It’s been nearly 30 years since Jack and Rose sailed into our lives aboard Titanic, with all of their “You jump, I jump” and “I’ll never let go.” While James Cameron isn’t too shabby himself as a filmmaker, he absolutely struck gold with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as his leads, and it turns out the latter may have tried to tip the scales in her favor by sending the director a very sweet, very appropriate gift.

James Cameron was asked about letters or items that he’s received from actors to help them land a role in one of his epically high-grossing movies, and while he denied that such a thing would actually have much pull with him, he did recall Kate Winslet making a move. Cameron told ET:

I think that’s actually the sweetest gift, and as someone who loves Titanic, I love that she cared enough to fight for the role of Rose. James Cameron shot down the idea that the flower was what got her the part in what would become one of the best movies of the ‘90s — I’m sure Kate Winslet would rather it have been for her talent anyway — but it doesn’t sound like showing the director how passionate she was about Rose hurt her chances at all.

Plenty of behind-the-scenes facts about Titanic have come out over the past three decades, including how close Leonardo DiCaprio came to backing out of the movie. James Cameron knows how fragile the operation was, and if just one thing had changed — especially his lead actor and actress — the whole thing could have fallen apart.

The casting process for Titanic was reportedly a long one, and many big names were allegedly considered for Jack and Rose. Can you imagine Matthew McConnaughey as Jack Dawson? (“Alright, alright, alright, move over and let me on that door now.”) What about Johnny Depp or Paul Rudd? It would have been a completely different movie! For Rose, other actresses who were reportedly being considered included Uma Thurman and Winona Ryder.

Alas, it was Kate Winslet, who thankfully nailed it into James Cameron’s brain with a gift and note to let him know, “I am your Rose,” and to this day it’s considered one of Winslet’s best roles.

If you want to relive Jack and Rose’s love story, the tragedy of the “unsinkable” ship, or just renew the great Titanic door debate, the 1997 James Cameron classic is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

Meanwhile, if you’d rather check out what the director is up to these days, catch Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), which is playing in theaters now.

It’s the job of the Avatar filmmakers to make us believe Pandora exists when we watch James Cameron’s films, but wow, is it a grueling process to do so! CinemaBlend just got the chance to go to Lightstorm Entertainment in Manhattan Beach, California earlier this week to learn how those blue aliens get made thanks to the art of performance capture, and we got schooled by Fire And Ash producer Rae Sanchini.

While we were there, we witnessed a live camera demo with VFX supervisor Richard Baneham on the same stage where the likes of Zoë Saldana, Kate Winslet and Sigourney Weaver did their performances with dots on their faces during the production of Fire And Ash. We also sat down with Sanchini, and here’s what the producer had to say about performance capture:

After being at the studio in person, I can finally say I have an understanding of the process myself. But even with that said, I’m mind-blown over the whole thing. As Sanchini spoke, it all starts with the actors coming together to film the scenes on a massive soundstage in Manhattan Beach with performance capture suits on. As she continued to explain:

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend watching the bonus features of the Avatar movies. Fire And Ash just dropped on digital, and if you buy a copy, you’ll also get over three hours of bonus features that cover the making of these movies from every stage. Before we go on with Sanchini’s comments, take a look at this visual slideshow of how it’s done:

While a typical movie shoot involves the filmmakers setting up how every shot will look like and shooting a series of close ups, longshots and so forth with the actors, it’s very different for Avatar. A bunch of cameras film them all at the same time like they are literally living each moment, except they look kind of ridiculous. As Sanchini added:

Jack Champion, a.k.a. Spider, had it even harder because he had to shoot his scenes twice: for motion capture with the rest of the cast and then in live-action in New Zealand since his character is human. Anyways, once the actors have filmed their scenes, James Cameron and the other editors will go through all the takes and start editing the movie into a “performance edit” out of the best moments from the coverage. They’ll send that over to VFX, which creates a “template” of how they look in Pandora. I’ll let Sanchini take it from there with these words:

Once that’s all done, the Avatar movies move to a new phase of post-production at WETA FX back in New Zealand where the movies become what we saw in theaters over the holiday season. Pretty cool, right? You can watch Fire And Ash at home right now, and check out what Oona Chaplin told us about the making of the film as well here on CinemaBlend.

There was a time when Titanic’s Kate Winslet said, "You'd have to pay me a lot of money” to work with James Cameron again. Winslet and Cameron, of course, initially worked together on Titanic and, after that, Winslet made comments about Cameron's alleged temper. But 25 years later, she was cast in Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, where she wore full-motion capture gear and did crazy underwater scenes. While Cameron and Winslet are cool, the director did have some thoughts on the comments made about him.

Based on behind-the-scenes fact about Titanic, the film's production was stressful. With long hours of filming in the cold, budget changes and a subsequent wave of bad press, the film's path to becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time (for over a decade) was no cakewalk. But on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the host spoke about how Kate Winslet said after filming that she was “genuinely frightened” of James Cameron and that he had a “temper.” Here’s what the top-grossing director had to say about that:

James Cameron allowed the proverbial water to go under the bridge after Kate Winslet apologized. It’s not uncommon for people to make emotionally charged comments, especially after stressful experiences. Considering the two ended up working together again decades later for the Avatar: The Way of Water (streamable with a Disney+ subscription) and Fire and Ash, I’d definitely say the pair are on good terms today.

Years ago, people speculated that Titanic would sink at the box office due to reports of the historical romance flick going over budget, release date delays and rumors of harsh working conditions. During his recent interview, Cameron continued to talk about how Winslet’s initial claims could have been sparked by uncertainty about whether their movie would actually succeed:

I can understand the pressure Kate Winslet could have been under as she was still a young star at the time. The English actress' role as Rose DeWitt Bukater made her the tenth-youngest Best Actress nominee at 22, and she became a Golden Globe nominee as well. Honestly, I'd say that everything paid off, given the historical romance film is now considered one of Winslet's best movies.

For his part, James Cameron seems to have gained a lot of perspective in regard to the hard way he treated people on set. Back in the day, he and his crew even went as far as to wear T-shirts to keep people in line that said things like “You either shoot it my way or you do another movie.” The Abyss director got real about those infamous tees:

Even if Kate Winslet recalled James Cameron’s temper back then, she still has fond memories of the director now. She previously stated in 2022 that she understood what “a terrifying experience” filming Titanic was for Cameron. That was because the technology used for the film was experimental, and the crew couldn't afford for anything to go wrong during the shoot.

When the Titanic pair collaborated for Avatar: The Way of Water, on the other hand, the Oscar-winning actress described Cameron as “calmer” as he delved into the familiar world of Pandora and was confident in what he was doing for that shoot.

It goes without saying that James Cameron and Kate Winslet have had some great movie collaborations. The partnership may not have always been easy early on, but I love that they're still close today. You can watch their latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is still playing in theaters.

James Cameron is one of the most successful filmmakers of all time. With three of the top five highest-grossing films of all time directed by him, there’s nobody else quite at his level. But it’s taken some hard work, and possibly some hurt feelings, to get there. And Cameron admits to not liking the person he used to be on set.

Cameron recently appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, where he spoke at length about his career. The host asked him about previous comments he had made that amounted to the director not liking the way he tended to act while directing. Cameron admitted there was a time when he had a tendency to be so focused on getting the movie made right, that he took even the slightest hindrance to that personally. He explained…

Film is certainly a collaborative medium, but the director is the one in charge, and it seems Cameron may have taken that a little too much to heart in the past. It sounds like those working with him might run afoul of the director’s temper from time to time, as Cameron had little patience for mistakes on set. Although it did appear to work, considering the best James Cameron movies are among the most successful movies ever made.

However, Cameron says he’s worked hard to change that mentality and thinks he’s now found a good balance. He understands that blaming people doesn’t make the movie better and is more tolerant of mistakes because he knows they can be dealt with. He continued…

The specific case of Kate Winslet is brought up, as the actress famously said some less-than-stellar things about Cameron as a director following Titanic. Cameron takes exception to that specific case, while he doesn’t specifically claim that things didn’t happen as the actress claimed, he doesn’t feel that her comments were entirely descriptive of the experience of making Titanic with him. And Winslet had nothing but good things to say when she worked with him again on Avatar: The Way of Water.

Whatever things used to be like, it seems that James Cameron at least thinks working with him is better now. This is good news for whatever his next movie ends up being, whether it’s the next two Avatar films or something else entirely.

If any movie is the king of James Cameron’s world, I think it's Titanic. While some claim his legacy is the Avatar franchise, with its latest installment Avatar: Fire and Ash currently in theaters, I respectfully disagree. That's because, no matter what movie the Aliens director promotes, he is almost always asked about Titanic, and one infamous door scene in particular. You know the one. Cameron recently dropped an F-bomb while expressing his exhaustion with the debate over Titanic’s raft scene (but I still have my doubts after his most recent rant).

Could Jack have fit on the door with Rose? It’s a question that has plagued Hollywood for decades. Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have both been asked to answer the question in its resurgence, and of course, the Avatar director has been grilled on it a billion times. Even after he ran a series of scientific experiments to prove Jack couldn’t survive, people continued to question him. Now, he’s trying to squash the debate once and for all on The Hollywood Reporter’s Award Chatter Podcast with an expletive to add some extra umph to his argument:

It’s true, after performing all those scientific scenarios with stunt doubles, Cameron and co. admitted there was a small chance Jack could have survived if they had both sat on the raft, out of the water, instead of Rose lying down. But as Cameron points out, Jack wasn’t exactly a scientific trailblazer:

The Terminator director has previously said it wouldn’t matter anyway if Jack could fit on the door or not. In the end, Rose did have to let go–Jack had to die. While Jack and Rose may be fictional characters, the tragic end to their story was very real for the majority of the passengers on the Titanic. Without his heroic death, you render the movie “meaningless,” as Cameron puts it.

So I understand his frustration, I do. The continued debate of the raft is kind of a middle finger to his whole movie–just proving year after year that people are missing the point entirely. However, I think he might just need to give in and play along. I personally think it’s a tired debate. At this point, though, I think some people are just bringing it up to get a rise out of him.

The True Lies filmmaker can drop as many F-bombs as he likes, unfortunately for him, I don’t believe this debate will ever die. It’s a classic conversation starter at parties, among friends, and even on game shows. The problem doesn’t lie in the science, it lies in the fact that people like Margot Robbie don’t like to watch its sad, tragic ending. Which is totally fine, but James Cameron doesn’t want to hear it anymore, guys! Seriously, maybe we should just let him make his upcoming projects in peace.

There’s all sorts of new holiday releases on the Christmas movie schedule, but I think there’s one that’s particularly special. Kate Winslet has just put out her directorial debut Goodbye June, and I love how it tackles themes about family and the complicated emotions associated with the death of a loved one. In CinemaBlend’s interview with Winslet, the first-time director shared the way she decided to shoot Goodbye June, and I think it definitely speaks to her talent as a new filmmaker and shows the care she brought to the topic.

The new movie, which is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription, follows a British family pent up in a hospital room during the holidays with June (Helen Mirren), the matriarch of the clan who doesn't have long to live. It leads her adult children (played by Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette and Johnny Flynn) and her grandkids to all be in close quarters over the season as they process her looming death. Discussing her approach to the story, Winslet told us,

Kate Winslet is obviously a beloved actress who has been making movies since the 1990s. She’s been vocal about some of the difficulties she’s faced over the years, like once being told she’d have to “settle for the fat girl parts” when she aspired to the profession as a kid. Winslet may have seen it all, but it sounds like she spent a lot of time making sure her actors felt comfortable and trusted. One way she did this was by hiding microphones on set so that the kids (and adults) wouldn’t be distracted by them. She continued,

I can imagine with the subject matter of Goodbye June, and the fact that most of it takes place in a hospital room, this was a really effective filmmaking technique. She also said this:

Critics have had a lot of positive things to say about Goodbye June, which is actually written by Winslet’s son Joe Anders about the experience of losing his own grandmother (Winslet’s own mom). Reviews have called it “impressively realistic” and everyone “brought their A-game” to Winslet’s debut film.

While it’s definitely one of the heavier Christmas movies I’ve seen in recent years, I found it to be really cathartic – especially as someone who lost a grandparent not too long ago and experienced some similar things the characters do. It feels so intimate (while often being funny and heartwarming too), so I’m not too surprised Winslet’s set was as intimate as it was.

You can watch Goodbye June on Netflix now.

Everyone has a favorite holiday movie. For some, It’s A Wonderful Life is the definitive classic, despite not being a giant success at the box office. For others, films like Home Alone, A Christmas Story or even (sometimes disturbing) classics like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer are appointment viewing. However, for lovers of the best rom-coms out there, one of the main Christmas choices is usually The Holiday. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years since the movie has been in our lives, but after Nancy Meyers shared some behind-the-scenes pics with the young, young cast, I’m starting to believe it.

Nancy Meyers recently shared a bunch of BTS set photos from The Holiday with her fans. There’s one awesome pic of Cameron Diaz gearing up for her infamous punch scene with Edward Burns and another with Diaz playing with the young actress, Milly Englefield, who I just realized is a full-blown adult now. (26!)

Meyers said she shared the photos because people keep “tagging her” in their own posts about watching The Holiday, and she seemingly wanted to give back. I do love seeing all these throwback memories from set, but it’s giving me some holiday humdrum as well, as I’m starting to contemplate my own mortality over here.

The Holiday originally hit the big screen in 2006. At the time, Kate Winslet would have been 31, Jude Law was 34, Cameron Diaz was also 34, and Jack Black was 37. So, of course they look younger than their 50+ years now; I’m not totally losing it. What I do find hard to compute is how I was in high school when this movie came out, and how I am now older than the cast was when they filmed the popular flick. Time is just slipping through my fingers even as I write these words.

I think fellow holiday actor Macaulay Culkin put it most aptly just a few years ago: “Wanna Feel Old?”

A few years back, we’d caught wind of the fact a sequel to The Holiday was potentially in development. A few years have passed since then, with nothing official in the works, but I’d still like to see it or some other new collaboration from the cast come to fruition. Jack Black’s on a tear right now with Minecraft, Super Mario Bros and this Christmas’ 2025 movie release Anaconda, as is Kate Winslet, who’s about to debut her first directorial endeavor on Netflix, Goodbye June, that has people “weeping in their eggnog.” Even Cameron Diaz is working her way back into the acting game, so let’s make this happen people!

The Nancy Meyers classic can currently be watched with a Philo subscription this holiday season, so it’s oddly not streaming for free on one of the bigger platforms per usual. Luckily, I’m old enough I still have my DVD handy. So, excuse me while I pop on the kettle for some cocoa and contemplate my own mortality. Happy holidays?

The Christmas movie schedule is typically chock full of cozy movies with fun activities like drinking hot chocolate and doing holiday-themed crafts. Sometimes, however, we get a movie with a little more depth over the holiday season, as happened with Netflix's new schedule entry Goodbye June. The sweet film stars Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet (who also directed), but things could have gone very differently when Mirren admitted she didn't "want to play" the part.

While many actresses in their eighties might read scripts of the Goodbye June variety all the time, Helen Mirren constantly defies expectations. From joining the Fast and Furious movies to her recent role in the Thursday Murder Club, the actress has found ways to find work for herself outside of playing elderly women struggling with death. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised she wasn't initially enamored with the role, as Kate Winslet revealed to CinemaBlend:

Goodbye June is Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, and comes from a script written by her son Joe Anders (whose father is director Sam Mendes). He wrote it at the age of 19, and was inspired by saying goodbye to his grandmother, and Winslet’s own mother. (Yes, Winslet recently weighed in on the nepo baby debate. )

Helen Mirren told the actress and newcomer director she wasn’t really keen on playing a dying woman, but was eager to support, and be part of the project. It's a sweet look at the inner workings of how projects can come together when people are supportive of the other people in Hollywood they respect. Clearly, Winslet has only positive things to say about Mirren, as well.

In the new movie, Mirren plays June, and Winslet plays one of her daughters, Julia. The fictional siblings also consist of Andrea Riseborough’s Molly, Toni Collette’s Helen and Johnny Flynn’s Connor. Timothy Spall plays June’s husband and the adult kids’ father. They all come together over the holiday season when things take a turn for the worse.

During our conversation, Winslet said she felt it was important to “give her the space” to do her job. She wanted her to “try things and experiment.” In her words, there was a reason Mirren (hopefully) enjoyed the work, even if she wasn't as enthusiastic about playing a dying lady on the screen.

It sounds like Winslet was well-paired director with Mirren, and as someone who has seen Goodbye June, I can say that the 80-year-old actress gives a really grounded and heartwarming performance even though, yes, it’s kind of off-putting to see her play this sort of role.

Mirren, who has been challenging norms in movies since the 1960s, has been honest about the “awful labels” she gets since getting older. It sounds like she received a lot of great direction from Winslet in her first directing credit. As Winslet also added:

You can check out Goodbye June with a Netflix subscription starting on December 24 (so Christmas Eve).

Kate Winslet is well-known for highly acclaimed roles in projects like Titanic, The Reader and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but now she’s hitting the 2025 movie calendar with her debut from behind the camera in Goodbye June. The Christmas drama, which was written by her son Joe Anders, is set to hit Netflix on December 24, and critics who have screened it ahead of time agree that this tearjerker leans hard on its stellar cast.

Leading that ensemble is Helen Mirren, who plays the titular matriarch, alongside Timothy Spall as June’s husband and Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, and Kate Winslet as their four children, who gather around their dying mother over the holidays. Helen O’Hara of Empire gives Goodbye June 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a strong directorial debut that captures the strange mix of emotions that can accompany losing a loved one. The critic says:

Caryn James of THR says the upcoming Netflix movie is at times “a little too heart-tugging,” but the ensemble makes it worth the watch. Kate Winslet shows promise as a director, while her son is talented but could use some more originality in his next project. James continues:

Lindsey Bahr of the AP gives Goodbye June 2.5 out of 4, saying that Kate Winslet’s straight-forward direction suits the tone of the movie, and aside from a few questionable choices, the film delivers moments of grace, humor and insight. Bahr writes:

Peyton Robinson of RogerEbert also says it’s obvious Kate Winslet is an actor-turned-director in the way that she allows the actors to do the heavy lifting rather than crafting anything from behind the camera. That’s for the best with what the critic calls a “formulaic and forgettable” story with a hotshot cast that feels incongruent with its content. Robinson continues:

Guy Lodge of Variety also thinks that Helen Mirren and company aren’t quite enough to “mask the shallow sentimentality of the material.” The script lacks the ring of lived experience, Lodge says, and none of the impressive ensemble are in peak form. He writes:

It sounds like critics think Kate Winslet shows promise at the helm, and while some saw authenticity in Joe Anders’ script, it sounds like others would like to see her direct something that is not her son’s film school project. With this cast, this will be a hard one to pass up for movie lovers who don’t mind a little holiday sobfest, so fire up your Netflix subscriptions for Goodbye June, coming Wednesday, December 24.

Happy Christmas, everyone! This week comes the biggest holiday of the year, and with it comes a list of special gifts from all your favorite streaming platforms. There have been plenty of new movies hitting streaming this month, as well as a highly publicized new series, and this week, we get new episodes of a Netflix series that is getting ready to say goodbye.

Supernatural - December 22 (Peacock)

In the era of streaming, one show staying in one place for over a decade is nearly unheard of, and yet, Supernatural, which ran for an incredible 15 seasons, has spent the last 13 years available on Netflix. This week, that changes as it leaves the streaming giant for a new home. If you were in the middle of a massive binge-watch watch you’ll need a Peacock subscription now if you want to finish it.

Ne Zha 2 - December 24 (HBO Max)

It’s been a big year at the Hollywood box office, but worldwide, one movie has had Hollywood in the rear-view mirror. Ne Zha 2 is the highest-grossing movie of the year, and one of the most successful movies ever made. If you missed the film’s brief domestic box office release, you’ll be able to catch it this week with an HBO Max subscription.

