Though Reading-born Winslet may be most famous for her role in "Titanic", it is her more unconventional role choices which showcase her acting skills and devotion to the artistry integrity over celebrity.
Her debut as a teenage murderer in "Heavenly Creatures" was an auspicious one, suggesting Winslet's range and conviction within difficult subject matter, and displaying the acting bravery which would come to epitomise her style. Though the film was critically acclaimed Winslet returned to obscurity and the dole until she won the role of Marianne in "Sense and Sensibility" alongside Emma Thompson. Her powerful performance earned her an Academy nomination and the lead in "Jude". She appeared nude in the film, again displaying her daring for material she believed in and starting the issue of her weight, on which she would become outspoken.
After appearing in Branagh's "Hamlet" she felt ready for a big budget American movie, badgering James Cameron until she got the part of Rose in "Titanic". The experience was mixed for Winslet, who nearly drowned during the gruelling shoot but she was nominated for an Oscar a second time. Though the success of "Titanic" provided numerous high profile opportunities, Winslet remained faithful to her dramatic convictions, turning down starring roles in "Shakespeare in Love" and "Anna and the King" for indie films "Hideous Kinky" and "Holy Smoke". Her startling performances proved she was not just a pretty face but an experimental and accomplished actress.
Winslet continues to seek out unconventional and challenging films with "Quills", the war drama "Enigma", and "Therese Raquin" which she also produced. Resolutely uninterested in celebrity, the girl from Reading remains one of Britain’s most interesting, unpredictable, and audacious young actors.
