Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet‘s longtime friendship proves that enduring connections are indeed possible in Hollywood.
But one interesting fact about their bond is that it was partly reinforced by a comment DiCaprio made about Winslet’s body during their Titanic days. And this powerful statement helped changed Winslet’s outlook on life.
Kate found herself being criticized just because she didn’t fit into society’s standards of the “perfect body.” When she was younger, she was locked in cupboards and teased about her passion for acting, with bullies telling her that she would only get the “fat girl” parts.
At 19 years old, she also became a victim of tabloid cruelty. She shared how newspapers would comment about her size, make estimates of how much she weighed, and report on the supposed diet she was on.
Winslet admitted that the physical scrutiny had an impact on how she viewed herself and what her impression of “beautiful” was. For a time, the actress felt like she was alone and worried about how people in Hollywood would see her.
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In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Winslet recalled that out of the blue, DiCaprio told her, “It’s really important that you are the shape that you are.” When she asked him what he meant by that, he said there are many women who believe that the only way to be successful, loved, and considered beautiful is to be skinny.
Their conversation empowered Winslet to become an icon of body positivity.