Goodbye June - December 24 (Netflix)

Goodbye June, the first directorial effort from Kate Winslet, is technically a Christmas movie, and it comes out on Christmas Eve. However, it may not be your typical holiday story. The film, written by Winslet’s son, stars Helen Mirren as June, the dying matriarch of a family that includes Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, and Toni Collette. This one promises to be emotional.

Stranger Things 5: Volume 2 - December 25 (Netflix)

The Christmas gift that comes with your Netflix subscription this holiday season is the second batch of episodes of the final season of Stranger Things. It’s all leading to the finale on New Year’s Eve, which you’ll be able to watch on Netflix or in theaters if you prefer.

2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade - December 25 (Disney+)

There’s nothing quite like the holiday season at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but since the 1980s, those of us who can’t be at the happiest place on earth have been able to experience that extra bit of Christmas joy with the Disney Parks Christmas Parade. This year’s event is hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Zootopia 2’s Ginnifer Goodwin and will include performances by Gwen Stefani, Coco Jones, Iam Tongi, Lady A, Nicole Scherzinger, Mariah the Scientist, and Bebe Rexha.

The Copenhagen Test - December 27 (Peacock)

Before Simu Liu returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe next year in Avengers: Doomsday, he has a brand new sci-fi series debuting on Peacock. The Copenhagen Test will see Liu as a spy who discovers that his body has been hacked to obtain classified information. Melissa Barerra co-stars.

Next week sees December come to an end and January get underway. With not only a new month but a new year arriving, you can be sure a lot of your favorite streaming content will get shuffled around on January 1. We’ll be here to let you know where it all is, and what’s worth watching.

At age 50, Kate Winslet is currently celebrating and promoting her directorial debut, the emotional Christmas-set family drama Goodbye June, in which she also co-stars opposite Toni Collette and Helen Mirren. (It’ll be available to stream on Christmas Eve via Netflix subscription.) But if one were to go back in time 35-40 years ago, they might stumble across the point when the now-esteemed actress was body-shamed by both classmates and a particular drama teacher who doubted Winslet’s chances of achieving success.

While speaking on the Desert Islands Discs podcast about the complications and challenges of directing while also being the lead actress in a movie, Winslet reflected on her grade school years and addressed the awful way she was treated by peers young and old. As she put it:

Sure, it'd be taking the moral high ground to assume that the drama teacher fumbled her words and didn't actually mean to flat-out call a young student fat to her face, but it doesn't sound like Winslet thinks that route is worthy of anyone's travels. It sounds like she never quite lost the edge of her grudge against the woman, and seemingly for good reason.

I can't imagine my own reactions if my English teacher had told me I'd be a great writer if I was ready to settle for "fat boy articles." I mean, obviously an entirely different situation on all fronts, but no less disrespectful.

Winslet pointedly called out many of those that she went to school with during that era, saying:

You lot who were in my year at school, you were bloody horrible to me, and you should be ashamed of yourselves!

Obviously Kate Winslet is far from being the only child actor who faced criticisms and harsh comments from adults in her sphere, and that kind of pronounced attention can be a stressful factor that often leads to one form of addiction or another. Thankfully, Winslet doesn't appear to have gone too far down any dark avenues during her teen years, although she faced an even wider and more vicious wave of callousness after Titanic turned her into a global superstar.

The Holiday vet also addressed that second era of weight-focused attention from tabloids and photographers, saying:

The late '90s were definitely the rock bottom for the paparazzi, and it took years for the public to understand the full context of how such widely reported negativity and constant attention could have an equally negative effect on those being targeted, from Princess Di to Britney Spears to Winslet herself. Not that everything has become so ideal in the meantime, but the farther away we get from the "digging through celebs' trash" era, the better we'll be as a society.

Fans can watch Goodbye June, which was written by Winslet's son Joe Anders (and which sparked a nepo baby debate) on Netflix starting on Wednesday, December 24.

As the 2025 movie schedule wraps up, Kate Winslet has been promoting Goodbye June, a film that was written by her son, Joe Anders, which she directed and stars in. Along with that, the actress’s daughter, Mia Threapleton, had a big year as she played roles in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme and the great Apple TV series, The Buccaneers. Amid all that, The Holiday star shared her take on nepo babies and how having famous parents has impacted her kids’ success. However, said comments have led to criticism.

What Kate Winslet Said About The Nepo Baby Debate

The nepo baby debate has been raging for a long time now, and many celebrities have shared their takes on having family members who are also in the industry. Meg Ryan has spoken about her son Jack Quaid’s success, and Allison Williams acknowledged the privilege that being a nepo baby provides. Along with that, Amanda Seyfried defended nepo babies, while Dakota Johnson called the whole debate “lame.” So, there are a lot of takes out there about all this, and now Kate Winslet has shared hers.

During an interview with BBC News, she opened up about Mia Threapleton and Joe Anders' success, and the nepotism commentary that can come with it. She said:

That’s true, plenty of children follow in their parents' footsteps and do a really great job. Mia Threapleton, who is 25, and Joe Anders, who is 21, have too, seeing as their mom is Winslet. Adding to that, Anders' dad is director Sam Mendes, and Mia Threapleton’s father, Jim Threapleton, also works in the entertainment industry as an assistant director and director.

Winslet went on to say that she wasn’t surprised by her kids' choices to enter the entertainment industry. She also said that their relation to her “doesn’t necessarily translate” to them getting more work. The actress said:

While both Joe Anders and Mia Threapleton have certainly found success, they’ve also both been in multiple projects connected to their parents. That is a big reason why Kate Winslet’s comments about nepo babies are facing backlash.

Why People Are Criticizing Kate Winslet’s Comments

After the Titanic actress made those comments, there were a lot of people who criticized her. One big reason why stems from the fact that both her children got their first roles in projects that their parents were connected to. Mia Threapleton’s first movie was her mom’s project, A Little Chaos, while Joe Anders' first role was in his dad, Sam Mendes’ film 1917.

Speaking to that point over on X, @StephanieRiou commented on how nepotism could have played into how these young artists’ careers began, explaining:

The same kind of conversation was happening over on Reddit. Many people noted that while Winslet’s children are talented and deserve to find work and success, they were also able to begin their careers from a place of privilege. Here’s what a few people said:

• What she isn’t recognising is that having a parent with connections is half the battle when it comes to getting a career in your chosen field. I say this broadly because it’s not just something that happens in acting (or politics), but acting is a public career so it’s highly visible this is happening. Introducing her kids to filmmakers/ agents is the first hurdle that she overcomes for them. Whether her kids are any good or not is their remaining hurdle. And people without parents like her have to overcome both. -PM_me_shiba_doggo
• I think that it's pretty natural to want to defend your kid from a label with a negative association like "nepobaby". However, it seems like these people are all out of touch when they don't acknowledge the privilege just a LITTLE. It feels tone-deaf and like they're purposely not reading the room. -ofboom
• She might not like the term, but they definitely are nepobabies, even if they have the talent to back it up. Their privilege was through the roof to start with and having her as a mom has given them opportunities that are extremely rare to equally talented people. Nothing wrong with it, it is what it is. -rinn 10

It’s common for people to criticize when famous folks either claim they're not a nepo baby or speak out against the term. Meanwhile, many who are either a nepo baby or are parents of one commonly defend their place in the industry. It’s been an ongoing debate for a very long time, and odds are it will continue.

As it goes on, Winslet and her kids will likely keep working on their projects, like Goodbye June (which will be available with a Netflix subscription on December 24), whether that be with each other or individually.

I probably don't have to tell you this, but Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio go back quite a ways. The two stars famously first worked opposite one another in the action/adventure/romance epic Titanic nearly 30 years ago, and they even reunited about a decade after that to make the period drama Revolutionary Road. Given this history, it's hardly surprising that the Academy Award-winning actress knows the Academy Award-winning actor better than most – and one fun thing about the relationship is that she is now thrilled to see people discover how funny he can be thanks to his acclaimed turn in Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another.

Kate Winslet is presently keeping busy doing press for two upcoming movies – namely James Cameron's Avatar: Fire And Ash and her directorial debut, Goodbye June – but during a recent conversation with Access Hollywood, she took a moment to pay a complement to her former co-star. She is a big fan of One Battle After Another (which is stirring up much chatter as we get deeper and deeper into awards season), but what she particularly appreciates is that audiences are getting to see a side of Leonardo DiCaprio that she has been aware of for decades. Said the actress,

Leonardo DiCaprio isn't a novice when it comes to comedy (let's not forget that we are just a few years removed from his turn in director Adam McKay's apocalypse spoof Don't Look Up), and he has had funny moments in mostly serious films (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Catch Me If You Can are two titles that immediately spring to mind), but he has certainly spent the vast majority of his career focused on drama. After seeing his work in One Battle After Another, however, and after absorbing Winslet's comments, one has to wonder if he's spent too much of his career not respecting one of his great talents as a performer.

While we are used to seeing Leonardo DiCaprio play strong willed characters with rich determination, those aren't descriptors that could be used in discussing his part in Paul Thomas Anderson's loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's Vineland. In the film, he plays "Ghetto" Pat Calhoun a.k.a. Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary living in hiding who is embroiled in chaos when a former rival makes a mission of finding and kidnapping his daughter. While "Bob" is desperate to protect his child, he has also spent years living in a cloud of pot smoke and isn't exactly prepared to meet the moment.

DiCaprio took a lot of inspiration from The Big Lebowski and Jeff Bridges' The Dude in crafting his performance – which certainly isn't a bad call considering that it's one of the funniest movies and turns of all time. Not only does the actor exhibit tremendous comedic timing in One Battle After Another, but he also demonstrates that he has some fantastic physical comedy skills as well.

If you haven't yet seen the new Paul Thomas Anderson film, you should make it a priority – and this is a great week to do so. While the hit 2025 movie is currently available for digital rental/purchase from all major online outlets, it is coming back to IMAX screens this weekend (and as a special bonus, the screenings will include a special preview of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey).

Look, wardrobe malfunctions happen to lots of celebrities, causing them to show more than they bargained for. Look at Jennifer Lopez, who was just trying to celebrate her birthday when her skirt came off to expose her underwear during a concert. Or Jessica Simpson, who once split her pants in the middle of a show when she was not wearing underwear. The difference between these examples and Kate Winslet is that the Titanic star’s mishap happened in front of King Charles III.

Technically, Kate Winslet’s embarrassing moment went down before Charles was crowned in May 2023, and technically it was less of a wardrobe malfunction than a really unfortunate outfit choice, but either way, The Regime star regaled Jimmy Kimmel with the story of how she very nearly flashed the heir apparent, saying:

This would have been back in the mid-’90s for one of Kate Winslet’s best roles, when she starred as Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. And yes, while not quite as revealing as Florence Pugh’s sheer Valentino or other "naked dress" looks we've seen recently, I can see why you might not want to take an audience with the future king wearing this number:

It’s all fun and games until the king shows up!

Kate Winslet's performance in Sense and Sensibility earned her a BAFTA as well as nominations for an Oscar and Golden Globe. That day, however, it was a couple of other “Golden Globes” that she was concerned about, as Prince Charles approached her. The actress continued:

I would imagine that feeling like you're underdressed to that degree in front of Prince Charles would be similar to that nightmare we all have (right?) about finding yourself naked at school. There must have been so much panic and squirming before the Good Samaritan next to Kate Winslet reminded her she did, in fact, have an extra layer of coverage to work with.

One has to wonder if she hadn’t been able to cover up quickly, would she have gone on to work with King Charles III? She currently serves as an ambassador for the King’s Foundation and has met him again more recently — and more appropriately dressed.

If you want to see more of Kate Winslet (no, not like that!), she’ll reprise her role as Ronal when Avatar: Fire and Ash hits the 2025 movie calendar on December 19.

Titanic, the iconic 1998 Best Picture winner currently available streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription, sure looked like a wild ride to put together. Since behind-the-scenes facts about the movie include that its release date was delayed to finalize the special effects as well as a wooden staircase mishap, I can imagine how difficult filming must have been to create a masterpiece. However, star Kate Winslet tells the story of one Titanic scene that was “a nightmare” to film, and I never would have guessed it.

If I had to guess which Titanic scenes were the hardest for Kate Winslet to shoot, I’d think it was when she was hanging off the side of the boat after meeting Jack, or having to swim in a freezing 17-gallon water tank where she “sometimes peed.” Instead, she told Vanity Fair that a tough scene for her was Jack and Rose’s first kiss, with her reasoning making a lot of sense:

Corsets often do look uncomfortable in photos and movies. Now, we know from Kate Winslet that the struggle is real of wearing the constricted old-fashioned garment for a project like Titanic. At the same time, there are so many iconic outfits from the ‘90s movie that I still love to look at, like Rose’s dinner dress or the white dress she wore at the very end of the movie.

The memorable scene of Titanic wasn’t only “a nightmare” for Kate Winslet because of her costume. There were also a lot of technical aspects of the “I’m flying!” scene that were frustrating for her, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio’s laughing:

I would probably feel like losing my patience, too, if a scene had to be re-shot because of lighting issues and a certain co-star’s laughing. But Jack and Rose’s first kiss was a very important scene for Titanic to get right as it was the last sunset the ship had before its sinking, and for starting off the romance of our favorite doomed couple.

As you probably guessed by now, Titanic was not actually filmed on a real ship. It was a real-life-size replica built to be 90% the size of the real RMS ocean liner. However, Kate Winslet said that particular set for the juicy kiss scene was actually a real pain to shoot on:

That doesn’t sound like fun for Kate Winslet to have to climb up a ladder wearing the long dresses that she had to for the movie. It must have been a tough climb if hair and makeup couldn’t join them up there for touch-ups.

So, without hair and makeup joining the cast and crew, how did Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio get their makeup fixed between takes? The British actress had an inventive technique that proves corsets have their uses outside of fashion:

Now, that’s teamwork! So, now we know Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s makeup in that scene was on point because of the Oscar winner’s hidden talent. I’m sure with all of that in mind, Rose having to climb up the dock pretending to fly with Jack must have been nothing compared to everything else the stars had to deal with.

I never would have thought that “a nightmare” scene for Kate Winslet to shoot was the scene of Jack and Rose’s first kiss. But if I had to wear a tight corset, climb up a ladder in a long dress, and fix my laughing scene partner’s make-up, it would be a challenge for me to feel the mood of the romance scene too.

Up-and-coming actress Mia Threapleton is on the brink of making a name for herself in entertainment. After working with her famous mom, Kate Winslet, in the anthology series I Am… and starring in the period drama series The Buccaneers (which is streaming with your Apple TV+ subscription), she’ll be making her big screen debut in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme. But after debating on whether or not to have a social media presence, Threapleton reveals how her mother helped her decide.

Mia Threapleton told The Times that the best acting advice she received from her mom was to “read the damn script” many times. However, there was another piece of advice the Lee star gave her. These days, being famous involves having a big social media presence. But even at 14, Threapleton was debating about joining Instagram when all of her friends joined. Fortunately, she has a smart mother who advised her to create a pros and cons list of being an Instagram user to help her decide:

It would be easy to say that Mia Threapleton wants to follow her mother’s path into acting when in reality, she’s following her own. The London native has wanted to act since she was a kid playing dress-up games with her brother. Then at 15, Threapleton signed herself up for online casting sites to put herself out there, and that paved the way to where we find her now, sans social media.

I can understand where Mia Threapleton is coming from. Social media can lead to a lot of pointless backlash coming from haters. Zoë Kravitz expressed hurt after receiving online negativity following her Met Gala appearance in a sheer dress. Like the Blink Twice director said, social media users clearly don’t see celebrities as real people with no understanding that words can hurt.

Selena Gomez quit social media in 2023 in fear of seeing judgmental feedback about her then-recent breakup. Scarlett Johansson also quit that year after three days on Instagram, feeling it was a waste of time as well as habit-forming. Social media can be fun to use, but not a necessity to feel human connections.

I’d like to believe Kate Winslet fully respected her daughter’s social media decision. After all, the British actress has been a survivor of bullying in the past, which is something social media users go through now. She unfortunately experienced body shaming after her Titanic success, and she moved her family to New York in 2011 to escape press negativity while raising her kids. Luckily, Mia Threapleton said she was fortunate enough not to go through that kind of bullying in her career as of yet:

I’m glad that the haters have stayed away from Mia Threapleton. As I’m sure she’ll receive early success for her role as Sister Liesel in the 2025 movie release The Phoenician Scheme, it would be refreshing for her to see her talent recognized without undue scrutiny to follow, like what her mother went through.

Clearly when Mia Threapleton followed Kate Winslet’s advice to see if the cons outweigh the pros, the talented performer saw that social media wasn’t for her. She’s very lucky to have a grounded role model like her mother to show her the ropes of tackling stardom and life in general. Make sure to see Threapleton’s performance in The Phoenician Scheme in theaters on May 30th.

After getting their starts in the 1990s, both Reese Witherspoon and Kate Winslet were part of some of the best movies of the 2000s, and continue to be two of the most talented actors in Hollywood in 2025. But, did the pair become friends before falling out? After Witherspoon shared a speech story gone hilariously wrong, people started speculating that about her and Winslet. However, the Legally Blonde actress is making it clear where things stand between her and the Titanic star.

Reese Witherspoon Revealed An Award Show Speech That Still "Haunts" Her

Reese Witherspoon has recently been promoting her new movie with Will Ferrell, You’re Cordially Invited, which is now available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription. When the pair talked about events gone wrong during their press tour, here’s what the actress recalled:

Now, in the interview with People, Witherspoon didn’t get into details about what award show she was talking about or who she gave the award to. However, some people on the internet became instantly convinced she was speaking about the BAFTAs with Kate Winslet. As Witherspoon continued when recounting her regretful speech:

This sounds super awkward, but honestly, it’s refreshing to hear Reese Witherspoon get honest about how sometimes these glitzy award shows are not as glamorous as one would expect. While she didn’t provide a lot of context, she said the actress she presented to and her don’t talk after she brought the wrong tone to her speech.

Witherspoon Has Responded To Suspicions That Kate Winslet Was At The Center Of Her Awkward Speech Story

Outlets like Just Jared and such have taken the Big Little Lies star's words and speculated that Witherspoon was talking about the time she presented Winslet with her Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year back in 2007.

Publications are pointing to a Reese Witherspoon fan site from 2007 that recounts her speech allegedly including the actress mentioning laser hair removal and talking about the pair’s friendship being “too bawdy or tawdry or drunken to tell”. While it sounds like the event could fit the bill, The Morning Show actress took to her Instagram story to clarify the situation:

Was she talking about Winslet? We’re truly not sure now, but it sounds like the viral moment led the pair to connect and laugh about the whole thing, regardless.

Reese Witherspoon has often been known as a girls girl, whether it’s by fighting for better scripts for women with her production company, having a GNOs with Jennifer Aniston or stepping up for Natalie Portman while they were both going through divorces. But, it does have us wondering who she was referring to now that we know it wasn't Winslet.

The Academy Award for Best Actress has been handed out every year since 1929 — it was initially awarded to star Janet Gaynor for her roles in 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 79 actresses. Winning that coveted statuette is unsurprisingly a dream come true for many a big-screen performer, but the award does come with added attention on the actress's next projects. Will whatever they work on next be as critically acclaimed or commercially successful? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actresses did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Emma Stone

The whole La La Land Oscars brouhaha at the 2018 ceremony was quite memorable, but clearly so was star Emma Stone's performance as aspiring actress Mia Dolen opposite Ryan Gosling's jazz pianist Seb Wilder. One of Stone's best movies, the role earned the star her first Best Actress win (she would strike gold yet again with her 2024 victory for Poor Things). Her next performance also stirred up awards buzz: she was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for portraying tennis legend Billie Jean King in the sports drama Battle of the Sexes.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep's history with the Academy Awards is long and legendary: over her decades-spanning career, she's been nominated for a record 21 Oscar nominations, winning thrice. After taking home the Supporting Actress statuette for Kramer vs. Kramer, Streep got her first big Best Actress win for one of her most iconic performances: as the titular character of the devastating 1982 drama Sophie's Choice. Her next role was just as haunting: as Karen Silkwood in the 1983 thriller Silkwood, for which she earned yet another Best Actress nod.

