Kate Winslet: Actresses are now under less scrutiny for their bodies

Kate Winslet believes actresses are no longer being “scrutinised” for their bodies as much.

The 45-year-old actress admitted it “means a huge amount” that she’s been given so much praise for her role as vape-and-junk food-loving dowdy detective Mare Sheehan in ‘Mare of Easttown’ – for which she won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie award at the Emmys on Sunday (19.09.21) – because she was bodyshamed so much in her early career.

And Kate hopes the example Hollywood is starting to set will have a wider impact on society.

Speaking to reporters in the virtual press room backstage at the ceremony, she said: “It means a huge amount, because it makes me feel that our industry is changing. I’m honestly starting to feel that, that the shifts are happening.

“And I think we’re finger pointing a lot less at women in terms of how they look, their shape. We stopped scrutinising them.

“In turn, what happens then, is that younger generations of women, who are not in our industry, start to feel OK within themselves too.

“And that’s more important than anything else. Because it’s up to us to be absolutely being real and representing ourselves with integrity and authenticity and celebrating each other and not judging one another. If we’re not doing that in our industry, then nobody else has a hope in hell.

“So, I feel like with playing Mare, maybe we are shifting the dynamics of how leading ladies are seen on screen and that just warms my heart.”

Kate also confirmed “there have been conversations” about a second season of the HBO miniseries but there’s nothing definite in place yet.

She said: “Conversations are happening, but I think until scripts are in place that we can really respond to, and know what a full story of a Season 2 might be and where Mare goes.

“We’re not going to match what we already did, nor should we try, but we should do at least provide something that’s as captivating and entertaining as Season 1.”