Leonardo DiCaprio Changed Kate Winslet's Life When He Had A Conversation With Her About Her Body

Jan 16, 2022

The love story of Jack and Rose from the iconic film “Titanic” will go down in history as one of the most passionate yet tragic fictional romances of all time. Although that story sadly ended as the film credits rolled in 1997, the relationship between the actors who brought the characters to life has continued to live on.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio famously played lovers for James’ Cameron’s “Titanic,” and have remained incredibly close friends ever since. Winslet is most famously known for her work in independent films and period dramas, portraying strong, stubborn characters. She has gone on to receive plenty of prestigious awards throughout her career, cementing herself as a stand-out actress. Some of her most famous films include “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Finding Neverland” and “The Reader.”

DiCaprio, on the other hand, took a while to receive his first-ever Oscar, but has proved time and again that he is a well-accomplished and talented actor. Some of his most notable films include “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Inception,” “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Revenant.”

Throughout their 25 years of friendship, Winslet and DiCaprio have continued to explain just how much they appreciate each other and enjoy any time they are able to spend together. Their friendship began almost immediately, and the two of them have supported each other through everything.

Interestingly, while filming "Titanic," Winslet had many doubts about whether she was the right fit for the movie, and felt insecure about her body type. However, a passing remark by DiCaprio changed her life, and Winslet opened up about it in 2004. 

After being friends for more than two decades, it’s safe to say that Winslet and DiCaprio have a beautiful, unbreakable bond and will hopefully be able to be in each other’s lives for as long as possible. According to TODAY, Winslet and DiCaprio first formed a beautiful friendship on the set of “Titanic,” which was the highest-grossing movie of all time prior to the release of another Cameron film, “Avatar.”

The pair shared some wonderful memories together during their time filming “Titanic.” “I turned 21 on that shoot, and Leo turned 22,” Winslet told The Guardian. At an age that young, almost everyone has insecurities about their body, and Winslet was no different. However, DiCaprio came through for his friend and said something that would stay with Winslet for the rest of her life. 

Speaking to Oprah Winfrey on her titular show in 2004, Winslet revealed, "I remember Leo when we were doing 'Titanic' saying to me, ‘You know it’s really important that you are the shape that you are." Cheat Sheet reported that Winslet continued, "I was like ‘Well what do you mean by that?'" 

She added, "It was kind of a really out-of-the-blue conversation that we had in the middle of shooting. He said ‘Because there’s so many skinny girls out there who think that to be successful and to be beautiful and therefore to be loved and respected, it means you have to be thin.'"

In the entertainment industry, there is an extreme emphasis on a woman's body type and weight, and it can be challenging for women who do not fit the "industry standard."

DiCaprio's words had an important impact on Winslet, and she found herself agreeing with him because she was providing representation for the millions of women who had the same body type as her. 

Winslet said that "this kind of really struck a chord with me. I thought, ‘He’s really right actually.’ And that in some way this image is being translated to teenage girls." DiCaprio's words also fueled Winslet with confidence when the pair attended the Academy Awards after the movie's premiere in 1997. 

"So when the Academy Awards came around for 'Titanic,' I thought ‘You know what? I’m young, I’m 21 years old and I’m in this movie and it’s very successful and I’ve been nominated for an Academy Award for this. And I haven’t done any of this through being skinny," Winslet told Winfrey. DiCaprio's words rang true for her and allowed her to blossom into the incredible actress she is without being burdened by the unrealistic expectations of the entertainment industry. 

"I thought ‘I’m just gonna hold my head high and I’m just going to be the person I am,'" Winslet said. 

The Winslet-DiCaprio friendship is one of Hollywood's most favorite, and both actors know how much they are to have found each other. Winslet told Magnus Sundholm, "That's one of my greatest friendships and I'm so lucky to have him. He makes me laugh so much."

Hello! Magazine meanwhile cited Dicaprio as stating that he felt a deep connection to Winslet because of their shared experiences,

"In a lot of ways, Kate and I have really grown up in this industry together; we've been a support mechanism for each other for such a long period of time. We've been there for each other and helped guide each other."

What do you think about this important conversation that Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio had? Tell us your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to your friends if you learned something new.