Michelle Yeoh

Along with kicking major butt, Michelle Yeoh made history with her starring role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the 2022 action-dramedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, for she became the first Asian performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Following that notable win in 2023, the Wicked star lent her voice to the sci-fi flick Transformers: Rise of the Beasts as Airazor, a Maximal warrior who transforms into a peregrine falcon. That title earned largely mixed reviews, and it currently sports a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jessica Chastain

After losing out on the Oscar for Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain took the Best Actress trophy home for her transformative role as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in the 2022 bio-drama The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Her next project was far less successful with awards bodies — the action-spy thriller The 355 was both a critical and commercial bomb, reportedly losing Universal an estimated $93 million. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote: "Despite the strong cast, this is the film equivalent of a corn-syrup-based fizzy drink being passed off as chic in taller, slimmer cans."

Frances McDormand

Three-time Best Actress winner Frances McDormand took home her first Oscar in 1997 for her instantly iconic performance as Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson in the classic Coen Brothers dark comedy Fargo. Later that year, the acclaimed performer joined a heavyweight lineup of actresses — including Glenn Close, Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Ehle — in the World War II drama Paradise Road. However, despite that acting clout, the film received mixed reviews, with its approval rating at a lowly 43% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Brie Larson

Child actor turned Marvel superhero Brie Larson took her career to a whole new level with her performance as kidnapping victim Joy "Ma" Newsome in the 2015 survival drama Room, for which she swept the subsequent awards season and took home the Best Actress Oscar. In 2016, the Lessons in Chemistry lead starred in another survival drama, this time the Ben Wheatley-directed action-comedy Free Fire. CinemaBlend's own Gregory Wakeman wrote of the film: "Free Fire has enough gun blasts and violence to entertain, but ultimately lacks the requisite surprises or savvy to be anything more than a frivolous diversion."

Olivia Colman

Olivia Colman's Best Actress win for her portrayal of Queen Anne in the black-comedy period piece The Favourite was a deserved yet delightfully shocking moment at the 2019 Oscars. Her next role was equally strange, but less acclaimed: she appeared alongside Kaitlyn Dever, Jim Gaffigan and Walton Goggins as snake-handling fundamentalists in the horror mystery Them That Follow. Though it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, it earned mixed reviews from critics.

Cate Blanchett

One of the most versatile actors in the industry — she's played Queen Elizabeth I and Bob Dylan, for crying out loud! — eight-time Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett secured her first Best Actress win in 2014 playing a neurotic former socialite in the Woody Allen-directed dramedy Blue Jasmine. And speaking of versatility, the Aussie star followed that awards win with a voice role in the animated fantasy sequel How to Train Your Dragon 2, which got its own Oscar nod for Best Animated Feature.

Sandra Bullock

Rom-com queen Sandra Bullock received her first Best Actress nomination and win in 2010 for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy in the biographical football drama The Blind Side. Her next film credit was the Stephen Daldry-directed 2011 drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, which did manage to score a Best Picture nod but not without controversy. Chris Krapek of The Huffington Post called the film "not only the worst reviewed Best Picture nominee of the last 10 years, [but] easily the worst film of 2011."

Katharine Hepburn

Hollywood icon Katherine Hepburn earned four Academy Awards for Best Actress out of 12 nominations across her illustrious film career—a record for any performer. The leading lady's first Oscar win was in 1934 for the Pre-Code drama Morning Glory (the rest would come later in the star's life), which she followed up with John Cromwell's Spitfire. Some viewers found Hepburn miscast as "hillbilly" faith healer Trigger Hicks — the film has a 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman didn't win the Best Actress Oscar for one of her most beloved performances, as cabaret star Satine in Moulin Rouge! but she instead secured the big win only a year later for playing English writer Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The Babygirl star's first post-award project was the 2003 avant-garde thriller Dogville, written and directed by Lars von Trier. Though the film prompted quite a polarizing response from critics at the time of release, it did end up on several best-of-the-decade roundups, including The Guardian and Paste.

Jennifer Lawrence

If they didn't already love her from her work in the David O. Russell dramedy Silver Linings Playbook, the world certainly fell for Jennifer Lawrence when she charmingly tripped up the stairs to accept her Best Actress statuette in 2013. That fall, she would reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen in the second Mockingjay movie, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is widely considered the best installment of The Hunger Games film series (it's got a solid 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating) and earned Lawrence a Critics' Choice nod.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren is a regal onscreen presence no matter what the role, but her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 docudrama The Queen welcomed her among the Hollywood royalty known as Oscar winners. However, despite the film title, she didn't strike gold with her next project: the Nicolas Cage-led adventure flick National Treasure: Book of Secrets, alongside Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris and Diane Kruger. Per Rotten Tomatoes, critic consensus said of the 35% "Rotten" movie: "A talented cast goes to waste in the improbable National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

Jodie Foster

One of Hollywood's most acclaimed child stars — she was only 12 years old when she starred opposite Robert De Niro in the Martin Scorsese masterpiece Taxi Driver, earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress — Jodie Foster successfully segued into more adult fare with the 1988 legal drama The Accused. As an assault survivor Sarah Tobias, Foster received a Best Actress win—it wouldn't be her last, with the star winning the same award for her next film release, one of the greatest horror movies of all time, The Silence of the Lambs.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry made Oscar history when she became the first African-American woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performance as a struggling widow in 2001's Monster's Ball. After becoming an Oscar winner, Berry became a Bond Girl — bikini-sporting NSA agent Jinx, to be exact — in the 2002 spy flick Die Another Day, opposite Pierce Brosnan as 007. However, the latter is widely considered to be the worst entry in James Bond's canon.

Julie Andrews

A legendary performer across both screen and stage, Julie Andrews won her Best Actress Oscar in 1964 for a truly iconic role: as the titular nanny extraordinaire in Mary Poppins. And she didn't stop there — the very next year, she would get yet another Academy Award nomination for an equally beloved character, as The Sound of Music's Maria, the sweet, singing governess to the Von Trapp family. Talk about an epic filmography!

Kathy Bates

One of the best Kathy Bates performances, as obsessive superfan Annie Wilkes in the 1990 Stephen King thriller Misery, earned the talented actress her first Academy Award nomination and win. (She would have three more Oscar nods across her decades-spanning career.) Bates' next film role was in the South African drama The Road to Mecca, based on the Athol Fugard play of the same name — the performer was praised for both her acting and her accent work.

Hilary Swank

Before there were transgender characters like Emilia Pérez (Emilia Pérez), Sin-Dee Rella (Tangerine), or Raymond Rayon (Dallas Buyers Club), there was Brandon Teena, the real-life trans man at the center of the 1999 drama Boys Don't Cry. Hilary Swank's harrowing, career-making performance as Teena earned the star her first Best Actress award, with critics like Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman calling the actress a "revelation" in the film. Reactions to her next movie, the 2000 supernatural thriller The Gift, were far more mixed. A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "The picture is saved from mediocrity by [director Sam] Raimi's smooth competence, and by the unusually high quality of the acting."

Renée Zellweger

After prior Best Actress nominations for two of her best movies, Bridget Jones' Diary and Chicago — plus a Best Supporting Actress win for Cold Mountain — Renée Zellweger finally got her big Best Actress win for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Rupert Goold's Judy. After taking a multi-year break from acting, Zellweger's much-anticipated next film credit will be a return to a beloved role, in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was so convincing as a troubled ballerina in the 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan that she thought the film was a docudrama while making it. So, it's no surprise, then, that her tour-de-force performance garnered the star an Academy Award for Best Actress. Ever one to keep you guessing genre-wise, Portman's next role was in the 2011 stoner fantasy-comedy Your Highness, which sadly was a box office bomb and received largely negative reviews from critics.

Cher

The "Goddess of Pop" Cher officially added the title of "Oscar winner" to her already legendary showbiz career with her 1988 Best Actress triumph for one of her best movies, the acclaimed rom-com Moonstruck. Her next movie role came two years later as Rachel Flax, the saucy single mom to young Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci in the 1990 dramedy Mermaids. The heartfelt title has been dubbed an "underappreciated 1990s coming-of-age gem" by The Guardian, which singled out Cher's performance as "nothing short of magical."

Kate Winslet

One of the greatest performers of her generation, it took Kate Winslet a whopping six Oscar nominations before she finally took home the Academy Award for Best Actress, for playing a former Nazi camp guard in 2008's The Reader. Her next onscreen role was in the 2011 black comedy Carnage, by disgraced director Roman Polanski. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of the cast, including Winslet's — she earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Motional Picture Musical or Comedy.

Julia Roberts

After a decade that solidified her as rom-com royalty, Julia Roberts proved her dramatic bonafides by winning the Best Actress Oscar for playing the title role in the 2000 legal drama Erin Brockovich, one of her best movies. America's Sweetheart returned to her romantic comedy roots with her next film, fittingly entitled America's Sweethearts, though critics weren't too sweet on the movie. It only holds a 33% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus reading: "Despite its famous cast, the movie lacks sympathetic characters and is only funny in spurts."

Susan Sarandon

After Oscar nominations for Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo's Oil and The Client, Susan Sarandon was finally named Best Actress by the Academy for playing Sister Helen Prejean in 1995's Dead Man Walking. Her next film was the decidedly lighter kids' flick James and the Giant Peach, in which Sarandon voiced the character of Miss Spider. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Randy Newman's score earning an Oscar nod; however, the film was a box office failure, grossing $300,000 less than its budget.

Marion Cotillard

French movie star Marion Cotillard became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a French-language performance for her transformative turn as legendary singer Édith Piaf in the 2007 music biopic La Vie en Rose. Her next film credit was another biographical drama — this time, the Michael Mann-directed gangster film Public Enemies, alongside Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Though many critics praised the leading performances, reviews were mixed, with the title holding a 68% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Marlee Matlin

Marlee Matlin's acting debut in 1986's Children of a Lesser God saw the actress making Oscar history not once but twice: she became the first deaf performer to ever win an Academy Award, as well as the youngest winner in the Best Actress category. The CODA star followed up that momentous victory with the 1987 Western Walker, starring Ed Harris, Richard Masur and Peter Boyle. The historical drama was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival but received very polarized reviews and was a failure at the box office.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Fun fact: Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't initially supposed to star as Viola de Lesseps in the 1998 Bard-inspired romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love — Julia Roberts was. But Gwyn is no doubt grateful the latter ultimately left the production, as the role won her a Best Actress Oscar. Her next project was equally acclaimed: 1999's Anthony Minghella-helmed thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley scored five Academy Award nominations.

Audrey Hepburn

Screen legend Audrey Hepburn won her first Oscar in 1953 for her debut starring role, as Princess Ann in the classic black-and-white comedy Roman Holiday. The British beauty would later be nominated four more times for films like her first post-award project, the 1954 Billy Wilder-directed dramedy Sabrina, as well as The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Wait Until Dark.

Sally Field

The Academy likes her, they really like her — yes, Sally Field has won not one but two Best Actress statuettes, the first being for her inspiring performance in 1979's Norma Rae and the second five years later for another one of her best films, Places in the Heart. Following her first win, Field reprised her role as Carrie, or "Frog," in 1980's Smoky and the Bandit II opposite her real-life love Burt Reynolds. Though the sequel was a box office success, prompting a third film, it received almost entirely negative reviews from critics.

Charlize Theron

One of the best Charlize Theron roles was also the star's most remarkably unrecognizable: the South African-born actress earned a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of real-life prostitute and serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 crime drama Monster. Her next big-screen performance was the 2004 war drama Head in the Clouds, which saw Theron acting opposite her then-romantic partner Stuart Townsend. The film was a critical and box office failure; in the San Francisco Chronicle, Walter Addiego wrote: "If not for the presence of Charlize Theron, it's hard to imagine this film would have attracted anywhere near the kind of attention it's gotten."

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon proved she was more than just a musical sidekick with her Oscar-winning performance as June Carter Cash in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. The Legally Blonde star was next seen in the harrowing 2007 political thriller Rendition opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep and Peter Sarsgaard. However, "the impressive cast cannot rescue Rendition, which explores complex issues in woefully simplified terms," reads the critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, with the film at a paltry 47% approval rating.

Elizabeth Taylor

Through much of the mid-20th century, celluloid icon Elizabeth Taylor was one of MGM's most bankable stars. In fact, her final film for the studio — 1960's Butterfield 8, playing glamorous call girl Gloria Wandrous — earned the movie star her first Academy Award for Best Actress. Her next performance was just as iconic: as the titular Egyptian queen in the 1963 historical epic Cleopatra, which received nine Oscar nominations and four wins, though, alas, none for Taylor specifically.

Across the nearly two decades The Holiday has warmed rom-com lovers' hearts, it has become one of the best Christmas movies to watch around this time of year. In recent years, there have been whispers of a sequel being in the works along. With that, fans of the film have been calling for a reunion between Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz in a follow-up film. Now, with the buzz at an absolute frenzy, Winslet is sharing thoughts on the prospect of another film.

Kate Winslet Weighs In On The Holiday 2

The Oscar winner famously played an English woman named Iris in The Holiday. In the film, the character has been emotionally strung along by her ex-boyfriend and co-worker, Jasper. Amidst news that Jasper is engaged, she decides to travel to Los Angeles for the Christmas holiday via a home swap website. Cameron Diaz’s Amanda, who is dealing with her own breakup, spends the holidays in her dreamlike cottage (which we recently learned never existed).

Both women have their own unexpected love stories, and the results are absolutely charming. When asked about the potential for a sequel, the Titanic icon had this to say to Deadline:

While Kate Winslet claimed that she’s never been approached for a sequel to the 2006 movie, she sounded interested in reprising her role as Iris. She seems to be under the impression that there's room for another story to be told. However, it's still unclear as to whether it'll actually come to fruition.

Is The Holiday 2 Happening?

While there was a rumor circulating in 2022 regarding The Holiday receiving a sequel, writer/director Nancy Meyers quickly debunked it. At the time, she said, “sorry but its not true.” However, last week, Meyers and Jude Law reunited when the actor earned a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. While they were together, they recorded this:

What a tease! Said clip lit a serious fire under the fans as well, who responded with some great comments. While it seems like the pair were using the video to play around with the constant questions regarding a second Holiday movie, perhaps they really did talk about what could be next during their lunch? When Jude Law was also recently asked by ComicBook.com about a follow-up to the Christmas classic, he said this:

It really does sound like much of the cast would be open to returning should an idea strike for Nancy Meyers. Previously, Jack Black also called Kate Winslet his favorite co-star he’s worked with. Oh, and after Cameron Diaz hung up acting for nearly a decade, the actress has been back at it lately with the upcoming movie Back In Action and Shrek 5. So, while nothing has been announced at this point, there may be reason for fans to maintain their hype over a theoretical sequel.

I'll be hoping for a Christmas miracle when it comes to this dream reunion. For now, you can watch The Holiday with an Amazon Prime subscription now before it leaves the streaming service in 2025.

Kate Winslet’s movies have earned her significant acclaim over the years, but one that truly continues to truly permeate pop culture about the others is Titanic. James Cameron’s romantic epic not only broke the box office and earned Oscars – it also made Winslet a bonafide movie star. However, that level of notoriety also came with its share of downsides, including the fact that the star’s weight became a topic of public discussion. Winslet recently recalled the “horrific” way her figure was discussed and how she confronted those critics.

The Academy Award-winning actress was 22 when she played the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater in the acclaimed Titanic, and she just discussed the film while chatting with 60 Minutes. After acknowledging the infamous door debate (again), the Finding Neverland alum addressed the scrutiny she faced during that time in her life. The segment (which is on YouTube) featured a throwback clip of fashion commentators critiquing the British star’s body during a red carpet event. When reflecting on that time in her life, the Reader star didn’t mince words:

Over the years, Kate Winslet has been quite candid about having been “bullied” over her body when she was younger. She previously said that her Titanic fame “was not much fun” due to the copious amount of eyes that were on her at the time. With that, the star felt that she needed to “stand up” for herself. And, as Winslet explained to 60 Minutes, she ultimately did, in scenario that she now refers to as a “great moment”:

The Mare of Easttown star became visibly emotional as she recounted her experiences with body shaming, and one can certainly understand why. Many people likely know what it’s like to be judged by their appearance, but that’s amplified when you’re a public figure. With that, a star can be left vulnerable to criticism from an array of people. It’s certainly sad that the Steve Jobs star had to endure such criticism, but she now seems to have more than enough confidence and can block out the haters.

Also, earlier in 2024, Kate Winslet discussed past eating habits and how she tried to remain thin. It seems like she doesn’t feel quite as constrained these days. Winslet also just learned about Ozempic, the anti-diabetic drug that some stars have reportedly used for weight loss. In Winslet’s estimation, it sounded “terrible,” and she jokingly said, “Let’s eat some more things! Needless to say, the fan-favorite actress has come a long way since she starred in Titanic.

You can check out the A-lister’s latest performance, which comes by way of the film Lee, which is now available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video. And, of course, you can check out Titanic as well by streaming it on Pluto or with the use of a Paramount+ subscription.

2006’s The Holiday is one of the best Christmas movies as well as one of the best romm-coms, so naturally I find time to watch the movie starring Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. But Law just spoiled one dream that always springs out of my yearly rewatches of the modern classic in four words when he was recently asked about the adorable cottage Winslet’s character owns in the movie.

When Jude Law guested on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show in promotion for the Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premiere on Disney+ next week, he was asked about the famed English cottage where Cameron Diaz’s Amanda stays before falling in love with Jude Law’s character, Graham, the brother of its owner (Kate Winslet’s Iris). Here’s the swift sentence that dashed my dreams of ever seeing it in person, and perhaps staying there, too:

Excuse me? Much like myself, the hosts of the BBC Radio show (via Instagram) were nearly traumatized by the revelation. So many famous homes from movies often belong to real people, and if they are famous enough become destinations for movie fans. Jude Law explained how the cottage doesn’t exist with these words:

Writer/director Nancy Meyers, who also famously made The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated, had a specific vision for the cottage in The Holiday. And when she couldn’t find the house she wanted for the movie via location scouting, she decided to have it built for the movie. As the movie business goes, the whole house wasn’t likely built and only used for exterior shots. As Law shared, whenever the characters would move into the cottage, they would not be in the cottage at all, but on a set in Los Angeles, California. Hollywood sure is wild sometimes.

When Jude Law previously spoke about The Holiday to Vanity Fair, Law shared that because they filmed the exteriors in London and then the interiors in Los Angeles a few months later, fans can look closely and perhaps notice Graham is rather tan in all his indoor scenes. While this revelation certainly spoils some of the fantasy of the movie, it’s not going to stop me from rewatching every year, and Graham being one of those fictional men who set my standards high.

A couple years ago there was talk of a sequel, before Nancy Meyers said it was not true. Jack Black shared his own hope to get back with the cast last year, but considering this revelation, I guess they’d have to build the cottage all over again if they did make a second movie. You can watch The Holiday now with an Amazon Prime subscription.

It’s one of the most infamous debates in movie history: could Jack have fit on the floating debris with Rose at the end of Titanic? The question has persisted for over two decades, with fans, experts, and even MythBusters weighing in on whether the character could have survived if he’d shared the makeshift raft. Kate Winslet has always been a good sport despite being asked this question countless times, andshe recently revealed a surprising detail that even the most dedicated fans might not know. And, no, it’s not that she peed in the tank.

