Whatever Happens...

email this story
read comments (32)
post a comment

"In an industry that insists that most actresses remain giggly, pliable and princessy well into middle age, Kate Winslet has somehow avoided that pigeonhole entirely. She doesn't play girls; she never really has. She plays women. Unsentimentalized, restless, troubled, discontented, disconcerted, difficult women. And clearly, it's working for her." -- from Mark Harris's Time cover story on the (very) likely Best Actress Oscar winner. Warning: Winslet may not convey shock or surprise at the podium. And no hyperventilating. No offense but we've had enough of that -- thanks.

Lah-Lah<< previous | next >>Radio Siberia

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 19, 2009 at 1:13 PM

comment #1

cinefan says ...

Great description of Winslet by Harris. I don't care at all about the negativity that has surrounded her after her various acceptance speeches. I'm rooting for one of my favorite actresses to win a much-deserved Oscar on Sunday and I will definitely be ticked off if she doesn't.

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 1:26 PM

comment #2

BurmaShave says ...

What an awful movie though. A shame.

Posted by BurmaShave at February 19, 2009 1:27 PM

comment #3

Sabina E says ...

Soooo agree on the quote about Winslet playing women, not little girls. She's such a great actress, period.

Posted by Sabina E at February 19, 2009 1:34 PM

comment #4

Floyd Thursby says ...

Kate and Cate are the only actresses under forty playing women.

Posted by Floyd Thursby at February 19, 2009 1:34 PM

comment #5

cinefan says ...

I would include Samantha Morton and Gwyneth Paltrow in that group too.

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 1:47 PM

comment #6

great scott says ...

I ask again. What are the odds she will weep during her speech? If so, will it be full on Gwyneth Paltrow or a little less restrained?

Posted by great scott at February 19, 2009 1:47 PM

comment #7

erniesouchak says ...

I agree, I've seen more than enough weeping from Ms. Winslet for one awards season. I have always liked her, but her ubiquity and relentless campaigning is wearing thin.

Posted by erniesouchak at February 19, 2009 1:49 PM

comment #8

LexG says ...

Kind of sick of her ENTITLED, EGOTISTICAL attitude crossed with that disingenuous "WHOOOO MEEEEEE?" BULLSHIT.

She's MANNERED and irritating, and in REV ROAD she looked like DiCaprio's AUNT or something. His acting was intense and raw; She was MUGGING and HAMMING and making those STUPID FACES she makes.

NO ONE in America likes this chick except for pent-up tweedy film critics, gay men, and EngLit chicks who read Emily Dickinson and wear thrift store clothes.

Most overracted actress IN THE HISTORY OF EVER.

Posted by LexG at February 19, 2009 2:23 PM

comment #9

hcat says ...

I would like to add Maggie Gyllenhaal to Floyd's list. Is Cate under 40?

Posted by hcat at February 19, 2009 2:25 PM

comment #10

corey3rd says ...

suck it Jodie Foster!

Posted by corey3rd at February 19, 2009 2:30 PM

comment #11

hcat says ...

"in REV ROAD she looked like DiCaprio's AUNT or something."

Evan Racheal Wood would look like Dicaprio's aunt, the guy ages like Dorian Gray.

Posted by hcat at February 19, 2009 2:36 PM

comment #12

cinefan says ...

What, the whole fucking world has to get behind this fatty winning an Oscar? Jesus Christ. If I had to list the top 20 actresses I look forward to seeing in a movie, Winslet wouldn't even crack the TOP 100. Jessica Alba OWNS this overweight whale's ass. So does Megan Fox, so does CHARLIZE, so does Angie, etc etc etc.
She's MANNERED and irritating, and in REV ROAD she looked like DiCaprio's AUNT or something. His acting was intense and raw; She was MUGGING and HAMMING and making those STUPID FACES she makes.

So, I'm guessing you asked her out on a date a few years back and she turned you down? That's the only way to explain your vitriolic acts on her weight. Also, if you look forward to seeing a performance by Jessica Alba more than seeing one by Kate Winslet, there's something seriously messed up about you. I like Alba and Megan Fox as well as anybody else, but both are at their best on magazine covers and not on the silver screen. Lastly, if there was anyone from Revolutionary Road who was mugging and mannered, it was DiCaprio.

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 2:39 PM

comment #13

Rich S. says ...

To get attention at the Oscars, she should do what she does to get attention in films: get nekkid.

Posted by Rich S. at February 19, 2009 2:40 PM

comment #14

cinefan says ...

That should read "your vitriolic attacks regarding her weight..."

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 2:40 PM

comment #15

tommysunshine says ...

"She doesn't play girls; she never really has. She plays women. Unsentimentalized, restless, troubled, discontented, disconcerted, difficult women. And clearly, it's working for her."

