Kate Winslet, the 50-year-old actress, has candidly shared that portraying challenging characters has taken a significant toll on her mental health. In an insightful conversation with the 'Lessons from Our Mothers' podcast, she revealed that emotionally draining roles often impair her well-being to the extent that she requires "proper support" to disentangle herself from the characters she plays.
"As an actor, there's a particular phenomenon that occurs," she began, her voice laced with a hint of reservation. "It might sound self-indulgent, so I seldom speak of it. But when you tackle a particularly arduous role—think of 'Mare of Easttown,' which left me utterly depleted—you do emerge from the other side, battered but wiser."
The 'Titanic' star elaborated further, describing the process as a "re-entry" into one's own life. "It's about reintegrating into the rhythm of family life, reconnecting with friendships, and allowing yourself to exit the world of your character," she explained. "The process of disengaging from a character, especially one you've played for an extended period as in television shows, can be quite involved."
Winslet further disclosed that after starring in the 2021 HBO crime drama 'Mare of Easttown,' where she portrayed a troubled Pennsylvania detective amidst the coronavirus pandemic's disruptions, she sought professional help. "The shoot was supposed to be six months long," she recalled. "But with COVID-19 disrupting our schedule after five months, we ended up extending our remaining weeks to ten."
The Oscar-winning actress candidly admitted, "By the end of it all, I had been inhabiting that character for over a year. It honestly drove me a bit mad. It was quite surreal. For the first time in my life, I had to seek proper assistance to regain my footing."
"It sounds completely insane, and even as I say it, I feel uncomfortable discussing it because I'm aware how eccentric and indulgent it might sound," she concluded, her voice laced with a hint of self-consciousness during the podcast conversation.