Appearing on the Australian talk show The Project, the Oscar winner anticipated the inevitable question about the floating object and Jack’s fate. Nevertheless, Kate Winslet addressed the query with great humor. She specifically said:

She didn't just offer up that remark above, though. Kate Winslet had something new to share—an overlooked behind-the-scenes Titanic fact about the infamous piece of debris. And this reveal might shift how fans of one of the best movies of the '90s see the scene altogether. She clarified that what audiences have long assumed was a door, was not a door at all. In fact, it was an entirely different piece of the ship’s structure:

Well, I’ll be a son of a gun… I had no idea. For nearly 30 years, I’ve been walking around thinking an entryway saved Rose. This revelation definitely flips the debate on its head. All those arguments about whether Jack and Rose could’ve both fit on that “door”? Yeah, they might need a second look. A banister's shape, size, and buoyancy—if that’s what it really was—would probably make it way harder for two people to stay afloat without flipping it.

Even with this new nugget of information, the door—or should I say banister—debate likely won’t sink anytime soon. Director James Cameron himself has gone on record, explaining that it wasn’t about fitting but about whether the debris could support both their weights. The whole point was to highlight the tragic, star-crossed nature of their love story, which is exactly what made Titanic one of the best romantic movies ever. But, hey, when has logic ever stopped a passionate fandom from diving deep into their favorite theories, right?

So, there you have it. Kate Winslet’s latest tidbit is proof that even after all these years, there’s still room for new insights into the Academy Award-winning film's most iconic (and controversial) moment. But something tells me the debate–and our hearts–will go on and on.

Fans can catch Kate Winslet in her 2024 movie schedule release, Lee, a British biographical drama about Vogue’s WWI photographer, Lee Miller. It’s still playing in select theaters and is streamable at home. You can also stream Titanic using a Paramount+ subscription.

We see it all the time, serious actors with some major dramatic skills tearing it up in lighter, more comedic roles. Actors who’ve made us cry in Best Picture winners have gone on to make us fall over with side-splitting laughs, which can sometimes be harder than you’d think.

In the past, we’ve talked about some of the great dramatic performances by comedians, but today we’re going to turn our attention to the other side of that coin and highlight 32 serious actors who crushed in in comedic roles.

Robert De Niro (Meet The Parents)

Robert De Niro, an Oscar-winning actor known for serious parts in some of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, including Raging Bull and Goodfellas, as well as his turn as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, showed the world that he was also one of the funniest stars in Hollywood with his portrayal of the iron-fisted Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents. The deadpan expressions, the playing on his gangster roles, and his chemistry with Ben Stiller make this an all-time classic.

George C. Scott (Dr. Stranglelove)

George C. Scott will always be remembered for his portrayal of U.S. General George S. Patton in Franklin J. Schaffner’s Patton, but the acclaimed actor also crushed it in a more comedic role a few years earlier. His take on General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is nothing short of magnificent and hilarious as it gets. The satirical tone of this iconic anti-war film is biting, as is Scott’s legendary performance.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Along Came Polly)

Though we could have included Rusty from Twister or Brandt from The Big Lebowski, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance in Along Came Polly is just too good to overlook. Though he’s atrocious at basketball (and in most social situations), Sandy Lyle is a force of comedic nature. It’s crazy that Hoffman went from Cold Mountain to this 2004 rom-com to Capote in the span of three years.

Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

Tom Cruise steals the show in Tropic Thunder, which is no easy feat considering Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. sit atop the cast of this outrageous 2008 action comedy. But hey, Les Grossman, Cruise’s over-the-top and ill-tempered Hollywood exec is unforgettable in every single one of his scenes, especially whenever he dances.

Meryl Streep (Death Becomes Her)

Though not a slapstick or “laugh-a-minute” comedy, Death Becomes Her does feature some wild and hilariously comedic performances from the likes of Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Meryl Streep, who kills it with her portrayal of Madeline Ashton. The Oscar winner does get to show off her serious skills in the movie, but her character’s darkly humorous personality is worth a watch.

Leslie Nielsen (Airplane!)

It’s wild to think that Leslie Nielsen, an actor mostly remembered for spoof films, started out as a very serious dramatic actor. But that all changed with landmark comedies like Airplane!, where his deadpan humor and signature charm truly shined.

Kate Winslet (The Holiday)

Kate Winslet is known for dramatic movies like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Revolutionary Road, but the talented dramatic actress was able to show off her comedy chops in The Holiday. This 2006 Nancy Meyers romantic comedy showed off a different side of Winslet, one we haven’t forgotten nearly 20 years later.

James Caan (Elf)

James Caan wasn’t really known for his comedy. Sure, his characters had some humorous lines in The Godfather and Thief, but drama was always his bag. And that’s what makes his performance in Elf so great. We weren’t used to seeing Caan share the screen with someone like Will Ferrell, and that juxtaposition of personalities made it so much fun to watch.

Morgan Freeman (Bruce Almighty)

Morgan Freeman will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of all time, and for good reason. His work in The Shawshank Redemption, Glory, and countless other movies is the stuff of legend. However, let’s not forget that he also put on one of the funniest performances when he played God in Bruce Almighty.

Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

A little more than two decades after playing the vile Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List (and only a few years after portraying Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies), Ralph Fiennes proved he was a great comedic actor with his take on M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Equal parts hilarious and charming, this performance was a breath of fresh air.

Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon)

After playing more serious roles in films like The Color Purple, Witness, and Silverado, Danny Glover showed off his comedy skills in Richard Donner’s iconic buddy cop action film, Lethal Weapon. Though he was more straight-laced compared to Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs, Roger Murtaugh gave us some laughs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Kidergarten Cop)

Kindergarten cop isn’t just one of the funniest Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s also one of his best. Featuring some of the actor’s most memorable one-liners, this 1990 action comedy showed that the Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor was more than an ice-cold robot or trained killer.

Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber)

Two years after playing Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg, one of the best Civil War movies ever made, Jeff Daniels played a vastly different type of character in Dumb and Dumber. The obnoxious and absurdly dim-witted Harry Dunne would end up becoming one of the more dramatic actor’s most famous roles.

Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets)

Jack Nicholson, one of the most well-known dramatic actors of the 20th century, has popped up in comedies over the years. Perhaps the best of the bunch, As Good as It Gets earned the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment star his third Oscar.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski)

Whenever the topic of the best Jeff Bridges movies comes up, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to The Big Lebowski. Still considered to be one of his most iconic roles, the performance also showed that the largely dramatic actor could pull off an incredibly funny and beloved character.

Liam Neeson (Extras)

Liam Neeson is best known for his work in dramas like Schindler’s List and the Taken action movie franchise, but the decorated actor with that ice-cold delivery has shown off his funny side over the years. His attempt at improv on Extras is the stuff of legend, as is work in The Lego Movie.

George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

George Clooney often rides the line between comedy and drama in the likes of the Ocean’s movies and several Coen Brothers projects, and one of the best examples of that is found in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a 2000 loose adaptation of The Odyssey. The scheming and conniving Ulysses Everett McGill is one of the all-time great movie characters.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Midnight Cowboy, and All the President’s Men were just a few of the movies that showed off Dustin Hoffman’s incredible dramatic acting skills. It’s a similar story with Tootsie, the beloved 1982 comedy in which Hoffman plays an unlikeable and hirable actor who decides to dress like a woman to land a gig on a daytime soap opera.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire)

Cuba Gooding Jr. was out of this world in early 1990s dramas like Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men, but he was even better in Jerry Maguire as Tom Cruise’s titular character’s temperamental and needy client Rod Tidwell. The over-the-top performance was hilarious beyond belief.

Timothy Dalton (Hot Fuzz)

Timothy Dalton, an actor best known for playing James Bond and showing up in adaptations of Jane Eyre, got to show off his comedy chops in Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright’s satirical action comedy. His take on Simon Skinner is just as great all these years later.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Leonardo DiCaprio teamed up with Martin Scorsese for the fifth time in 2013 to make The Wolf of Wall Street. While previous collaborations like Gangs of New York and The Departed were far more dramatic, this hopped-up and raucous biopic allowed the actor to be outrageously funny on screen, and it paid off.

Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa)

Up until starring in Bad Santa, Billy Bob Thornton was mostly known for dramatic roles in films like Monster’s Ball and Sling Blade, but this 2003 R-rated comedy changed all of that. Over the line, vulgar, and one of the funniest performances of the 2000s, Thornton’s take on a mall Santa was an instant classic.

Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading)

Burn After Reading isn’t the best Coen Brothers movie, but it does feature one of Brad Pitt’s funniest performances. Chad Feldheimer, Linda Litzke’s (Frances McDormand) lovable yet moronic coworker is just so silly, so memorable, and so dumb. You just can’t help but love him.

Michael Caine (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

On top of being an actor who’s appeared in the most Christopher Nolan movies, Michael Caine is also one of the all-time greats of screen and stage, with dozens of iconic films to his name. And while he’s mostly known for his dramatic work, his portrayal of the dastardly Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is so dang good.

Matt Damon (Dogma)

Long before he showed up as an actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, Matt Damon did it for real in Kevin Smith’s 1999 comedy, Dogma. Sandwiched between Rounders and The Talented Mr. Ripley, the actor’s portrayal of a fallen angel banished to Wisconsin was great and showed a funnier side.

Samuel L. Jackson (The Other Guys)

Samuel L. Jackson in The Other Guys is on a whole other level and is funnier than anything else the actor has done over the years. Sure, Pulp Fiction and Jurassic Park are better movies, but his short yet memorable performance as a gung-ho cop who throws caution (and himself) into the win is comedy cold.

Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest)

Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Alexander Dane, a Shakespearean actor fed up with life and his career direction in Galaxy Quest, is so funny yet so heartbreaking. The way the Die Hard actor (who was also classically trained) finds the balance between comedy and tragedy is perfection.

Russell Crowe (The Nice Guys)

Russell Crowe made a career out of giving commanding, and largely dramatic, performances in everything from Romper Stomper to Gladiator, so it was great to see him play a more comedic role in The Nice Guys. This 2016 Shane Black film also starring Ryan Gosling, felt like a throwback to buddy action movies of yesteryear, and allowed Crowe to try a different approach to character-driven stories.

Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride)

Tony and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin has given incredible dramatic performances in movies like Yentl and shows like Homeland, but he’s probably best known for his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. The skill with a sword, the dashing good looks, and a killer backstory make this not only a great cinematic character but also a hilarious icon of the fantasy genre.

Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda)

Kevin Kline is great in just about everything (especially The Big Chill and Dave), and that includes some great comedies. One of the best featuring a serious and dramatic actor’s work is A Fish Called Wanda. The despicable and charismatic Otto West steals the show whenever on screen.

Christian Bale (The Big Short)

Though not the most standard comedy of the past few years, The Big Short is funny in a frightening and thrilling kind of way. Adam McKay’s biographical crime dramedy about the events that led to the 2007 housing market crash and subsequent economic crisis does feature one of Christian Bale’s most interesting and hilarious performances with his take on hedge fund manager Michael Burry. Not a totally likable guy, but a great character without a doubt.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Thor: Ragnarok is still considered one of the best Marvel movies years after its release, and that’s mostly because of Chris Hemsworth’s new and improved portrayal of the “God of Thunder.” While the character was more serious in the first two movies (and two Avengers films), the more light-hearted and silly superhero was a comedy tour de force.

2006's The Holiday is one of the best holiday rom-coms to this day. It follows two women played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, who switch homes for the holidays and in the process, find love. Winslet’s love interest is played by Jack Black, whose goofy sense of humor and love of movies and music charms the Englishwoman. The two had great chemistry and, apparently, this affection translated off screen as well. Winslet revealed that Black even gave her a nickname, and I love that it's still used on sets today.

Kate Winslet chatted with Josh Horowitz of the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast about her new movie, Lee (in which she plays real-life war correspondent Lee Miller). Amid the discussion, Horowitz mentioned The Holiday and revealed that Jack Black recorded a message for Winslet. In it, the School of Rock star humorously asked Winslet about both Titanic 2 and The Holiday 2. Despite his joking, he also told Winslet how much he loves her. The lovely video then prompted Winslet to talk about her on set nickname:

It goes without saying that The Holiday is such a fan-favorite Kate Winslet film for so many, and I’m glad that something stuck from the production of the movie. The funny dynamic between Winslet and Jack Black in the film definitely seems to ring true in real life. The Oscar winner was amused by the video and expressed how much she loves and misses he comedic co-star. The continued use of the nickname feels like a nod to their time together, and she went on to explain how it permeates her work today, including her time on Lee:

The other Kate she is likely referring to is Kate Solomon, who produced Lee alongside Winslet. I love that two female powerhouses were behind this film, especially as it tells such an important story about female journalists.

Ironically, Kate Winslet's time working on Lee parallels her work on The Holiday in a sneaky way. For her latest film, the Revolutionary Road star worked alongside another comedian, Andy Samberg. The actor plays photojournalist David Scherman in Lee, and this marks a major dramatic role for Samberg. Winslet also subverted expectations by starring alongside comedian Jim Carrey in the deeply serious Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I love that she's worked with so many funny people and that in every case, she and her co-stars bring out their best.

Still, Jack Black remains a particularly memorable scene partner for the Avatar: The Way of Water alum. Their dynamic was just so fun and grounded, and they were just a fairytale movie couple. The Holiday 2 may not be in the cards, as Black jokes, but I still would love to see him and him and "K Dub" share the screen again. I’m crossing my fingers that such a reunion will happen at some point and that they can adorable gush over nicknames during a press tour.

We'll have to wait and see if another rom-com starring Kate Winslet and Jack Black comes to fruition. In the meantime, make sure to check out The Holiday, which is now available to rent on Amazon. Fans can also see Winslet in Lee, which is playing in select theaters nationwide. For more information on other exciting titles heading to the big screen this year, make sure to consult the 2024 movie release schedule.

When one sees Andy Samberg’s name among the cast of a movie, it’s easy to imagine he’ll be in another hilarious comedy, not one of the best war movies in recent memory. And yet, the actor, who memorably was on Saturday Night Live for seven seasons and the star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine for eight seasons, is right there alongside Kate Winslet in Lee. It’s one of the latest 2024 movie releases that tells the true story of one of the few female war photojournalists during World War II, and Andy Samberg portrays her frequent right hand photographer on the ground.

In Lee, Andy Samberg portrays American photojournalist David Scherman, who was alongside Lee Miller for many WWII assignments. After Samberg talked about being out of his comfort zone in his dramatic role, he shared with CinemaBlend his take on being in that headspace with these words:

Kate Winslet has shared how Samberg got the role. Apparently, as a Jewish man himself, the SNL actor really wanted the part of David Scherman and “really went for it” in his audition. Winslet called Samberg herself when they decided to cast him, and the first thing he said was “My mom’s gonna be so proud.”

As the movie portrays, Scherman and Miller’s most iconic collaboration happened when they found themselves inside Adolf Hitler’s apartment in Munich on April 30, 1945 – which is coincidentally the same day the dictator of Nazi Germany died by suicide in Berlin. After the pair of photographers made the realization of where they were, Miller decided to bathe, in what was the first time she’d had hot water on her skin in some time, and posed for the photograph Scherman took. (Check out the photograph in The New Yorker.)

During the filming of Lee, the production had the task of recreating many of the photos Lee Miller took. (In our interview with Kate Winslet, she even told us that she took up film photography with the vintage camera.) While speaking to Samberg, the actor shared what it was like on set when they recreated the image of Miller in Hitler’s bathtub:

Lee is a passion project of Kate Winslet’s that she has been working on getting made for almost a decade. The actress, who also served as a producer on the film, enlisted Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’s cinematographer Ellen Kuras to make her feature directorial debut and do justice to the photojournalist. The movie is now playing in theaters.

It's hard to believe Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind turned 20 earlier this year. Unlike the characters in the film, many will surely never forget the core memories the movie created the first time they watched the science fiction flick, which is about taking great measures to erase an ex from one's brain. And, as it turns out, Kate Winslet feels that way and shared her love of making the Charlie Kaufman film while telling us how it connects to her 2024 movie release, Lee.

CinemaBlend spoke to Kate Winslet about the making of her biopic, which recounts the story of how former model and eventual surrealist photographer Lee Miller ended up on the ground amid World War II. The photog documented some of the most striking images from that period in history. Winslet, who spent nearly a decade working on the film, discussed bringing on director Ellen Kuras, who served as cinematographer for Eternal Sunshine. When I asked Winslet if there was a moment from set years ago that sparked Kuras' hiring, she said this:

Despite the Holiday star being a proven movie star since her breakout in Titanic, getting Lee made ended up being a test of patience for the actress and her collaborators, who had a specific vision in mind. Per People, the actress recalled coming up against male executives who would ask her “Why should I like this woman?” Thankfully, she stood her ground for seven years of development, because the film beautifully captures a nuanced figure in history who deserves to be celebrated.

It's likely that the A-list actress' reunion with Ellen Kuras had something to do with this. If you’ve rewatched Eternal Sunshine lately, you probably know it’s still one of Kate Winslet’s best movies (and one of the most memorably poignant breakup films ever made). Winslet also said this during our exclusive interview:

There’s really nothing like working with people you already know and trust, and that was important to Kate Winslet for Lee, whether that be the cast or crew. (For example: Contagion’s Marion Cotillard and Winslet's co-star from The Regime, Andrea Risebrough, are among the biopic's ensemble). She also brought on actors she’s never worked with before, such as Andy Samberg in his first dramatic role, as Miller’s right-hand photographer on the battlefield, David E. Scherman.

On the whole, there's some seriously excellent filmmaking on display in Lee, thanks to the efforts of Kate Winslet, Ellen Kuras and their collaborators. That's just one of the reasons that you should check it out in theaters now.

Remember the Divergent movies? It was a decade ago this year when the dystopian franchise got its start on the big screen. At the time, Shailene Woodley had only been in a few films, and while working opposite Academy Award winner Kate Winslet, she received some very invaluable advice that she’ll never forget, even though in the movie itself, the two become sworn enemies.

Being a young woman in Hollywood isn’t necessarily the easiest thing, especially when it comes to tons of people sharing their opinions when one is still growing into themselves and their confidence. So, when Woodley met Winslet early in her career, it meant the world to her. In her words when asked if she was a good sounding board for her at the time:

Shailene Woodley spoke about Kate Winslet while talking to Drew Barrymore on her daytime show. During their sweet conversation, Barrymore quoted recent words from Winslet where the actress spoke about her early days post-Titanic where her sudden whirlwind fame meant a lot of people started commenting on her body and calling her fat.

Winslet has shared that she did not stand up for herself at the time because she was “grateful” just to be able to afford her own apartment. Looking back now, as she told Variety earlier this year, she would say “Don’t you dare treat me like this. I’m a young woman, my body is changing, I’m figuring it out, I’m deeply insecure, I’m terrified, don’t make this any harder than it already is.’ That’s bullying”. Here’s how Woodley responded to Winslet’s commentary on her start with fame:

As Woodley shared during the interview, Winslet actually protected her and made sure she had the message she wished she heard at her age by sitting her down and giving her this advice. Check out the moment on YouTube:

The moment on the Divergent set in turn really affected Shailene Woodley, and it made sure she was in touch with herself rather than falling privy to what everyone else’s opinions were.

Following the Divergent movies, Woodley even took a break from acting to focus more on herself. Now, she's back on screen with her latest project, the STARZ miniseries called Three Women, based on the book of the same name.

And oddly enough, Kate Winslet can be seen in one of the 2024 movies currently out in theaters, Lee. You can check out CinemaBlend’s interview with Winslet about how portraying the war photojournalist affected her life next.

