NewKerala.com

Kate Winslet Reveals She Needed Therapy After Playing Troubled Detective

Kate Winslet has revealed the significant mental and emotional toll that portraying troubled characters can take, a process she calls "re-entry." The Oscar-winning actress disclosed that she required professional help to recover after playing the lead role in the 2021 crime drama "Mare of Easttown," a shoot extended to over a year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Winslet explained that it takes time to "unpick a character from your system," especially after such a prolonged immersion. She is now using her experience to support her son, Joe Anders, as he navigates his own acting career and the challenges of post-role adjustment.

Key Points: Kate Winslet on Post-Role "Re-entry" and Mental Health

  • Winslet describes "re-entry" after intense roles
  • She needed therapy post-"Mare of Easttown"
  • Pandemic extended shoot, deepening immersion
  • She now supports her actor son through the process
  • Calls the experience "bonkers and indulgent" but real
3 min read

Kate Winslet says it 'takes time' to let go of troubled characters

Kate Winslet opens up about the mental toll of acting, revealing she sought professional help after filming "Mare of Easttown" and struggled with "re-entry."

"I really, honestly, went a bit mad... It's the only time in my life that I actually had to get some proper help, to come back to myself. - Kate Winslet"

Los Angeles, Jan 27

Hollywood star Kate Winslet says she struggles with "re-entry" into her own life after portraying troubled characters on screen.

The Academy Award-winning actress told the Lessons from Our Mothers podcast: "There's this thing that happens as an actor, and it sound very self indulgent so I very rarely say it. But when you play a really difficult part - I think of Mare of Easttown, for example, which flattened me, my god - you do have to kind of come out the other side."

"I call it re-entry. Re-entry into your own life, going back into your friendships, reintegrating into the rhythm of family again. Exiting a family, leaving people behind, letting a character go," she continued.

Winslet added: "It takes a while, actually, to unpick a character from your system, especially if you have played them for a long time, which, with television, you really do."

The actress revealed that she needed professional help after starring in the 2021 crime drama Mare of Easttown, which saw her portray a troubled Pennsylvania detective after the coronavirus pandemic caused havoc with the production.

She recalled: "It was meant to be a six-month shoot. COVID happened after the five months that we had been shooting, and everything got pushed, and when we came back, our five remaining weeks turned into 10."

"By the end of the whole thing, I'd been playing that character for over a year. And I really, honestly, went a bit mad. It was quite weird. It's the only time in my life that I actually had to get some proper help, to come back to myself."

Winslet added: "It sounds completely insane, and even as I say it, I feel quite uncomfortable saying it, because I'm aware of how bonkers and indulgent that can sound."

Winslet's son Joe Anders, 22, whom she has with her ex-husband Sam Mendes, is following her into acting, and she is glad to have been able to offer him support as he stars in the new series Cape Fear.

She said: "He's a few months out the other side of that, and he's still in the experience of the re-entry. I'm able to actively support my son in this moment in his life, when actually, the mothering does kick in again on a very cellular level.

"Good meals, good walk, let's get in the sea. Don't need to talk today? That's fine. Want to stay in bed today? Absolutely fine. You don't need to do anything. Doesn't matter. Do nothing and be okay with it."

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Interesting perspective. Our Indian actors in long-running TV serials must go through something similar, playing the same character for years. But you never hear them talk about 're-entry'. Maybe it's the culture—just move on to the next project.
A
Anjali F
Her advice to her son is pure gold. "Good meals, good walk, let's get in the sea." That's such universal, motherly wisdom. Sometimes the simplest things are the most healing, whether you're in Mumbai or Hollywood.
D
David E
While I appreciate her honesty, I can't help but feel this is a very privileged problem to have. Most people struggle with 're-entry' into normal life after stressful jobs with no safety net or access to 'proper help'. The perspective feels a bit narrow.
K
Karthik V
The COVID delay making a 6-month shoot into over a year... that's brutal. It happened to so many projects here too. The mental strain on artists during the pandemic was real, but rarely discussed. Respect for speaking up.
S
Sneha F
"Mare of Easttown" was brilliant, and now knowing what she went through makes her performance even more powerful. True dedication. It's a good reminder that what we see on screen is just the tip of the iceberg for these artists.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50