Kate Winslet Reveals the Actress Who Changed Her Craft

Kate Winslet, a fixture in the world of acclaimed cinema for decades, has always been open about the influences that shaped her as a performer. Despite her own fame and a string of standout roles, she’s never shied away from crediting those who inspired her along the way. Among the many names she’s mentioned, one stands out as the most significant: an actress whose work left a lasting mark on Winslet’s own approach to the craft.

Reflecting on her early days, Winslet recalls being struck by a particular performance that didn’t fit her idea of what acting was supposed to look like. She explained,

“I have to say it’s Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver, because she’s not acting. This is what inspired me so much, specifically from that performance, and specifically from Jodie; when I saw her onscreen when I was younger, I just couldn’t work out exactly what it was that she was doing, because it wasn’t, to my mind, what I had believed acting was. She wasn’t acting. She was just this person.”

Authenticity Over Performance

Foster’s role in Taxi Driver is often remembered as one of the most impressive debuts by a young performer, earning her an Academy Award nomination and setting a high bar for authenticity. Winslet was captivated by the way Foster seemed to simply exist on screen, rather than perform. That sense of being, rather than acting, became a touchstone for Winslet as she built her own career.

She went on to say,

“She wasn’t an actress. She was a real person who kept showing up. I kept seeing her in things, and that, for me, was a real penny-drop moment. I was like, ‘Well, that’s it,’ because it’s about being, isn’t it? It’s not about acting. The trick is to be it and not have them see that you’re ‘acting’ being it.”

Parallel Paths in Film

Winslet’s journey in the industry has, in some ways, mirrored Foster’s. While Foster was younger when she first made waves, both found themselves in the spotlight early on, taking on roles that would become iconic. Each has led the cast in films that took home the Best Picture Oscar—Foster in The Silence of the Lambs, Winslet in Titanic. Foster picked up two Best Actress Oscars early in her career, while Winslet’s own win for Revolutionary Road came after years of being considered overdue for the honour.

Both have also found new audiences through high-profile television work. Foster recently starred in a much-talked-about season of True Detective, while Winslet has picked up Emmys for her roles in Mildred Pierce and Mare of Easttown. Their careers have continued to evolve, with each taking on challenging projects that keep them at the centre of the conversation.

From Admiration to Collaboration

Despite their similar trajectories, Winslet and Foster only shared the screen once, in the 2011 dark comedy Carnage. Directed by Roman Polanski, the film cast them as mothers at odds, locked in a battle of wits and words. Off screen, though, there’s nothing but mutual respect between the two. Their collaboration stands as a rare moment where inspiration and reality met, with Winslet finally working alongside the actress who set her on her path.