When it comes to the 2024 movie schedule, a sneakily great film set to come out this weekend is Lee. The project stars and is produced by Kate Winslet, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but when it comes to movies based on real people, it can be hard for one to join the status of biopics everyone should see. However, I absolutely recommend learning about the life of photojournalist Lee Miller through this new release. Plus, when I spoke to Winslet, she shared how playing the real-life role influenced her own experiences going forward.

I didn’t know much about Lee Miller before pressing play on the new movie, but as I told the actress, who is of course most famous for her role in Titanic, the photographer is somewhat of a hero to me now after learning about her through Lee. Winslet shared that she’s her hero, too, hence her work on the film taking nearly a decade to get right. When I asked her how seeing the world through the eyes of Miller affected her, here’s what she said:

The Rolleiflex camera is a medium format twin lens reflex (TLR) camera that was first produced in 1929… you know, before we all had cameras in our pockets. For the filming of Lee, Kate Winslet decided to pick up a Rolleiflex camera for real, and she made it her mission to recreate some of Lee Miller’s iconic images from the time she went off to Europe during World War II to document the war on the ground from her unique perspective. On that note, the actress also said this:

As Winslet shared, it was important to her that while she was filming the project as Lee Miller, it felt like she was portraying the person, and that meant spending a lot of time with the vintage device. She has since kept the Rolleiflex camera close to her, and she continues to use it outside of the set of Lee. As she continued:

Lee Miller began her career as a fashion model in New York City in the 1920s before going into photography as a surrealist artist alongside other icons in the field like Man Ray. However, Lee documents the photographer’s important role as one of the few women who had the opportunity (and gusto) to go on the front lines of World War II and get some powerful shots of what was happening. She placed a lot of focus on documenting the women of WWII along with bravely getting shots from the Battle of Saint-Malo and Nazi death camps.

She is also the star of one famous photograph that features her bathing in Adolf Hitler’s bathroom, which was taken coincidentally the same day he committed suicide. The photo was taken by her colleague David E. Scherman, who is played by Andy Samberg. Lee is the actor’s first dramatic role, which Winslet recently spoke about offering to Samberg.

Overall, this camera and story clearly left and impact on Kate Winslet, and it impacted me too.

You'll be able to see Winslet in Lee when the film hits theaters on September 27.

For decades, one of the biggest debates in movie history has been whether or not Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Jack Dawson, could have fit on the infamous door in Titanic. Fans of the film, which remains one of the best movies of the '90s, have long argued over the possibility of Jack surviving by sharing the floating debris with Rose. Thanks to a behind-the-scenes Titanic fact revelation by Kate Winslet, the entire scene has taken an even more bizarre turn.

While promoting her upcoming 2024 movie release Lee in New York City (per People) Winslet dropped a bombshell about her time shooting one of the highest-grossing movies during a candid Q&A session. As it turns out, the water wasn’t nearly as deep as it looked on screen. The Sense and Sensibility actress revealed that the water in the tank where the door scene was filmed was only waist-high. Yes, you read that right — waist-high! That means that while Rose was dramatically balancing on the floating door, DiCaprio was kneeling in shallow water beside her.

According to Kate–who previously admitted to peeing in the tank–stepping off the door to take a quick bathroom break during filming was far easier than fans might imagine. The Revolutionary Road star said:

Whether Jack could fit on that door has become legendary, showing up everywhere from pop culture debates to memes—and even getting the attention of scientific studies. But Winslet’s recent revelation adds a new layer of humor to the mix. Picture this: instead of clinging to the door for dear life, Jack could have just stood up, and everything would’ve been fine!

The Holiday actress didn’t stop there, though. She shared another hilarious tidbit about filming in the water tanks, revealing:

Kate Winslet’s new movie Lee hits theaters this week on September 27. The film follows the fascinating true story of Elizabeth "Lee" Miller, a fashion model turned renowned war correspondent for Vogue during World War II. Despite constantly taking on exciting new projects, it’s always fun to see the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind star embrace the role that arguably made her a household name. Even as her career moves forward, Titanic continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans as one of the best romantic movies—door scene and all. And now, with this latest behind-the-scenes nugget, we can watch the movie in a whole new light. Just picture Jack, kneeling in waist-high water, while we’re all tearing up. Honestly, it’s hard not to giggle at the thought.

By the way, if you're in the mood for a rewatch, Titanic is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

Andy Samberg is known for his comedic antics, as he's starred in some of the funniest SNL sketches to playing detective Jake Peralta on the critically acclaimed comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But, last year, Samberg worked on the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation Lee, in which he plays real-life photojournalist David Scherman. Fellow actor Kate Winslet offered the part to him and recently told the story behind giving Samberg his first dramatic role as well as the sweet reaction he had.

The upcoming biopic Lee is based on the biography The Lives of Lee Miller, which is about model-turned-war photographer Lee Miller. She witnesses the horrors of WWII through her camera while capturing photos for Vogue magazine. Kate Winslet, who plays the titular role, told BBC about how taken she was by Andy Samberg’s audition for her new movie:

Aw, that truly was a sweet reaction from Andy Samberg! Considering how movies can highlight Jewish-American experiences, I'd imagine it was a major honor for Samberg to take on the role of David Scherman. I’m sure the Hot Rod actor's mom, family and friends will be proud of what he brings to the big screen a swell.

Though the Lonely Island co-founder is known for being a funnyman, it's still somewhat wild to think that he hasn't truly dipped his toe into the realm of drama before now. Some may be tempted to think that such a switch-up would be hard for him. However, he apparently has a knack for it, as Kate Winslet continued to laud his performance in Lee:

There are so many comedians who were excellent in dramatic roles like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell. Such stars incredibly talented, considering that they've mastered both sides of the performing arts coin. It's been said by a number of actors across both spectrums of the arts that comedy is very difficult. So one would think that contributes to the ease with which some transition into drama.

Kate Winslet has worked with some incredible actors over the years and clearly knows talent when she sees it. Based on her account, audiences are sure to be moved by Andy Samberg’s performance in Lee. I can’t wait to see the fan-favorite actor's dramatic chops shine through. And here's hoping this won't be the last time he decides to dive into the genre.

Lee opens in theaters on September 27th, and be sure to read up on other titles on the 2024 movie schedule.

It’s tough to conjure up a more iconic cinematic romantic moment than Jack and Rose standing at the head of the Titanic in James Cameron’s critically-acclaimed same-named film and commercially successful behemoth. When the 1997 romantic epic hit theaters, it changed both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s lives in a major way, but amidst the movie’s continued legacy, the co-stars continue to prove to be great friends.

The actors even chose to work together about a decade after Titanic for Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road. When Winslet and DiCaprio reunited on the new set, the actress recently recalled telling him about a dream she had about him where she gave him a paperweight with “Wherever you go, I will go too” engraved on it. Here’s how he reacted:

During the Harper’s Bazaar interview, Winslet also shared that Leonardo DiCaprio then came back around with a ring for her with the same words: “Wherever you go, I will go too” engraved on it. Across over 15 years, Kate Winslet has kept the special ring with her to remind her of the pair’s long-lasting friendship and the sweet gesture. Talk about these hearts going on for each other!

When Titanic was filmed, Winslet was 20 years old and DiCaprio was 21. Both actors were in the early days of their career, but that all changed when James Cameron became such a massive commercial hit. Winslet has previously shared that her post-Titanic fame was “really not much fun”, including the actress developing an eating disorder in her 20s.

Winslet continues to feel grateful for her ongoing relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio that she has said started on the set of Titanic. The actress has previously talked about the pair really connecting on set “on so many levels,“ especially through their shared focus on their acting craft. When one of them calls the other, she’s said it incites an “instant” response in a dynamic that she finds rare “in the world that we live in now.”

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s continued kinship is lovely to hear about, especially considering James Cameron actually had to fight for DiCaprio to star in Titanic at the time of his casting due to pushback from the studio. Obviously all this time later, Titanic remains a classic, so much so that the door debate feels like it will go on for years to come.

You can check out Kate Winslet next in Lee, hitting theaters on September 27.

Hollywood lost an incredibly influential figure this weekend. Jon Landau, the successful producer best known for his collaborations with director James Cameron, passed away. It was reported that Landau died at 63 following a battle with cancer. Since news of his death broke, a plethora of fans have taken to social media to memorialize the late filmmaker. Now, a number of his collaborators are paying tribute as well. Not only did Cameron himself share some remarks, but Titanic’s Kate Winslet and Avatar’s Zoe Saldaña did as well. 

Kate Winslet notably worked alongside Jon Landau and many others behind the scenes on Titanic, the Oscar-winning 1997 drama that became the highest grossing film of all time. It also brought immense fame for Winslet, who played the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater. Upon learning of Landau’s passing, the actress sent a statement to Deadline in which she shared her remembrances of her late collaborator. While speaking with the trade, the actress noted that she’d been acquainted with the filmmaker “since I was 20 years old.” Winslet lauded Landau as a creative force, saying that “his passion for filmmaking only deepened with age.” She also added the following sentiments: 

Years after working on the historical drama, Kate Winslet and the Campus Man producer would reteam for 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water. That film climbed box office charts to become the third highest grossing film of all time. Another person who worked with them on that movie was, of course, Zoe Saldaña. She played the role of Neytiri in the first two films in the series and was working with the deceased filmmaker again on the forthcoming Avatar 3 and its sequels. Saldaña took to Instagram and paid tribute by sharing a number of photos of her late colleague and she penned a very sweet message in his honor: 

Adding to the chorus of praise for Jon Landau was his good buddy, James Cameron. The Academy Award-winning director shared a statement with Deadline and, with it, he discussed Landau’s legacy. Cameron not only highlighted the former Twentieth Century Fox exec’s legacy but he also spoke to his character as a human being: 

The late Honey, I Shrunk the Kids producer did indeed contribute to “great films,” and his love of the medium was downright electric. Those who followed him on social media surely know just how enthusiastic he was about his work. He was more than game for the “epic undertaking” of making several more Avatar sequels and didn’t mind debunking rumors like that threequel title assumption. Needless to say, this was a man who loved and respected movies, and the industry is a poorer place for not having him. 

Jon Landau’s loss is certainly tremendous, but it’s nothing short of lovely to see so many people giving him his flowers. If anything, Kate Winslet, Zoe Saldaña and James Cameron’s sentiments represent just how many Landau touched people’s lives during his time on earth. He is indeed gone, but he will surely not be forgotten. And we here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Landau’s loved ones during this time.

There are few movies in modern memory that have had the impact of James Cameron's Titanic. It was a sensation upon its release in 1997, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in the process. That success made megastars out of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who played lovers Jack and Rose respectively. Kate Winslet got real about the whirlwind of post-Titanic fame, and what that was actually like for her, being quoted saying "it was not much fun."

While some wondered how historically accurate Titanic was, most audiences became instantly enamored with its pair of star-crossed lovers. Kate Winslet was just 22 years-old when she starred in the blockbuster, and became a household name in the process. While speaking with Today, she explained how strange it was having that sudden notoriety. In her words: 

Sounds like a strange place to be in. Titanic was the most expensive movie ever made, and had multiple successful runs in theaters. The movie (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) also put Winslet in a strange position, despite her gratitude for the opportunity. Fame is really a tricky thing. 

Kate Winslet has been open about the struggles of post-Titanic fame. This includes body shamers attacking Winslet's weight in the beloved drama film. In that same interview, she addressed that chatter, and maintaining her sense of self as outsiders attacked her appearance. As she put it: 

In the end, Winslet was able to grapple with being a celebrity, and didn't let any naysayers negatively affect her career. She's gone on to appear in countless iconic projects, both on the small and silver screens. This includes her universally acclaimed performance in Mare of Easttown (which is streaming with a Max subscription). 

Titanic continues to be a quotable part of pop culture to this day. Check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater next year. 

Some actors are best known and even defined by a single character that has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. However, in many cases, said iconic character does not necessarily reflect the performer’s strongest performance, which they often tend to save for the role that they hope will earn them an Academy Award nomination or, at least, challenges them the most. The following is our attempt to distinguish the most iconic roles from our choices picks for the absolute best roles of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Chris Evans

The role that skyrocketed Chris Evans to the A-list and the one he will always be most famous for is Steve "Captain America" Rogers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, his talents are even better utilized in his scene-stealing performance in the Knives Out cast as the hilariously smug and conniving Ransom Drysdale.

Amy Adams

The world first fell in love with Amy Adams when she absolutely nailed the Disney Princess schtick as Giselle in 2007’s Enchanted. Yet, she is truly a captivating, commanding, and heartbreaking force to be reckoned with in Denis Villeneuve’s powerful 2016 alien invasion movie, Arrival, as linguistics expert Louise Banks — which, surprisingly, is not one of the six roles that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Kurt Russell

For many people, when they see Kurt Russell, they see the dystopian anti-hero Snake Plissken in Escape from New York from 1981 or helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in another great John Carpenter movie, 1982’s The Thing. Yet, even the actor’s biggest fans might agree that those performances pale in comparison to his acclaimed portrayal of Wyatt Earp in the 1993 Western movie classic, Tombstone.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie first captivated audiences everywhere as Naomi Lapaglia in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street and her portrayal of Harley Quinn in the DCEU immediately became one of the Batman villain’s most essential iterations. However, the Australian actor gave, arguably, her most captivating and essential performance as infamous figure skating champion Tonya Harding in the 2017 biopic, I, Tonya, which also earned her her first Oscar nomination.

Nicolas Cage 

Nicolas Cage is at his most iconic when he is at his most unhinged and few characters define that better than Castor Troy — a ruthless terrorist who switches faces with FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) in Face/Off. Of course, it is Cage's performance as severe alcoholic Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas that earned him an Oscar win.

Julia Roberts 

Having been referred to as the Queen of rom-coms, it would make sense to call Julia Roberts’ strongest contribution to the genre — Vivian Ward from 1990’s Pretty Woman — the most iconic of her career. Yet, her strongest contribution to cinema might actually be her Academy Award-winning performance in the title role of 2000’s Erin Brockovich, which is based on the true story of a legal assistant’s crusade in a California water pollution scandal. 

Tom Hanks

Our choices for both the most iconic role and the best role of Tom Hanks’ career each earned him an Academy Award. While the lovable title hero of 1994’s Forrest Gump is easily the more famous, the actor is at his most gripping and moving as gay, HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia from the previous year.

Ryan Gosling

Playing Noah in 2004's romantic instant classic The Notebook broke Ryan Gosling into the mainstream and playing the nameless wheelman protagonist of 2011's Drive showed his action star potential. The first time critics and audiences truly began to notice his strengths as a versatile performer, however, was when he played a teacher wrestling with his vices in 2006's Half Nelson.

Robert Downey, Jr.

There was no better choice to play Tony "Iron Man" Stark — the role that effectively resurrected Robert Downey Jr.'s career — in what would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, has the actor truly ever been better than when he played Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast in 2023? Just ask the Academy.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence breathed refreshing new life into the cinematic version of YA dystopian novel hero Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games movies. She especially breathed refreshing life into the already beautiful story of love and self-acceptance at the center of Silver Linings Playbook with her Oscar-winning performance as the widowed Tiffany Maxwell.

Jim Carrey

The one role that best represents Jim Carrey’s one-of-a kind erratic style of physical comedy is the ceaselessly goofy title hero of 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. There are certainly traces of that persona in unwitting TV star Truman Burbank from 1998’s The Truman Show, but the performance brought out a certain emotional depth and devastating earnestness we had not yet seen from the actor.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson was already a top A-lister when she was cast as Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff for the MCU — a role that, arguably, became bigger than the actor herself. Yet, her infectious, Oscar-nominated performance in 2019’s Jojo Rabbit as Rosie — the mother of a young aspiring Nazi who is secretly hiding a young Jewish woman — is the heart and soul of Taika Waititi’s dazzling World War II-era satire.

Matt Damon

Is there anything better than watching Matt Damon kick butt in the Jason Bourne movies as the titular amnesiac spy? How about watching him pour out his heart and soul as a young and brilliant, but emotionally troubled custodian in 1997’s Good Will Hunting, which he also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for?

Jamie Lee Curtis

Playing Laurie Strode in Halloween may have made her the ultimate horror Scream Queen and playing IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All at Once may have finally earned her an Oscar, but neither reflect her absolute best work in our opinion. Her Golden Globe-winning role as Helen Tasker — a woman who discovers her husband (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a spy — shows the extent of her versatile range and is easily the performance from 1994’s True Lies.

Michael Keaton

When you think of Michael Keaton, the first character you picture could be Bruce Wayne from Tim Burton's live-action Batman movies or the title role of another Burton classic called Beetlejuice. Yet, the actor's defining role might really be the one that earned him his first Academy Award nomination: down-and-out actor Riggan Thomson in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

Adam Driver

Typically, any Star Wars actor can call their role in the celebrated sci-fi franchise the most famous character they have ever played and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is certainly no exception. His performance as the Sith Lord is an essential highlight of the sequel trilogy, but his rich, emotionally devastating, and uniquely funny performance as Charlie Barber in 2019’s Marriage Story — his second Oscar-nominated role — really proved he was a force to behold.

Clint Eastwood

The Mount Rushmore of Western Movie Stars undeniably includes Clint Eastwood, whose own carving into the monument would probably be dressed like his three roles from Sergio Leone's "The Man with No Name" or "Dollars" Trilogy — made of up A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Well, forgive us, but we believe that coldblooded-killer turned mild-mannered family man William Munny from 1992’s Unforgiven — which he also directed — is his stronger and deeper contribution to the genre.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is transcendent as the ultimate ruthless teen queen, Regina George, in the 2004 high school movie classic, Mean Girls. Yet, she is at her most grounded and most captivatingly understated in her Oscar-nominated portrayal of Boston Globe investigative journalist Sacha Pfeiffer in 2015’s Spotlight.

Tom Cruise 

Among Tom Cruise’s many iconic roles — especially Maverick in the Top Gun movies and Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible movies — we are not sure that we would include Ron Kovic in that least. Yet, we do believe the actor has never been better than in his impassioned, Academy Award-nominated portrayal of the real-life Vietnam vet-turned-war-protester in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July.

Emma Watson

Most people — especially Harry Potter fans — still see Hermione Graigner whenever they see Emma Watson. However, one role that came closest to replacing the talented wizard as the British actor’s most celebrated work is Sam Button from the tender 2012 coming-of-age drama, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is the face of two of cinema’s most iconic action movie heroes: Indiana Jones and Han Solo from the Star Wars movies. Yet, we have seen the legend give a performance as intense, grounded, and human as Detective Captain John Book in Witness, which also earned him his sole Academy Award nomination.

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges had already achieved a storied and widely acclaimed career by the time he landed his definitive role as freewheeling burnout, The Dude, in Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult favorite comedy classic, The Big Lebowski. It would take another 12 years before he gave his definitive performance as disillusioned country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart, which made him an Oscar winner.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jack Dawson from James Cameron’s high-grossing Best Picture Oscar winner, 1997’s Titanic, remains the one role Leonardo DiCaprio is most often associated with despite winning his Oscar for 2015’s The Revenant. However, it is his remarkable portrayal of Howard Hughes, from his rise as an inventive aristocrat to his falls as a disturbed recluse, that earns the highest praise from us. 

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman has an extraordinary collection of unique characters under her belt, but none are quite as distinct or recognizable as Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical smash, Moulin Rouge! Yet, the following year saw her give a transformative, Oscar-winning performance in The Hours as renowned author Virginia Woolf during a dismal time in her life.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale had audiences floored by his performance as Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which solidified him as one of the best Batman actors in cinematic history. However, we believe we already saw him at his best in 2000’s American Psycho, giving a brilliantly nuanced performance as a strangely compelling sociopath named Patrick Bateman.

