing up unless I am in the mood, I just can’t get excited about these things or feign much interest.
I also loathe traditional women who expect the man to pay for everything and to be treated like a princess. I am a feminist, I have no interest in turning back the clock and turning men into misogynists even moreso than they are. They also are all about children. I never plan to have children and I wish we as women would support my decision rather than try to talk me out of it or tell me I am going to regret it.
I just have found that a lot of women fall into the above two categories and they are not my deal. I really don’t think it is me, I really believe I just need to find the right type of women that suit my personality. I have female friends that aren’t in the above two categories and I’d rather hang out with them then the women who bore me stiff who are in the two categories.
I like Kate and her acting talent and she is one of the best actresses in Hollywood at the moment.
PS: hopefully she won’t get brutally attacked (like Angelina Jolie, Gisele Bunchen) by the media, people and the vile Chelsea Handler for stating that she is not a girly girl and for not being pictures with her female and male friends and only with her family.
I can never take any of her interviews seriously when I know she is Mrs. RockNRoll.
She’s always had special snowflake syndrome. It’s obnoxious.
Why do we brag about NOT being feminine? Is it because we still view masculinity as superior?
Listen, wear jeans and sneakers, or wear a 50’s dress with a petticoat. Drink a beer or drink a glass of Champagne. Wear all black and keep ’em guessing. Have friends of any gender you like. Don’t feel like less of a person if you paint your nails occasionally – but don’t feel like you need to get a manicure to fit in.
Pardon my complaining. I actually quite like Kate, and I think she’s a wonderful actress. I, too, have male friends, and don’t hang out with women as much. But I hate the way we announce it – “I’m one of the boys!” – like it’s an accomplishment. I’m one of the girls, and being female is awesome. Now, me and the guys are going to go watch footy. While I wear my petticoats.
Well said!
This devision of character traits and interests into (cool, strong, superior) male things and (weak, shallow, inferior) female things unnecessarily restricts us all, no matter what gender we are.
Why do we brag about being Girly girls?
This. However innocuous it may appear, and harmless taken on its own, people have to understand that they’re contributing to a toxic narrative when they spew this stuff, one that’s doing a great deal of harm taken as a WHOLE. Effin enough.
Doesn’t Kate always speak this way?
I like her honesty, especially about her acne, I recently went through something similar with cystic acne and it was awful, I didn’t want to leave the house. It just appeared out of nowhere after I hit 30, hormones were the cause! I also feel like I fit in better with guys, probably because my dad raised me? I have a wonderful group of girlfriends that I’ve known for 20 years, but I always feel a little out of place around certain women who come off as “girly”, with their perfectly done hair/make up/nails/clothes etc, I’m more comfortable sitting around cussing and drinking beer with the guys, but I know women who do that as well. I may not be making sense, lol, but I get Kate is saying here!
Can’t believe she’s almost 40, and Leo, that’s crazy and makes me feel old.
Is she being defensive about not bedding Leo back when he was Hollywood’s #1 heartthrob?
This is the same ‘i’m so normal’ interview she gives every time. It’s irritating as hell.
It sounded to me like she answered a million questions and then they edited the whole thing into a random hodge podge that just sounded weird. At least I hope that’s what happened.
I get the girly girl thing, however. I was 5’10” in the fifth grade and grew up feeling like a football player thrown in amongst the 5’1″ ballerinas. I gravitated towards sports and they gravitated towards make-up and knowing what pieces made the perfect outfit. It makes you feel weird and your friendships tend to be with the guys, which makes girls very suspicious of you. Even now, at 50, the wives of the guys I know give me the side eye even though they know I’m happily married and not after their husband. It’s funny, cause they should be worried about the woman who needs her ego constantly stroked, not the one who just like to hang out.
Considering the girls Leo dates, I think what she said about not being a girly, girl makes sense.
She looks a bit like Taylor Schilling on the cover.
Also I find it hilaaaarious that Kaiser would point out someone’s overuse of a particular word, coughcoughDEIGNcough ;D
So ironic!!
That cover styling is awful. Looks like a throwback to 1985.
Et tu, Kate?
Funny that a CBC call-in show today had a talk about “celeb breakups”–that is, celebs you love causing you to not love them so much anymore. First Helen Mirren, now Kate? Ugh.
I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this yet, or not, but I remember reading an interview with Kate in Rolling Stone…Aha: Rolling Stone from 1998. Here is a quote of what I was going to talk about from James Cameron:
“Cameron recalls that DiCaprio had to wear a long coat for much of the shoot. “He would, like, fart in it,” says Cameron, “and then sweep the coat over her face. I mean, if anybody else in the world did that, they’d get slapped, and the other person would walk away and not talk to them for a week. With Leo, Kate would just crack up.””
I don’t know what my point is, I just thought of that interview I read a million years ago when I read this article. Carry on. 🙂 (Steps off of soapbox)
Hmmm, I always figured he tried to “snog” her, but she saw him as just a permanent teenager. Now I am thinking she may have wanted to “snog” him, but she was not doing panty shoots for VS, so he tossed the idea.
Is she feminist Lite ?
Lennox your follow country woman needs you.
She’s one who looks better aging. She’s always had an older looking face. In Heavenly Creatures she looked so old for 16. I thought she was already 26-30. Now he looks work. Just a very mature face.