Kate Winslet has been a driving force in Hollywood for over three decades, but the 48-year-old Oscar winner is only now entering a phase in her career where she is being “brave” according to some people. This includes speaking out about comments made by crew members about her body during a topless scene in her new movie Lee. However, Winslet has previously said the whole idea of being called “brave” because of this is nothing more than another sign of how gender plays a huge part in how actors are viewed in the industry.

Speaking at the History Channel’s History Talks event on Saturday, Winslet continued to share her views on the subject, elaborating on her love of “making statements” at a time in her life when she believes “life is too short” to not speak one’s mind. She said:

“I quite like making statements. And actually, I have to say, I’m at the point where I’m just like, You know what? Life is too short, but it is one thing that’s been happening to me quite a lot recently, people will say to me, ‘Oh, my God, so you were so brave in this performance, you had no makeup, and you look really kind of crappy.’ And I think, do we say to the men, ‘You were so brave, you grew a beard?’

“And then there’s another one, how do you juggle being a mother and having a career? Do we say, ‘How do you juggle being a father and having a career?’ I mean, we’ve got to change this dynamic.”

Kate Winslet Previously Recalled Being Called “Too Fat” in Her Early Career

Like many actresses in Hollywood, Winslet may be a respected star, but has also been subjected to many comments about her appearance over the years. Back when she made her first big impact on screen playing Rose in James Cameron’s Titanic, the press were not always kind about her. Speaking to Josh Horowitz in 2022, Winslet recalled:

“Apparently, I was too fat—isn’t it awful? Why were they so mean to me? I wasn’t even f—ing fat. If I could turn back the clock, I would have used my voice in a completely different way. I would have said to journalists…‘Don’t you dare treat me like this. I’m a young woman. My body is changing. I’m figuring it out. I’m deeply insecure. I’m terrified. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.’ That’s bullying and actually borderline abusive, I would say.”

Winslet’s career soared after Titanic, leading to roles in acclaimed movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, Iris and Little Children. She has also recently found huge success on TV with her Emmy winning role in Mare of Easttown.