Natalie Portman

Rewatching the Star Wars prequel trilogy is made easier for even its harshest critics by Natalie Portman’s empowering, grounding, and ultimately heartbreaking performance as Naboo’s queen-turned-senator, Padmé Amidala. Yet, we have it on good authority that even those fans of a galaxy far, far away would rather rewatch 2010’s Black Swan and experience her unsettling, bravura, Academy Award-winning turn as Nina Sayers — a ballerina driven mad by her devotion to the lead role of Swan Lake.

Daniel Radcliffe 

Daniel Radcliffe certainly made for a great “The Boy Who Lived” in the Harry Potter movies, but even some of the franchise’s biggest fans might agree that the English actor has only gotten better since exiting the Wizarding World. In fact, some might say he has gotten better as the roles got weirder, and none have been weirder than when he starred in 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story as a hilariously exaggerated version of the legendary musical parodist.

Kate Winslet

Much like Titanic made Leonardo DiCaprio a star, starring in the blockbuster historical tragedy as Rose Bukater turned Kate Winslet into one of the top actors of her time. In spite of her wonderful performance there, many would agree the role mainly paved the way for even better opportunities, such as her Oscar-winning performance in 2008’s The Reader as Hanna Schmitz.

Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac was certainly on the path to achieving A-list status before joining the cast of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but playing the charming resistance pilot was his one-way ticket across the bridge. That same year, however, he delivered a captivatingly complex and intriguingly layered performance as tech innovator Nathan Bateman in Alex Garland’s classic A24 sci-fi drama, Ex Machina

Reese Witherspoon

As Elle Woods in 2001’s Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon brings warmth, humor, and authenticity to a character who could have easily been an annoying, one-note stereotype. As June Carter Cash in 2005’s Walk the Line, she absolutely steals the show from Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash with her powerful, Oscar-winning portrayal of the legendary singer.

Henry Cavill

Being, essentially, the spitting image of Clark Kent made Henry Cavill an ideal choice to play Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, but not quite the perfect choice. The English actor’s signature charm, charisma, and sense of humor shine through much stronger as American secret agent Napoleon Solo in Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which we think is gleaming proof of his 007 material.

Brie Larson

You could say that Carol Danvers has become such a popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because Brie Larson is the one portraying her in Captain Marvel and subsequent films. For that, we can likely thank her magnificent, heart-wrenching, Oscar-winning performance in 2015’s Room as a single mother held captive with her son.

There are the characters we cherish and the performances we adore. Both are equally important reasons for why we love our favorite actors.

As much as we like to see Hollywood as a dream factory, some projects can be total nightmares. Maybe people realize that fact during production, or maybe it’s a big case of hindsight providing 20/20 vision; but eventually there comes a time when an entertainer decides that their own movie is the enemy. For one reason or another, the list we’re about to share with you is a bunch of cases where that sort of takedown was warranted by the talent that had to endure making them in the first place. 

Jamie Lee Curtis - Virus

No matter how many times the 1999 sci-fi horror movie Virus comes up, it seems that Jamie Lee Curtis has a colorful variety of responses that detail just how flat-out horrible the finished product was. And depending on which interview you read, the language can get just as cheeky, so reader discretion is definitely advised. 

Michael Caine - Jaws: The Revenge

If you ever want a lesson in destroying a cinematic turkey with great wit and class, look up Michael Caine’s remarks on Jaws: The Revenge. Simultaneously admitting he’d never watched the film, but loved the personal enrichment that came from it, it’s one of the best moments of Sir Michael’s legendary charm at work.

Charlize Theron - Reindeer Games

How bad is the perennial punchline Reindeer Games? Well, if you ask Charlize Theron like Esquire did back in 2008, the Ben Affleck co-starring film is "a bad, bad, bad movie." So that question's pretty much asked and answered. 

George Clooney - Batman and Robin

George Clooney’s continued Batman regrets will never stop being entertaining. Playing that very DC hero in 1997’s Batman & Robin, the infamously campy Joel Schumacher picture holds a very special place in the ER veteran’s heart; and it’s one of intensely self-deprecating comedy. 

Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up

The story about Katherine Heigl and her apparent lack of love for Knocked Up is one that’s circulated pretty much since Judd Apatow’s 2008 comedy mega-hit landed. However, it seems that years after the star seemed to slam her own movie, Heigl’s 2016 comments on the matter painted a different picture.

Christopher Plummer - The Sound of Music

How an actor like the late great Christopher Plummer could grow to despise a musical like The Sound of Music is still a mystery. Well, it’s puzzling in the sense that his apparent criticism of its sentimental and emotional nature feels a bit rough. Despite his misgivings, the Rodgers and Hammerstein adaptation remains one of Christopher Plummer’s best roles. 

Sally Field - The Amazing Spider-Man

Comic book movies aren’t for everyone, and The Amazing Spider-Man’s Sally Field admitted just that when talking about her role as Andrew Garfield’s Aunt May. Field’s reason for taking the role as a favor to her friend, late producer Laura Ziskin, is still sweet. But digging into Sally’s comments about the Marvel role, it would seem that there isn’t enough money in the Multiverse to bring the Academy Award winner back for any hypothetical follow-ups.

Edward Norton - The Italian Job

One of the most infamous stories of modern movie feuds, Edward Norton’s reluctance to play the villain in The Italian Job remake came down to two words: contractual obligations. As Observer covered in the lead-up to the movie’s production, Norton fulfilled his duties; but did so while taking every chance to put the project down. 

Jessica Alba - Fantastic Four

When your director tells you that CGI tears are better than the actual waterworks you’re providing on set, to say things are problematic is a bit of an understatement. That’s the scenario that Jessica Alba faced on Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which she revealed to Elle Magazine (via Today) as the reason she almost quit acting. 

Bill Murray - Garfield: The Movie

Confusion is something that even a legendary comedian like Bill Murray can admit to falling into from time to time. It just so happens that one of those times saw the legacy cast member of Ghostbusters accidentally assume one of The Coen Bros. wrote Garfield: The Movie. Thankfully for Murray, he only had to make one sequel before the franchise shifted gears to another iteration.

Jennifer Lawrence - Passengers

When Adele tells you to skip a movie like Passengers, that’s a sign you should take to heart. Unfortunately, Jennifer Lawrence ignored this advice, and what resulted was a movie that is as questionable as it is baffling. On the plus side, hearing Ms. Lawrence trash that movie means that the project is technically a valuable source of entertainment.

Channing Tatum - G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

We’ve all kind of known that Channing Tatum despises G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; and rightfully so. But just how horrible was the man’s opinion of this past franchise starter? Well, not only did he pass on this project seven times, but when G.I. Joe: Retaliation came about, Tatum requested to be killed off in that very sequel. 

Viola Davis - The Help

Despite the contemporary hoopla that saw The Help become an Academy Awards darling at 2012’s Oscars, Viola Davis’ opinion on the movie is far from golden. Indeed, the project has become more and more scrutinized as time goes on, and Davis’ upset with the movie has only developed more nuance over time. 

Ryan Reynolds - Green Lantern

Even if you knew nothing about Ryan Reynolds starring in the much-maligned Green Lantern adaptation, his dislike for the picture is legendary. Especially when part of Deadpool 2’s wild time travel-correcting ending saw the Marvel anti-hero icing his reality-bound actor before even getting to make the film. 

Halle Berry - Catwoman

The downside to Halle Berry being in Catwoman is that she, unfortunately, had to actually make the movie. However, the upside to this painful experience is that Berry’s quips and jabs at her unfortunate DC Comics entry continue to show her impeccable sense of humor. 

Oscar Isaac - X-Men: Apocalypse

While Oscar Isaac doesn’t outright disown his X-Men movie, he does express serious regret for taking on the titular role in X-Men: Apocalypse. Though if you were cast to act up against James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, only to have your abilities hampered by an abundance of prosthetics, you’d probably be pretty steamed too. 

Dame Judi Dench - Cats

Not many actors would consider a Razzie nomination entertaining, or even valid. But then again, Cats' Dame Judi Dench isn't "most actors." Proud to have not seen the film, or read its reviews, the famed performer laughed off her own nomination, and even compared her character's final look to a bunch of foxes engaged in some not-so-family-friendly activity. 

Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum

For as much cultural cache as the Jason Bourne movies still have in the world, it’s kind of astounding that the subpar reaction to some of the sequels doesn’t seem to have dampened that pedigree. That’s an especially good question after Matt Damon’s trashing of The Bourne Ultimatum script somehow didn’t prevent the worst sin that franchise has committed, 2016’s Jason Bourne. 

Megan Fox - Transformers

Megan Fox’s relationship with the Transformers franchise saw her putting the Hasbro toy franchise on blast after the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. More specifically, her comments comparing Michael Bay to Hitler allegedly helped distance her even further from the series that she apparently has no particular love for. 

Matthew Goode - Leap Year

In remarks to The Telegraph about his role in the rom-com Leap Year, Matthew Goode fully admitted that the Amy Adams starring vehicle wasn’t exactly ideal for his tastes. Taking a page out of Michael Caine’s proverbial book on silver linings, Goode did admit that one of the reasons he did enjoy being part of the project was the fact that he could go home easily on the weekends. 

Kate Winslet - Titanic

While the world fell in love with Kate Winslet after her role in Titanic, the actor herself didn’t exactly love watching herself put in, what she feels, was a performance full of errors. Even in a legacy interview with CNN, Winslet criticized everything, even her American accent.  

Mark Wahlberg - Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights was a star making performance for Mark Wahlberg, and to this day it’s a role that’s aged well on his resume. And yet, Wahlberg has asked God to forgive him for making the Paul Thomas Anderson masterpiece, regarding it the biggest mistake of his career. 

Michelle Pfeiffer - Grease 2

Allegedly, Michelle Pfeiffer was cited to have chalked up her experience with Grease 2 as a case of being young and not knowing how to pick a good script. While those stories persist, Pfieffer has apparently started to set the record straight, attributing her supposed Grease sequel bashing to misreported remarks that grew a life of their own.

Sir Alec Guinness - Star Wars

While Sir Alec Guinness’ reaction to watching Star Wars was one of being refreshed, his outlook on taking the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn’t as rosy. Actually making George Lucas’ sci-fi opus was a different story, with Guinness’ on-set feelings seeing the legendary actor less than pleased in the middle of production.

Miriam Margolyes - The Harry Potter Series

Harry Potter fans have been a frequent source of discussion for actor Miriam Margolyes. The performer who brought Madame Sprout to live in the film adaptation of the series not only has no personal connection with the franchise but she’s also shared some thoughts on adult Potter fans that have kicked up more dirt than one of her Herbology classes.

Sylvester Stallone - Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot!

The widely reported story of how Sylvester Stallone became the action lead in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! is thanks to his feud with action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently, Arnie tricked him into thinking he wanted the movie, which led Stallone to lobby for the part, and win it. His enduring torment can still be heard to this day, and Sly has even suggested the film as a form of interrogation enhancement. Yikes.

Dakota Johnson - Madame Web

Madame Web seems to be an experience that barely anyone enjoyed, even the actors who starred in the movie. Dakota Johnson’s skewering of the finished product, while extremely erudite and empathetic towards herself and the rest of the cast, cuts to the core problems that some feel superhero movies have possessed since day one. 

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Out of all the Harry Potter movies Daniel Radcliffe has fronted, the one that comes in as his least favorite is the sixth entry, The Half Blood Prince. Radcliffe called his own performance “one-note,” especially when compared to his own personal favorite: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Jennifer Aniston - Leprechaun

Jennifer Aniston’s performance in Leprechaun makes her cringe to this day. So much so that in a 2019 interview on The Howard Stern Show, she mentioned that she tried and failed to stop her then-boyfriend Justin Theroux from watching the film; much to her dismay. 

Brad Pitt - The Devil’s Own

“20 pages of dog…” You can fill that phrase in for yourself, but Brad Pitt’s Newsweek interview about 1997’s The Devil’s Own said all that needed to be said about the actor’s feelings for the Harrison Ford co-starring drama. 

Sandra Bullock - Speed 2: Cruise Control

Some experience will stick with you, no matter how hard you try. Sandra Bullock’s no-sequel rule was an echo of such a trauma, thanks to her displeasure with Speed 2: Cruise Control. Admittedly, her concerns about a large cruise ship not being as perceptively speedy as a city bus were part of the equation as well, and can you blame her? 

Robert Pattinson - Twilight

Robert Pattinson’s hate affair with the Twilight Saga is as well-documented as the memes that have committed the franchise’s dialogue to memory. Thankfully, the man didn’t develop an aversion to bats, otherwise The Batman wouldn’t have happened; which is probably one of the best things that actually came out of Twilight when you think about it.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this trip in the trenches with stars who had to tell it like it is. Judging by some of the movies mentioned here, it might be safe to say that for the most part, these reactions were spot on. But if you’re ever wondering why a movie you're fond of might be slammed by an actor or entertainer involved, keep these tales of woe in mind, and try not to take it too personally.

If you look back at Jack Black’s movies, you’ll immediately notice that he’s worked with an incredibly long list of wildly talented actors. From Ben Stiller to John Cusack to Dwayne Johnson and Karen Gillan, the comedic actor has worked with so many A-listers. Now, he’s revealed his favorite co-star is Kate Winslet, and as a The Holiday fan, this choice makes me so happy. It made fans happy too, because when Black’s comments went viral on TikTok, fans made their agreement known through some A+ comments. 

While promoting his film on the 2024 movie schedule, Kung Fu Panda 4, Jack Black told ET who his favorite co-star is. Sitting next to his Kung Fu Panda co-star Awkwafina, the actor dived into why he adores working with Kate Winslet, saying this about her and their movie that’s considered not only one of the best Christmas movies but one of the best rom-coms of all time:

In the video, Jack Black told Awkwafina why Kate Winslet was his favorite co-star, and it was so sweet. He explained:

As someone who adores The Holiday, these words from Black about his co-star make me love the movie more. Iris and Miles' relationship is so wholesome in the rom-com as they help pay homage to Arthur’s legacy. Their scene in the Blockbuster where Miles teaches Iris about iconic scores lives rent-free in my mind, and their chemistry throughout the flick is undeniable and so so charming. 

Of course, when fans learned about Jack Black’s favorite co-star, they showered him and Winslet in love as they commented:

• I immediately thought “KATE WINSLET” -alyssa&herbooks 
• “jude law” “nooo. kate winslet 🥰” he’s so real for that -sara 
• I knew immediately he would pick her 🥰 -Jek 
• I legit knew he was gonna pick her from that movie. They vibed. -Darrah 
• I had no doubt that was gonna be his answer -mitchches2121 
• I knew he was to choose her 🥺😭 -NicoMyrna 

The love for Winslet was palpable, as proved by the TikTok's over 1.6 million views, and others got a kick out of Black turning down Awkwafina’s Jude Law suggestion. Though, it’s worth noting that Jack Black and Jude Law only share one scene in The Holiday and it’s the final one when all four meet at the very end. So, it totally tracks that he didn’t pick the actor, and he went with his primary scene partner in the delightful rom-com.

It’s kind of wild to think that Jimmy Fallon and Robert Downey Jr. could have been in The Holiday instead of Jack Black and Jude Law. Ultimately, it truly did work out for the best, because Jack Black and Kate Winslet and Jude Law and Cameron Diaz are perfect together, and their adoration for each other is clear. 

While there were rumors about The Holiday 2, Nancy Meyers denied them, and we likely won’t get one. However, thinking about Jack Black’s sequel idea and the fact that he truly loved working with Winslet, I feel like we could see them together again in the near future. 

At the moment, Jack Black and his favorite co-star Kate Winslet aren’t set to work together. So, while we wait for that to happen, you can also stream Winslet's well-reviewed The Regime with a Max subscription, and you can check out Black’s moderately reviewed Kung Fu Panda 4 in theaters now. 

In Hollywood, the procedure of filming sex scenes and nudity has changed quite a lot in the last decade. It is now standard operating procedure for studio productions to hire an intimacy coordinator, and it's their responsibility to ensure everyone's comfort and keep lines of communication open. The idea is that their presence will help protect performers, and Kate Winslet is among the veteran stars who wishes that the on-set role existed earlier in her career.

Winslet is now starring in the new HBO series The Regime, and she spoke about the value of intimacy coordinators when the subject came up during an interview with the New York Times. The Academy Award-winning star has performed in a number of sex scenes over the course of her career – perhaps the most famous being in James Cameron's Titanic – and she regrets that she didn't have someone advocating for her comfort in the filming of those scenes when she was younger. She explained,

As recently expressed by Drive-Away Dolls star Margaret Qualley, sex scenes can be fun, but unless an actor is also an exhibitionist, it's perfectly understandable that they might feel uncomfortable taking off their clothes in a crowded room with a camera pointing at them. The goal for everyone is to make the best movie possible, but an intimacy coordinator ensures that everyone is feeling safe and protected in the process. In the interview, Kate Winslet expressed some of the things she wishes could have been said on her behalf by someone looking out for her on set earlier in her career:

There is a horrible history in Hollywood of performers who advocate for themselves being labeled as "difficult," and that has regularly rendered filming sex scenes as minefields – but specific efforts toward progress in the industry have been made in the last 10 years – most notably in the wake of Harvey Weinstein's arrest and conviction. Hopefully it will continue to create better working environments on sets and ensure that everyone has their voices and concerns heard.

Spoilers below for the premiere episode of The Regime, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched on HBO or with a Max subscription.

On the distant heels of the critically lauded miniseries Mare of Easttown (which could feasibly still get a second season), Kate Winslet has made her return to HBO to portray a completely different and rather unhinged authority figure: an unidentified nation’s Chancellor Elena Vernham. The Regime, first announced in 2022 under a different title, is the satirical creation of Succession writer and The Menu co-screenwriter Will Tracy, so it’s no wonder why Winslet and her co-stars get to deliver the kind of cutting dialogue that critics are already adoring.

The series premiere, “Victory Day,” introduced Elena’s fraught situation as a leader caught between potentially machiavellian upheaval on one side and a complicated relationship with the U.S. and other countries on the other side. And Winslet knocked it out of the park from the first second, embodying the character with specific quirks — such as the corner of her mouth drooping when speaking only to trusted company — while jumping from one pitch-perfect line to the next. So let’s run down the Oscar-winning star’s best lines from The Regime’s opening.

1. "I’d say we’re just about meant for each other, wouldn’t you? Let’s have you leave now."

While there are certainly moments when it truly seems like Elena means well, and isn't attemping to be a permafrosted ice queen, her attempts at friendliness and generosity fall very flat when they're presented as the above. She's essentially saying, "Congratulations for not being so far below me. Now be gone." But I guess Matthias Schoenaerts' soldier Herbert Zubak is used to hearing worse.

2. "I bless you all, and I bless our love, always."

This line comes up twice during The Regime's debut episode, and appears to be the chancellor's go-to closing line for public addresses, televised or otherwise. It's not wildly different from anything that might come up in the real world, but there's definitely a performative element to it, and the specific use of "bless" there will no doubt come into question at some point.

3. "Today you’ll encounter a soup tureen of worms known as the bureaucracy. Prepare yourself."

You just know Elena wasn't talking about a hand-crafted table-set tureen perfect for a two-diner experience. She likely meant a big ol' steaming pot that threatens to crack the concrete its set upon due to all the creepy crawlies therein.

4. "These need to be briefer, these…briefings."

If The Regime had any lines that would be sent to the front lines to take on Dr. Strangelove's "There's no fighting in the War Room," it would be the above observation about briefing durations. I love the quizzical flash across Winslet's face as she says it, as well.

5. "And you know what the people want, do you, Susan? You can hear them grunting from your country house?"

