Kate Winslet didn’t have a glamorous life before she became a Hollywood A-lister. Her breakthrough came following her iconic portrayal of Rose DeWitt Bukater in James Cameron’s 1997 romance film Titanic, but before this, she remained a relatively unknown actress.
Credits: Kate Winslet in Titanic / 20th Century Studios
The star has been vocal about her humble beginnings in the industry. As someone who grew up as the second of four children in a working-class town just outside of London, Winslet learned that she needed to find a job to support her own acting career.
Kate Winslet Shares The Moment She Got Her First Acting Gig
In her interview with 60 Minutes via CBS News, Kate Winslet recalled how her father would try to make ends meet by hopping from one job to another while juggling life as a struggling actor. As an aspiring actress herself, Winslet earned money through a charity which allowed her to enrol in a local theater school.
At 16 years old, she hustled in a deli to support herself financially. The 49-year-old Oscar-winning star would travel to London to audition for roles and finally, her efforts paid off after landing her first-ever acting gig for 1994’s Heavenly Creatures: “I was making a sandwich and the phone rang and I swear to God there was something about the way the phone rang.”
Credits: Kate Winslet in Heavenly Creatures / Miramax
When she finished the film, she shockingly returned to working in the sandwich shop. Winslet knew that was how it worked in the business. Her father did the same; he would do acting jobs and then return to working in the post office or on the road. “Well, that’s what you do as an actor. If you’re lucky, you get a job and then you go back to a day job,” she remarked.
Her role as Rose DeWitt Bukater propelled her to instant stardom, making her one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. Surprisingly, the actress was not impressed with the fame that came after her stint in the epic romance movie.
Kate Winslet Never Liked The Fame After Titanic
Credits: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic / 20th Century Studios
After her overnight success with Titanic, Winslet went to do small projects because she did not like the media’s attention. While she’s grateful for the opportunity, she thought “being famous was horrible” via Variety.
Not only was she constantly followed by paparazzi, but people always criticized her appearance. This led the actress to actively choose small and independent films over blockbuster franchises.
Now that she has established herself as a timeless star, Winslet does not have to go back to making sandwiches because she can easily pick projects she wants to get herself involved with.
