Kate Winslet stole the show as Rose in Titanic (Picture: 20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet almost didn’t get her most iconic role, despite earning an Oscar nomination for it.
The 48-year-old shot to superstardom thanks to her efforts as Rose DeWitt Bukater in Titanic in 1997, starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson.
She has gone on to lead the way in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Holiday, Iris and The Reader – which she earned the Academy Award for best actress in 2009.
However, director James Cameron wasn’t that keen on getting her on board, as she had previously appeared in period dramas, including Sense and Sensibility, Hamlet and Jude.
‘It seemed like lazy casting,’ he told Variety. ‘But then wiser heads prevailed, and I could see what everybody was talking about. She’s very alive. She comes into a room with a great deal of confidence, and she’s got that spark of life.’
Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Reese Witherspoon and Claire Danes were among the huge names who rejected the part before Kate fought for her spot.
Could you imagine the flick without her? (Picture: 20th Century Fox)
She starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack (Picture: 20th Century Fox)
Director James Cameron initially wasn’t sold on the idea… (Picture: Getty)
Meanwhile, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey, Billy Crudup and Tom Cruise were linked to the role of Jack.
Aside from Titanic, Kate has juggled huge cinematic projects with small screen adventures – most recently as the iconic Elena in HBO drama, The Regime.
But it’s her role as Mare Sheehan in HBO’s Mare of Easttown, that captivated fans and left us all crying out for more.
In the 2021 limited-series, we followed the small town detective as she was tasked with investigating a murder in a suburb of Philadelphia.
Kate recently appeared as Mare in Mare of Easttown (Picture: HBO)
Viewers were gripped by the episodes – including that ending – with the show earning a whopping 16 Emmy nods.
Unpacking the program, which earned her an Emmy for outstanding actress in a limited or anthology series or movie, Kate told Variety: ‘It was probably quite nice for audiences to see an actress typically known for being a leading lady in films become completely undone.
‘Playing her was like that: I felt refreshed and rejuvenated by how disgusting she was every single day. And she was warm and funny, and her ability to see everyone was f**king gorgeous.’
Fans have been demanding a second season of the HBO drama (Picture: HBO)
Although Mare of Easttown ended three years ago, viewers have been demanding more episodes ever since.
Kate remained coy when asked whether she would ever consider reprising the role, simply teasing: ‘Probably’.
Francesca Orsi, the head of drama at HBO, was a little more forthcoming over a second series.
‘We did run to have discussions about a season two,’ she continued to the outlet. ‘But it did feel too soon.
Kate remained coy over the possibility of returning to the role (Picture: Getty)
‘While there’s nothing in the works, we are having early discussions about whether it might be time to start thinking of building something.
‘We might be willing to figure out with Mare, years later, picking her up – not on the heels of where she ended, but there have been years for the character that have passed. Who is she now?’
Bring it on!
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