Elena's not-so-pleasant approach to leadership and communicating with others is on display throughout the episode, and it's capsuled most enjoyably for yours truly during exchanges with Martha Plimpton's U.S. Senator Judith Holt. Nevertheless, other characters such as France's minister Susan Goin — portrayed by Pippa Haywood, whose work in Green Wing still makes me chuckle — are just as liable to fall into Elena's conversational crosshairs, as it went with her somewhat hypocritical comment above.

6. "Be careful in here. Make sure he keeps his paws to himself."

Make a list of 1,000 places where one might say the above before entering, and I'd be willing to bet all the big money that "a room housing the glass-coffined corpse of one's father" would not be on anyone's list but Elena's. How much are we supposed to read into that, also? Is it just a joke because he's dead and obviously can't use his "paws" on anyone, or is she referring to what he was like when he was still alive? Either way, I'm pretty sure Zubak would rather steer clear of any anecdotes about that part of her past.

7. "You’ve got spots. That’s new. Leopard changing its spots. Get it? Very funny. Hilarious. Right. Is that it? Are we done? Yes? Good. Happy, happy."

Even when she was at her weakest physically, believing herself to be falling prey to mold and moisture, Elena still wasn't quite as unhinged as she got when standing before her father's speckled corpse, with words falling out of her mouth as opposed to her saying anything with clear confidence. It's obvious that former relationship is frayed, and I'm both nervous and eager to explore what went on there.

8. "You’re making them fight, sweetheart? Good."

I'm not sure if there's a specific reason why Elena seems to have a special affection for Oskar, the son of her Palace Manager Agnes (Andrea Riseborough), but I do love that her reaction to him playing loudly isn't to shush him, but rather to endorse his pugnacious inspirations. Of course, she also tells him to leave the room less than a minute later, but it was still a informative snapshot into Elena's brain.

9. "I am not ridiculous. I am very much not ridiculous, you stupid cunt. Next time, turn your gun on yourself. Stick it in your mouth, you graceless fucking cow."

There's no doubt Zubak revealed himself to be something of a rage-filled maniac as the episode went on, but even him beating the shit out of the miner who broke into the palace wasn't quite as vitriolic as the chancellor's exceedingly harsh dress-down after he unwittingly shamed her in front of other leaders of import. Granted, nobody told him not to do it, I guess in the same way nobody specifically told him not to jump the gun and kill a handful of miners. He may need a lesson in common sense, if not a lesson in destroying someone's face.

10. "It is time to show America and the world precisely what we are worth."

Though The Regime's first episode ends with the aforementioned blessings, the final shot of Kate Winslet herself is an extreme close-up on her face as she utters the above line, which makes it feel like something of a thesis statement. Or perhaps the opposite of one, since it's already in the cards that the next five episodes are going to completely upend Elena Vernham's life, land, and liberty. Maybe they should just show the world some of what they're worth, and just lie about the rest.

The Regime airs on HBO on Sunday nights at 9:00, with episodes hitting Max at the same time. While waiting to meet Hugh Grant's character, head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule for all the other new and returning shows on the way.

Back in the '80s and '90s, long before he was Iron Man or a 2024 Oscar nominee for his staggering supporting work in Oppenheimer, Robert Downey, Jr. was known to dabble in the rom-com genre. There was 1987's The Pick-Up Artist and '89's Chances Are and, of course, that early-'90s fan-favorite Only You, opposite Marisa Tomei. But allegedly, his poor accent work kept RDJ from appearing in one of the genre's most beloved titles: The Holiday.

Kate Winslet, who memorably portrayed house-swapping Brit Iris Simpkins in that 2006 Christmastime romantic comedy, revealed as much during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The actress and the talk-show host reminisced about how both Fallon and Downey had actually auditioned to be part of The Holiday cast, for the male lead parts that would end up going to Jack Black and Jude Law. Jimmy told Kate:

Winslet remembered the audition with the famous funnymen, but said that at the time, she didn't realize that both Fallon and Downey were actually auditioning for specific parts in the movie: 

After Jimmy assured The Regime actress that she was kind to him all those years ago, she also shared that she remembered that he was sick at the time and acting like a bit of a germaphobe, continuously reapplying his hand sanitizer. Kate also remembered how Downey's "English" accent sounded way more Down Under than it should have: 

Fallon gamely tried to support RDJ, saying that maybe the character was meant to be Australian, but Winslet was unrelenting in her roasting of Robert: 

Of course, everything happens for a reason—maybe an Australian-accented Robert Downey, Jr. simply wasn't meant to be in The Holiday? However, if the self-proclaimed "obsessed" actor becomes tormented by the memory of that failed audition, maybe Winslet can give him a second chance in the much-rumored The Holiday 2? 

Sure, both writer-director Nancy Meyers and the original cast have repeatedly shut down those sequel rumors, but Jack Black has an iconic idea for a second one and it would be awesome to see him back onscreen with his Tropic Thunder buddy Robert. Make it happen, Kate Winslet! (Maybe just let Downey use his real accent though?)

Kate Winslet may be best known for Titanic, The Holiday or her Oscar-winning role in The Reader, but she’s also gotten plenty of recognition for her work with HBO in the past. Her roles on Mare of Easttown and Mildred Pierce earned her numerous accolades, including Outstanding Lead Actress Emmys for both, and now the actress is returning to the network for the limited series The Regime. Winslet will play the increasingly unstable chancellor Elena Vernham in the upcoming political satire, and critics are raving about her unhinged performance.

The Regime shows the volatile political environment of a fictional European autocracy over the period of a year, during which the chancellor forms a toxic bond with violent ex-soldier Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts). Daniel Fienberg of THR says overall the project lacks depth and may disappoint fans hoping for something more like Succession from creator Will Tracy (who was a writer on the Roy family saga). The critic is instead captivated by Kate Winslet, who Fienberg says makes any HBO project worth watching. His review states: 

Judy Berman of Time Magazine says another Primetime Emmy may be in Kate Winslet’s future for her astute portrayal of the fragile chancellor. Overall The Regime is funny and brilliant — even if “thematically undercooked” — thanks to the performances of Winslet and her co-stars. The critic continues: 

That isn’t the only comparison made between The Regime and Veep, with Coleman Spilde of the Daily Beast calls it a “nastier, wilder” version of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ award-winning HBO comedy — and that’s saying quite a bit. Spilde goes on to say The Regime is one of the “shrewdest and most unexpected affairs” to ever come from HBO, and audiences should flock to it. The critic continues: 

Carly Lane of Collider rates it a 6 out of 10, agreeing with other critics that Kate Winslet is compelling — and “delicious” to watch when her and Matthias Schoenaerts’ characters become unhinged together — however, the series struggles to balance its comedic and dramatic elements in only six episodes. Lane writes:

Meghan O’Keefe of Decider calls The Regime a “deranged love story” that will leave audiences howling in laughter and twitching with discomfort, thanks in large part to its leading actors. O’Keefe says: 

While it seems some critics think The Regime could have used a little more plot development — and possibly a higher episode order — Kate Winslet seemingly continues what has been an excellent career with HBO. Critics are saying the series is a must-watch to see the toxic relationship develop between Elena Vernham and Matthias Schoenaerts’ Herbert Zubak, so be sure to catch the premiere at 9 p.m. ET Sunday, March 3 on HBO. The series can also be streamed with a Max subscription, and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to keep up with all of the upcoming premieres.  

Back in 1997, Titanic was the biggest (and most expensive) thing happening at the movies. James Cameron’s blockbuster was half-historical disaster film, half-romance, skyrocketing its stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio to an unexpected level of fame. For the young actress who portrayed Rose, however, that “seismic” shift in her popularity was not a welcome surprise. Winslet recently got real about why being so famous at 22 years old was “horrible” and affected what jobs she accepted after.

Neither Kate Winslet nor Leonardo DiCaprio was a novice when they signed onto the movie that to date has earned $2.26 billion globally (and sparked multiple debates over whether or not two people could fit on a floating door), but for Winslet, the increased attention came with a lot of pressure. She told Net-a-Porter she felt like she had to look a certain way, and the intrusiveness of the media made life “quite unpleasant.” In the actress’ words: 

How relatable is it that the young 20-something was just happy to be able to afford a house? Kate Winslet took issue with her professional life bleeding into her personal life, especially when it came to the lack of privacy and being followed around by the media. That experience seems to have shaped the way she sees being famous in general, and these days it’s definitely not something she takes seriously. The Holiday star said of fame: 

Her reaction to the memes of her and Leonardo DiCaprio looking at each other is the perfect example of just how silly she thinks it all is. When she was asked if she knew about the images captioned, “Find yourself someone who looks at you the way Leo looks at Kate,” Kate Winslet reportedly snorted with laughter and said: 

Leonardo DiCaprio is just a year older than Kate Winslet, and he undoubtedly saw a similar increase in media attention after Titanic. It’s no wonder that having that shared experience formed such a bond between the actors. If you want to relive one of the best movies of the 1990s, Titanic is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription. Also be sure to take a look at our 2024 movie release schedule to see what’s headed to theaters soon. 

Fans always seem eager to hear some behind-the-scenes Titanic facts. That could be how historically accurate the 1997 epic is, that time someone snuck PCP into the crew's food or a casting scoop like how Matthew McConaughey almost played Jack Dawson instead of the film's eventual star, Leonardo DiCaprio. But you might be curious about one particular piece of lore: the long-standing rumors that leading lady Kate Winslet used to urinate in the water tanks while filming the Oscar-winning romantic drama. Well, there's quite a story behind that.

The then-21-year-old actress famously portrayed distressed debutante Rose DeWitt Bukater opposite Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack. Some may be surprised by the notion that she had to succumb to going to the bathroom without actually going to the bathroom while on set. But we've dug up some bottom-of-the-sea history about the production of the nearly 30-year-old disaster film. Here’s the story behind why Kate Winslet peed in the tank while filming Titanic:

Why Kate Winslet Frequently Peed In The Tank While Filming Titanic

Our research took us to a 1998 article with The Rolling Stone. In it, the Oscar-winning actress admitted to "sometimes peeing" while filming in the 17-million-gallon water tank that director James Cameron used to mimic the frigid Atlantic in which the titular boat eventually sinks after hitting an iceberg. The actress told the outlet: 

Kate Winslet's Rose was heavily wardrobed throughout the film in period costume, like the aforementioned corsets. She spends the bulk of the sinking sequences in that iconic pastel "swim dress," which featured layer upon layer of ombre-dyed silk chiffon with pearl embellishments and a lace neckline. (Costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott was honored with an Academy Award for her work on the film.)

The British actress cited that exact ensemble when describing the difficulties of filming those underwater scenes, telling the publication:

Despite those much-welcome costume alterations, that didn't help other issues like, you know, biology. She continued:

And apparently it wasn't only the women who had to deal with reproductive concerns while filming in the freezing water, as explained:

All of that past discomfort clearly paid off for her. She scored her second Oscar nod -- her first for Best Actress -- for playing Rose, and Titanic transformed her and Leonardo DiCaprio into generational icons. Still, there's still another aspect of this bathroom situation that we need to discuss:

Why Does Director James Cameron Notoriously Hate Bathroom Breaks?

It looks like lack of bathroom access wasn't exclusively for the film's leads. Yes, director James Cameron's moviemaking meticulousness may have made Titanic one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. However, production on the epic was so behind schedule and over budget that, yes, the filmmaker did once joke that he wished he could "tether the extras" to the set so they would stop wasting time in the bathroom. He told The Hollywood Reporter back in 2012: 

Per that publication, Fox had initially greenlit the project at about $110 million. By the mid-point of filming on the historical drama, in November 1996, it was rumored to be toppling out at a then-unprecedented $200 million. The initial budget had allotted $7 million for visual effects -- those, which brilliantly mixed the use of miniatures with computer graphics to depict the sheer scale of the ocean liner and the horror of its sinking, would end up costing the studio a cool $30 million. James Cameron said of the pricey production:

In the end, filming on Titanic had to be extended, delaying the release from July 1997 to December of that year. And at the time of its release, its budget of more than $200 million made it the most expensive film ever made. 

But, as we all know, it very much worked out for James Cameron and co. The disaster drama would pull in a staggering $2.2 billion lifetime gross, divided between its original run and its theatrical re-releases. Cameron would memorably snag the Academy Award for Best Director for the film, which itself would take home 11 of a record 14 nominations. 

So worth a little pee in the tank, then, eh? I'd like to think so. You can watch Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio weather those waters by streaming Titanic with a Paramount+ subscription.

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

When it comes to those channels that we all need to pay a little extra for – such as Showtime, Starz, etc. – they all seem to produce some of the absolute best shows. But you want to know which channel I think has made stars even bigger? HBO. 

The channel, which stands for 'Home Box Office,' has produced some of the best TV shows of the last twenty or so years, and with that, several actors and actresses have come and gone and left their mark, earning plenty of awards recognition for their work in the shows. Today, we'll be going over 32 of them. 

Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones)

Of the Game of Thrones cast, Emilia Clarke probably became one of the most-known actresses in the world after her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen. On the show for the entirety of its eight seasons, Clarke earned plenty of awards recognition and was nominated several times for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the show, including her last nomination in the Lead Actress category. 

Jonathan Groff (Looking)

While Jonathan Groff never earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role in the LGBTQ+ show Looking, he did win plenty of other awards for his time on the show. Groff is known to be a triple threat with his acting, singing, and dancing talents. He was even a part of the original Hamilton cast, but his starring role in Looking brought on plenty of recognition.

Zendaya (Euphoria)

The Euphoria cast is filled with talent, but let's be honest – Zendaya is the main star we're all looking towards. Nominated several times for the show for a Primetime Emmy, Euphoria has taken this once Disney Channel star and given her the chance to show off her incredible acting skills, one I'm sure she'll continue to do. 

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Peter Dinklage has been around in movies and TV for some time, but everyone recognizes him as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones, a performance he did for eight show seasons. Out of the entire cast, Dinklage was the one to be nominated for the most Primetime Emmys – and he won four times. 

Lena Dunham (Girls)

Girls lasted for six seasons and gave plenty of stars shining lights, such as Allison Williams, Adam Driver, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and more, but Lena Dunham was certainly the award-winner of the group. The actress, who also created the comedy for HBO, earned several nominations at the Primetime Emmys, the Golden Globes, and more. 

Tony Hale (Veep)

The Veep cast is highly talented, and Tony Hale is just one of many. And his role as Gary Walsh in Veep is undoubtedly one of his best. Among several other awards that he was nominated for this role, he won the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series twice before the series ended. 

Bill Hader (Barry)

This show – especially Barry Season 4 – was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, and Bill Hader's performance has been hailed as one of the best of the show. Hader has been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards, and the show has also been nominated for Outstanding Comedy.  

Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under)

While Michael C. Hall gained a lot of fame for another role he did – the still rewatchable Dexter on Showtime – he gained a lot of fame at first for his role in Six Feet Under, where he played David, one of the brothers who owns a family-funeral home. His role in the show earned him several nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. 

Jeremy Strong (Succession)

Succession’s success is awesome to watch, growing larger and more prominent over the years, and one of the lead actors, Jeremy Strong, has gained a lot of award recognition throughout the series' four seasons. Among Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Drama Series, and more, Strong has also earned nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones)

Cersei Lannister is undoubtedly one of the most-hated villains of Game of Thrones, but I don't think anyone could hate Lena Headey's performance. Throughout the series, the actress earned several nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, among several other awards at the Golden Globes, the Poppy Awards, and more. 

Anthony Carrigan (Barry)

I don't know where it came from, but NoHo Hank became my favorite character in Barry, and I think it's because of Anthony Carrigan's portrayal of him. While Carrigan's character didn't get as much hype at the beginning of Barry, the actor has earned several awards for his role in the show, including Primetime Emmy nominations. 

Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)

Olenna Tyrell had to be the best player in Game of Thrones, and I'm pretty sure we all were heartbroken when Diana Rigg passed away. The actress earned several nominations for her role in the show, including Primetime Emmys for her guest appearances. Who could ever forget Olenna? 

Brian Cox (Succession)

I don't think anyone could forget Brian Cox as the patriarch of the Roy family in Succession, Logan Roy, the leading man we were all following for years on end. And, of course, Cox earned plenty of praise for his portrayal in the show, including several Primetime Emmy nominations and wins. 

Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus And Euphoria)

Sydney Sweeney is an exceptional case on this list, as two of her shows on HBO have earned her nominations. She was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 cast, which earned her a Primetime Emmy nod, and for the second season of Euphoria, she also earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Both of which were certainly deserved. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

As the lead of Veep, I don't think we could get through a list like this without mentioning Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her role as Selina Meyer. The series, which ran from 2012 - 2019, was a massive success for her and earned the actress several nominations and wins for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy and the series for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)

We can only have an HBO list by mentioning James Gandolfini from The Sopranos. As the patriarch of the Soprano family, Tony, James Gandolfini won several awards over the series, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys three times. The show itself also won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Evan Peters (Mare Of Easttown)

Mare of Easttown was a limited series on HBO, and the entirety of the cast was incredibly impressive. Evan Peters has gained fame over the last decade for his roles in movies like X-Men and the anthology series American Horror Story, but his role as Detective Colin Zabel has been hailed as one of his best. His portrayal earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, among other awards. 

Henry Winkler (Barry)

Henry Winkler is a TV legend from Happy Days, but his role in Barry is one of my favorites. And the people who award these actors agreed too, as Winkler earned several awards for his character, Gene Cousineau, including Primetime Emmy wins. 

Kate Winslet (Mare Of Easttown)

Kate Winslet was the star of Mare of Easttown, a limited series on HBO, and out of everyone on the cast, she won the most awards for her time on the show. Some of her accomplishments include Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys, TV Film of Miniseries Lead Actress of the Year for the Gold Derby Awards, Best Television Movie or Miniseries Actress for the Critics Choice Awards, and more. 

Edie Falco (The Sopranos)

For the six seasons of the American crime series The Sopranos, my favorite out of the entire cast was Edie Falco. Carmela was possibly the best TV wife out there and was the only person who would keep up with Tony's mess. Falco's portrayal of her went down in history. The actress was nominated for (and won) several Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and more. 

Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos)

Michael Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, the protégé of Tony in The Sopranos and someone who seemed to get some of the best storylines in the show. During his time on the series, Imperioli was nominated for his role in several awards, such as  Emmys, Golden Globes, Prism Awards, and more. 

Jake Lacy (The White Lotus Season 1)

The White Lotus cast for Season 1 had some impressive talent, but everyone seriously loved to hate Jake Lacy's character, Shane Patton. But everyone also loves his performance — which earned the actor several nominations across awards shows, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game Of Thrones)

Game of Thrones created several big names for Hollywood, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is another that we saw plenty of in the awards sphere. His character of Jamie Lannister is often credited as having one of the best character arcs in television and earned several award nominations, including the Primetime Emmys. Game of Thrones itself won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Sarah Snook (Succession)

The entire Succession cast is filled with talent, but one of my favorites has always been Sarah Snook, who played Shiv in the popular HBO series. Portraying the character for all four seasons, Snook has been nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. 

Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus, Season 1)

Daddario has been in the industry for some time, but her role in The White Lotus Season 1 is considered one of her best. The anthology series gave the actress the chance to shine as Rachel, and she was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys.  

Matthew McConaughey (True Detective, Season 1)

True Detective is an anthology series from HBO, and many lovers of the show agree that Season 1 had one of the best storylines, led by a captivating performance from Matthew McConaughey. The Academy Award-winning actor earned several awards for his lead performance in the first season, including a Crime Thriller Award, a Critics' Choice Award, a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and more. 

Issa Rae (Insecure)

Insecure is a comedy-drama from HBO, featuring co-creator Issa Rae in the show's lead role. The series was extremely well-received, and Rae was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys and Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. 

