Kate Winslet says letting go of troubled characters ‘Takes Time’
According to the actress, detaching from a character does not happen overnight, particularly in television projects that stretch over long periods.
Los Angeles: Hollywood star Kate Winslet has opened up about the emotional toll of portraying troubled characters, admitting that returning to her own life after intense roles can be a challenging process.
The Academy Award-winning actress revealed that she often struggles with what she calls “re-entry” after finishing demanding projects. Speaking on the Lessons from Our Mothers podcast, Winslet described how deeply certain roles have affected her.
“There’s this thing that happens as an actor, and it sounds very self-indulgent so I very rarely say it,” she said. “But when you play a really difficult part — I think of Mare of Easttown, for example, which flattened me, my god — you do have to kind of come out the other side.”
Explaining the process, Winslet added, “I call it re-entry. Re-entry into your own life, going back into your friendships, reintegrating into the rhythm of family again. Exiting a family, leaving people behind, letting a character go.”
According to the actress, detaching from a character does not happen overnight, particularly in television projects that stretch over long periods. “It takes a while, actually, to unpick a character from your system, especially if you have played them for a long time, which, with television, you really do,” she said.
Winslet also revealed that she required professional help after starring in the 2021 crime drama Mare of Easttown, in which she played a troubled detective from Pennsylvania. The production was heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, extending the filming schedule far beyond what was originally planned.
“It was meant to be a six-month shoot,” she recalled. “COVID happened after the five months that we had been shooting, and everything got pushed. When we came back, our five remaining weeks turned into 10.”
By the end of filming, Winslet said she had been living with the character for more than a year. “I really, honestly, went a bit mad. It was quite weird,” she admitted. “It’s the only time in my life that I actually had to get some proper help, to come back to myself.”
Despite acknowledging how unusual it may sound, the actress spoke candidly about her experience. “It sounds completely insane, and even as I say it, I feel quite uncomfortable saying it, because I’m aware of how bonkers and indulgent that can sound,” she added.
Winslet also spoke about her son Joe Anders, 22, whom she shares with ex-husband Sam Mendes, and who is now following in her footsteps as an actor. She said she has been able to support him as he navigates his own “re-entry” after working on the new series Cape Fear.
“He’s a few months out the other side of that, and he’s still in the experience of the re-entry,” Winslet said. “I’m able to actively support my son in this moment in his life, when the mothering really does kick in again on a very cellular level.”
Describing her approach, she added, “Good meals, good walk, let’s get in the sea. Don’t need to talk today? That’s fine. Want to stay in bed today? Absolutely fine. You don’t need to do anything. Doesn’t matter. Do nothing and be okay with it.”
