Kate Winslet has revealed that she was once told by a drama teacher to “settle for the fat girl parts”.
The star won the Bafta for best supporting actress at Sunday night’s ceremony for her role in Steve Jobs and dedicated it to women who are the subject of criticism.
“When I was younger, when I was 14, I was told by a drama teacher that I might do OK if I was happy to settle for the fat girl parts,” Winslet said. “So what I always feel in these moments is that any young woman who has ever been put down by a teacher, by a friend, by even a parent, just don’t listen to any of it, because that’s what I did – I kept on going and I overcame my fears and got over my insecurities.”
It was Winslet’s third Bafta win, after she took home awards for Sense and Sensibility and The Reader in 1996 and 2009 respectively. She beat out competition from Julie Walters and Rooney Mara.
Winslet is also nominated for an Oscar for her role in the Danny Boyle-directed biopic of the Apple mogul. If she wins, it would be her second Academy award.
Other major winners from the night include her Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, who picked up best actor for The Revenant, and fellow Brit Mark Rylance, who was named best supporting actor for Bridge of Spies.