What an absurd observation. Girls don't have problems? But women have a monopoly on suffering?! Harris is a gifted writer and knows his film but, in common with many gentlemen who dance at the other end of the ballroom has difficulty comprehending the opposite sex.

Posted by tommysunshine at February 19, 2009 2:48 PM

comment #16

hcat says ...

I don't think that Harris means that women have a monopoly on suffering (Amy Adams has done some very strong work with 'girl' roles), but that there are very few actresses today that are more than a romantic lead. (though Harris must have missed The Holiday which was the worst silly girl movie of the decade until Mamma Mia reared its empty head)

Posted by hcat at February 19, 2009 3:17 PM

comment #17

great scott says ...

Don't get me wrong. I LIKE Kate Winslet a lot. It's just that wondering whether or not she will go all Halle Berry up there is the only thing close to suspense this Oscar night has to offer. Except for Best Actor, all of the winners are so obvious to anyone who has been halfway paying attention. Slumdog, Boyle, Kate, Ledger, Cruz are all locks or close to it.

Posted by great scott at February 19, 2009 3:39 PM

comment #18

LexG says ...

Is Mark Harris a REGULAR contributor to TIME now? Christ, his subpar, stereotypically queeny ramblings in EW made me look forward to the weeks where it was merely Stephen King's AWFUL fucking column.

Posted by LexG at February 19, 2009 3:47 PM

comment #19

Carl Kolchak says ...

LexG.....you need a happy pill.

Posted by Carl Kolchak at February 19, 2009 5:07 PM

comment #20

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Lex - I respect your passion, and I even enjoy reading your posts from time to time. Sometimes they make me smile, and nostalgic for the last carefree summer I had when I was 15 years old.

This is not one of those times.

And Penelope Cruz is no lock to win Best Supporting Actress. I am really not even convinced she is the sole frontrunner.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at February 19, 2009 5:45 PM

comment #21

bfm says ...

Absolutely LexG. Kate's ginormous. Hell, she's probably a size 8. Maybe even a 10. What message would it be sending to other actresses to give her an award? We can't have that! Run this woman out of Hollywood! She deserves nothing but a trip to fat camp. But don't send her by plane, she'll take up two seats. Right?

Posted by bfm at February 19, 2009 6:05 PM

comment #22

cinefan says ...

Amen, bfm. It's not surprising that so many young girls develop eating disorders when actresses like Kate Winslet are called fat for being a size 8. Not every female in Hollywood has to look like Calista Flockhart or Kate Moss.

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 6:24 PM

comment #23

econeywaaa says ...

Hey, listen, don't knock Mark Harris. He KNOWS good actresses. He married Martha Raye, didn't he?

Posted by econeywaaa at February 19, 2009 7:10 PM

comment #24

byanyother says ...

Seriously somebody need to do an intervention on LexG - sad, embarrassing, drunken rantings are just so....1995. Get over it, dude. You're sad. Sober up and get a fucking life. You know, one that doesn't entail drinking a lot of booze and ranting shit out of your pie-hole? Get thee back to the Hot Blog, go on, shoo.

Posted by byanyother at February 19, 2009 7:30 PM

comment #25

LexG says ...

Look, the weight is beside the point; The bigger issue is I don't know why she's this WORSHIPPED, beyond-reproach entity AS AN ACTRESS.

She's not THAT charismatic, not THAT brilliant; Jolie is a lot more electrifying... as is Charlize, as is Hilary Swank in the right role. Winslet is kind of functional when she's not being a shrewish ham.

I am FULL ON hoping for an Anne Hathaway upset. GO ANNE HOTNESS.

Posted by LexG at February 19, 2009 7:53 PM

comment #26

byanyother says ...

"Look, the weight is beside the point"

Buddy, when you shoot your wad like that you invalidate every other point you could be making, but your points are kind of uh...wrong.

Posted by byanyother at February 19, 2009 8:29 PM

comment #27

cinefan says ...

LexG, you mention Jolie, Theron, and Swank. What do the three actresses have in common? They all have academy awards. I'm not saying that Winslet is vastly better than any other actress on the planet but she holds the record for most Oscar nominations under the age of 30 and she is the youngest actress ever to compile 6 nominations. If an actress like Julia Roberts gets to have an Oscar as a reward for doing consistently mediocre work in consistently mediocre films, Winslet certainly merits an Oscar for consistently doing excellent work in above-average films.

Posted by cinefan at February 19, 2009 8:35 PM

comment #28

Movie Watcher says ...

LexG, I agree that I am tired of the endless pimping of her to win. If she doesn't, she'll 0 for 7. Not good. If Cruz wins, will it piss off Salma Hayek because she hasn't won one? Who is going to watch? I will skip the show and get the results in the morning. The show is too long.

Posted by Movie Watcher at February 20, 2009 8:51 AM

comment #29