Kate Winslet opens up about being fat-shamed as a child

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Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Mar 23 2017 | 1:48 PM IST
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet reveals she was called "Blubber" by bullies when she was at school.
Winslet relived some painful parts of her past on stage in front of 12,000 youngsters at the We Day UK charity event at Wembley Arena.
In an inspirational speech, Winslet, 41, says, "I had been bullied at school, they called me Blubber. I was always comparing myself to others. They teased me for wanting to act. Locked me in the cupboard and would laugh at me.
"I wasn't the prettiest and I was even told that I'd be lucky in my acting if I was happy to settle for the fat girl parts. I'd never let go of that, and they'd say, 'You're just not what we're looking for, Kate.' I'd hear that a lot. This unkindness made me feel truly horrendous," she says.
But Winslet says she was able to block out the negative comments and continued to pursue her passion for acting.
"I was always auditioning for the school plays. I didn't really get very good parts, mind you, but I didn't mind. I didn't care. I loved acting. It didn't matter how big or small the parts were. I wanted to be great and I was determined to keep learning. And then one day, I was cast as Rose in 'Titanic'," the "Triple 9" actress says.
"The most unlikely candidate, Kate from the sandwich shop in Reading, suddenly acting in one of the biggest movies ever made!"
The "Labor Day" star concluded her inspiring speech by saying, "Get out there and go for it because your generation has the power to rock the world. You can be from anywhere, and you can do anything, believe it. It's possible to overcome your fears.
"I learned to embrace my flaws, to make no apology for who I am. I dug deep and I decided that I simply wouldn't listen when they said my body didn't fit. This is who I am, the real me, Kate from Reading.

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First Published: Mar 23 2017 | 1:48 PM IST

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