Kit Harrington (Game Of Thrones)

Jon Snow is probably the most known character from Game of Thrones aside from Daenerys and Tyrion – which is not surprising considering the character is getting his own Game of Thrones spinoff series. The actor behind him, Kit Harrington, was nominated for several awards during his time on the show, including the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for the show's final season. 

Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus, Seasons 1 And 2)

While The White Lotus is an anthology series, Jennifer Coolidge was a part of the main cast for the first two seasons (and only the first two). And her time on the show as Tanya was exceptionally well-received and loved. Among many other awards, Coolidge won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series of Movies. 

Anthony Hopkins (Westworld)

Anthony Hopkins is one of the most critically acclaimed actors of our time, and of course, he has been praised for his TV performances. This time around, it's Westworld, where he earned several nominations from the Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, and more. The series was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus Season 1)

Murray Bartlett was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 and he was honestly one of the show's funniest characters. For his performance as Armond, Bartlett earned several nominations. The show was also nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series for Season 1.

Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

Jeffrey Wright is a great actor who has been in various movies and TV shows, but one of his most critically acclaimed roles was portraying Bernard Lowe in Westworld, a series he starred in for some time. Wright earned several nominations, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. 

There are so many amazing actors and actresses who have gone on to do incredible things. And truthfully, this makes me want to see all these shows again to see their talent. Is anyone up for a Game of Thrones rewatch?

One of the many reasons why Titanic is arguably one of the highest-grossing movies of all time is because of the burning chemistry between lead actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. While the sinking of the titular boat in the James Cameron movie is very hard to watch, witnessing the star-crossed love story between Jack and Rose makes watching the heavy journey in the flick worth it for those of us who enjoy romantic epics. Now, nearly 26 years after the movie's release, Winslet is speaking honestly about what it was like working with DiCaprio in the box office hit and what their relationship is like today.

It still amazes me to this day that through the clever direction of James Cameron, we were able to see the love story of two RSS Titanic passengers develop on the big screen. Despite the packed story and tight timeline of the romance, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio's chemistry in the film unfolds smoothly, offering audiences a compelling tale that places the flick among the best romantic movies. In ET’s exclusive peek in the new featurette of Titanic: Stories from the Heart found in the bonus disc of the new 4k Ultra HD release, Winslet spoke about how she and her male lead co-star “clicked immediately, right away.” She explained:

I can see where she’s coming from in terms of the actor being “very free with himself.” If you take a look at Leonardo DiCaprio’s best movies, you can tell there’s an energy and radiance that emanates from every performance. When that dedication takes over, he can successfully play any role he takes on. And to think that originally, the Wolf of Wall Street star might not have been Jack Dawson. There were actually four actors who could have been cast in Titanic as Rose’s love interest. In Kate Winslet’s screen test, it was actually with Clueless’s Jeremy Sisto who auditioned. 

James Cameron told ET last year that he had to sell the Revenant star to studios who only knew him for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?. As the then-up-and-comer didn’t want to be filmed reading the script, Cameron told studios they’d have to just trust his word that the rising star was the right person for Jack. Ultimately, the then-20-year-old actor was cast. Decades later, Winslet is thankful he was picked as her screen partner, as she said she couldn’t imagine it any other way thinking about it today.

Considering the Oscar-winning movie takes place in 1912, one would think it would've helped the cat to understand the time period to fully embrace their characters. According to the Avatar: The Way of Water actress, that’s exactly what Leonardo DiCaprio did in order to feel in sync with Jack's surroundings:

One can't help but loving hearing about the connection that Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio had back in 1997, and it has endured. Over a decade after James Cameron's film came out, the two starred in Revolutionary Road, which is about a 1950s couple that’s struggling with personal problems and the breakdown of their marriage. For Titanic fans out there, this romantic-drama film might be hard to watch, as it shows Winslet and DiCaprio's character more at each other’s throats than in the historical romance film. However, their successful on-screen dynamic still existed. They also had an emotional reunion in 2021 after a few years of not seeing each other due to the pandemic. Winslet said the following about how they communicate now:

It’s wonderful that the bond between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio is still just as strong as the day they met filming the iconic '90s film. Let's hope that it continues to thrive as time goes on -- and that the two team up for another film at some point. 

Fans can experience more behind-the-scenes goodies when the historical drama film's two-disc 4K Ultra HD box set comes out on December 5th. Other than the Stories from the Heart featurette, fans will have access to five hours of new bonus content. And at present, the budding chemistry between the two leads is also available to see if you stream Titanic with a Paramount+ subscription.

Superhero movies have been a constant in the world of modern Hollywood, and the genre reached its peak popularity with the explosion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With such a storied history, there are obviously going to be stories of actors who didn’t make the cut. But believe us when we tell you the actors on this list who almost played major superhero roles are quite the collection of characters.

Burt Reynolds - Superman - Superman (1977)

A bunch of big name actors turned down the role of Clark Kent/Superman when it came time to make 1977’s Superman feature film. Among those who skipped this early era of cape action is the legendary Burt Reynolds. The decision seemed to work out in the end, as that same year saw Smokey and the Bandit become one of his most iconic hits.

Demi Moore - Supergirl - Supergirl (1984)

Early in her career, Demi Moore had a chance to become a part of the Superman franchise. She auditioned alongside Brooke Shields for the lead in Supergirl, though Helen Slater would eventually win the part. Moore then almost played the supporting role of Lucy Lane but passed, as she was about to go from being on General Hospital to starring in the Brat Pack era of films, including About Last Night…

Pierce Brosnan - Batman - Batman (1989)

There are quite a few actors that have done the dance of fate with both superhero movies and the James Bond movies. One of the most surprising, besides Burt Reynolds turning down 007, was Pierce Brosnan testing for Tim Burton’s Batman. Brosnan admitted he blew it, especially since he criticized the wardrobe choices of Bruce Wayne’s darker alter-ego.

Annette Bening - Catwoman - Batman Returns (1992)

Annette Bening was almost Catwoman, believe it or not. The original choice for that role in Batman Returns, Bening seemed set to be a part of the film. That is until the actress found out she was pregnant and had to bow out of the part. It’s ok though, as Burton found a more than willing successor in Michelle Pfieffer, who practically signed on after reading half of the script. 

Marlon Wayans - Robin - Batman Returns (1992)

Marlon Wayans is the Bobby Bonilla of the superhero movie world. Just as Bobby continues to be paid not to play for the Mets, Wayans still gets royalties for not playing Robin in Batman Returns. Due to the roster of characters in Tim Burton’s 1992 sequel being trimmed, Wayans never took flight as the hero.

Dougray Scott - Wolverine - X-Men (2000)

Out of the 13 actors that almost played Wolverine in X-Men, Dougray Scott was the one that got the closest. Scott was actually cast in the iconic pre-MCU film and was so close to getting to pop those Adamantium claws. If he hadn’t suffered injuries and scheduling conflicts from the tail end of Mission: Impossible II, we would've seen different Logan in action. 

Rachel Leigh Cook - Rogue - X-Men (2000)

Brace yourself for a weird loop of coincidence. She’s All That star Rachel Leigh Cook turned down the role of Rogue in 2000’s X-Men. Who did the role end up going to? Academy Award winner Anna Paquin… the actor who gave Cook's character that memorable makeover in the aforementioned teen comedy. Maybe Paquin has some mutant career powers that nobody’s ever noticed before. As for Cook, she eventually admitted that she totally blew it by passing on this classic adventure.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Spider-Man - Spider-Man (2002)

James Cameron’s unmade Spider-Man movie would have gone in some wild directions. Perhaps what fans discuss most is the fact that if he were to have made the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio would have been his Peter Parker! While that’s not the most shocking aspect, especially if you’ve actually read the script, it’s certainly something that feels pretty interesting considering where Cameron and DiCaprio’s careers would go after that point. 

Kate Winslet - Elektra - Daredevil (2003)

There was a wide net cast when looking to fill the role of Elektra in 2003’s Daredevil. Lucy Liu, Salma Hayek and even Katie Holmes were all considered; as was Titanic alum Kate Winslet. Considering her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio almost played Spider-Man for James Cameron, could Winslet have also been considered for Mary Jane Watson had that movie gotten off the ground? 

Ashley Judd - Catwoman - Catwoman (2004)

Development hell can wreck a movie before it ever shoots a single frame. Michelle Pfieffer's intended Catwoman spinoff, for example, eventually mutated into a standalone film. And somewhere in-between Pfieffer’s variant being iced and Halle Berry’s infamous final product being made, Ashley Judd was meant to play the character in the early aughts. According to the Daily Haggis, Judd dropped out in favor of a stage play; which was probably the better move.

Cillian Murphy - Batman - Batman Begins (2005)

Beginning his stint as one of the actors in the most Christopher Nolan movies, Cillian Murphy played Scarecrow in Batman Begins and was a menacing presence to behold. And yet, the Irish actor initially tried out for the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman; going as far as doing screen tests in and out of the Batsuit. While it was admitted that he wasn’t a good fit for the lead role, Nolan did use Murphy’s audition to cast him as Dr. Jonathan Crane; and the rest was history.

Tom Cruise - Iron Man - Iron Man (2008)

You knew this was coming. When the MCU fired up its arc reactor in 2008, Robert Downey Jr. was there front and center to make Iron Man a mega hit. Of course, the studio needed to be convinced that Downey was the way to go, as there were powers that be who wanted the Mission: Impossible daredevil as the lead. Cruise turned down the part, while at the same time the Tony Stark we knew and loved had enough people in his corner to make it happen. 

Emily Blunt - Black Widow - Iron Man 2 (2010)

It’s time to revisit one of the cruelest villains ever: contractual obligations! Back when Iron Man 2 was getting into gear, the then up-and-coming Emily Blunt was offered the role of Natalie Rushman… who was eventually revealed to be Natasha Romanova, the Black Widow. Unfortunately, this was the first of Blunt’s two Marvel passes; with this part going to Scarlett Johansson after Emily had to fulfill her obligation to star in 2010’s Gulliver’s Travels. 

Daniel Craig - Baldur The Brave - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

The worlds of James Bond and superhero culture have collided before, thanks to Daniel Craig’s rumored Thor casting being debunked. What isn’t as sketchy is the claim that Craig almost played Baldur the Brave in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And if you need anyone to further firm up this claim, just ask Elizabeth Olsen, who actually saw Craig’s costume after it was designed.

Joe Jonas - Spider-Man - The Amazing Spider-Man (2011)

One of the greatest heartbreaks in Joe Jonas’ career as an actor is still that time he almost landed the lead role in The Amazing Spider-Man. Jonas recalled his Marvel auditions as well as the tragic turn the situation took when Andrew Garfield landed the role, and it’s hard not to feel for the dude. Then again, Jonas may have dodged a bullet, considering where that series went.

John Krasinski - Captain America - Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

One of the hot prospects for the casting of Captain America was appropriately a man who’s clearly cut out for the role of an American boy scout -- John Krasinski. Though The Office star failed to secure the bag as Steve Rogers, he did go on to play the similarly patriotic lead of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Oh yeah… and he was a Multiversal Reed Richards in Doctor Strange 2 as well. 

Morena Baccarin - Maria Hill - The Avengers (2012)

Joss Whedon sure does have a deep bench of talent he loves to pull from. Firefly alum Morena Baccarin knows that fact, as she auditioned for The Avengers to play the role of Maria Hill. Though she stayed in the extended MCU family through Deadpool, Baccarin admitted she tanked the audition because she didn’t get Hill’s character on the page.

Jamie Dornan - Superman - Man of Steel (2013)

Mr. Kent will see you now. If history shook out a bit differently, maybe Henry Cavill would've played the lead in Fifty Shades of Grey, and Jamie Dornan would have been the Man of Steel lead that kicked off the DC Extended Universe. But that’s not the multiverse we live in, as we’re now wondering if these two will be competing for another massive pop culture role: that of James Bond.

Amanda Seyfried - Gamora - Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

If it wasn’t for Amanda Seyfried questioning whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy would be the first Marvel movie to bomb, she might have accepted the role of Gamora. However, it’s those doubts that kept her out of James Gunn’s 2014 blockbuster; a fact that Seyfried admits she was “very wrong” about.

Glenn Howerton - Star-Lord - Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

It’s more than an implication that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Glenn Howerton was almost cast as Star-Lord. It’s been pretty much confirmed by James Gunn that Howerton would have been his next choice, had Chris Pratt not signed on. The only thing more interesting is how “the Golden God” himself wasn’t considered to play Adam Warlock.

Lindsay Lohan - Scarlet Witch - Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Back in the days of her docu-series Lindsay, this Mouse House graduate thought her manager cost her a role in an Avengers movie. Well, if the timing of that 2014 project was any indication, the whispers of Lindsay Lohan being up for the part of Scarlet Witch just may have been true. 

Olga Kurylenko - Wonder Woman - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

If there are two stars that need to be interviewed together about their careers, it’s Gal Gadot and Olga Kurylenko. Apparently, they both competed for lead roles in Quantum of Solace and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice; with Kurylenko ultimately getting the Bond experience and Gadot snagging the Lasso of Truth.

Asa Butterfield - Spider-Man - Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Remember that time the world was convinced Asa Butterfield was the new Spider-Man? It happened, and the Sex Education lead apparently did test for the role in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Though his bid was unsuccessful, it’s hard not to admit he’d have made a good candidate had Tom Holland not eventually landed the role.

Emma Roberts - Harley Quinn - Suicide Squad (2016)

Apparently, the world has Fox’s now defunct shriek-com Scream Queens for taking Emma Roberts away from Suicide Squad. Roberts chose that TV gig over becoming the living embodiment of mayhem, leaving the role wide open for Margot Robbie to accept, and own, the role of Harley Quinn for years to come.

Josh Brolin - Batman - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Ben Affleck had some stiff competition for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’s Caped Crusader; and Josh Brolin was one of those competitors. But just as those hopes of Bryan Cranston as Lex Luthor and Timothy Dalton as Alfred didn’t pan out, Brolin lost the gig. With that, another major "what if" casting scenario was created.

Ryan Gosling - Doctor Strange - Doctor Strange (2016)

Yes, it’s true: Ryan Gosling took a meeting back in the Phase Three days of the MCU. The Mickey Mouse Club alum was considered to play Dr. Steven Strange himself. It’s hard to tell which missed opportunity is the more intriguing what if: this, or Gosling’s failed attempt to make a Haunted Mansion movie with Guillermo del Toro.

DeWanda Wise - Maria Rambeau - Captain Marvel (2019)

Getting cast in a superhero movie like Captain Marvel, only to have to bow out, has to be a painful feeling. DeWanda Wise is another case of such history in action, as she was supposed to play Maria Rambeau opposite Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers. But then, commitments to Season 2 of Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It forced Wise to exit, with Lashana Lynch taking her place shortly after.

Sean Young - Catwoman - Batman Returns (1992)

Sean Young really wanted to be Catwoman in Batman Returns. No, seriously, the Blade Runner actor had such a desire to be cast in the role, that details reported via CBR saw a Warner Bros exec talking about how she burst into his office, in a Catwoman costume of her own design, to try and impress him and Michael Keaton. Needless to say, it didn’t work.

David Duchovny - Batman - Batman & Robin (1997)

There was a bit of a holding pattern between the success of Batman Forever and the accelerated timeline to make Batman & Robin. In that chaos, Val Kilmer exited the role, and a new Bats needed to be found. The X-Files' David Duchovny was one of the candidates considered, but the spooky man lost out on the role to George Clooney. A fate that Mr. Clooney still apologizes for, to this very day.

Armie Hammer - Batman - Justice League: Mortal (2007)

Tax rebates! That’s what caused the cancellation of George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal, which was pretty far along in pre-production for a movie to be given the axe. With Armie Hammer cast as Batman for this big blockbuster, the Caped Crusader scored yet another intriguing “what if…” when the curtain fell.

Anne Hathaway - Black Cat - Spider-Man 4 (2011)

If Spider-Man 4 had actually happened, it could have been a hell of a sight. With folks like John Malkovich cast, the next intended Sam Raimi-helmed movie could have been a return to the heights of Spider-Man 2. And in that pocket of alternate reality, Anne Hathaway probably didn’t play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, as she would have played a feline of a different stripe: Felicia Hardy herself, Black Cat. 

Christina Aguilera - Invisible Woman - Fantastic Four (2005)

Prepare for quite possibly the most bizarro alternative casting on this list. Amid development on 2005's Fantastic Four, Sean Astin himself wanted to direct the First Family of Superheroes. And as Astin revealed to Collider, he wanted Christina Aguilera to play Sue Storm a.k.a. the Invisible Woman. There’s got to be a “Genie In A Bottle” joke here somewhere, but we just can’t see it.

As you can see, the world of alternate comic castings has led to some stranger than-fiction-possibilities, near misses and truly heartbreaking passes. You can bet that so long as Marvel, DC, and any other comic company is keeping the pedal to the medal to make more superhero movies, there will be even more of these tales to come along in the years to come.

Remember the Divergent movies? Not only did the dystopian book adaptations bring a ton of young talent like Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Miles Teller to the big screen, it also enlisted the great talents of some established actors, especially with Kate Winslet being cast as one main Divergent villain, Jeanine Matthews. Spoiler alert: Jeanine dies in Insurgent, and as Veronica Roth revealed, one time Winslet’s son actually approached the Divergent author on the subject. 

Winslet played the corrupt leader of the Erudite faction in the first two Divergent movies who got what was coming for her in 2015’s Insurgent when Jeanine was stabbed to death. As Veronica Roth recently recalled, the plot point was the source of a hilarious encounter the bestselling author had with Winslet’s eldest son Joe. In Roth’s words: 

Joe would have been around 11 at the time of his inquiry to Roth. And hey, if you were that age watching your mom getting killed off on the set of a movie, and your mom was an Oscar-winning actress and the star of Titanic, wouldn’t you ask the same question? As Roth shared with People, she simply told Joe, who is also the son of 1917 director Sam Mendes, that she made the decision before she knew Winslet would embody the character. 

Roth also recalled her experience working with Kate Winslet, saying that it was very much a positive one, calling the actress “so friendly.” She said: 

I think it’s safe to assume that if Veronica Roth knew Kate Winslet would play her character, she might have made her the undying heroine, especially considering her incredibly positive experience working with the actress. Though Winslet must have had a blast playing Divergent’s villain as a change of pace. 

At the time, the actress said she actually took the role to be part of something that would impress her kids. At the time, her eldest daughter, Mia, was 13, and she was pregnant with her third child, Bear. Her middle child clearly got to hang out on set, and he even got some face time with the author of the Divergent books. 

While much of the Divergent cast is hard at work on other Hollywood projects these days, the franchise ended awkwardly when the fourth installment was going to be turned into a made-for-television movie before it was ultimately canceled. Divergent director Neil Burger has since told CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast in 2021 that he had doubts about the series ever concluding. You can read the full story about why we didn’t see more Divergent movies here on CinemaBlend. 

When you look at the landscape of Hollywood A-List actors, it’s hard to believe how many haven’t been nominated for an Oscar. Even crazier is looking back on previous nominees like Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman’s careers and seeing where their first brush with golden glory came from. That’s what we’re gathered together to do today, as we look back on a who’s who of acting talent, and those first projects that put them on The Academy’s map! 

Meryl Streep - The Deer Hunter

Where does one begin when talking about Meryl Streep’s own personal golden dynasty? Well, if you want to start at the beginning, you’d take it all the way back to 1978. That’s when Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter put Ms. Streep on the Academy’s radar for the first time. At the time of publication, Streep is the most nominated person at the Academy Awards, thanks to a whopping 21 nods.

Daniel Day-Lewis - My Left Foot

The year 1990 marked an important moment for iconic actor, and three-time Academy Award winner, Daniel Day-Lewis. The now-retired thespian found himself winning on his first time out, with his nomination for the role of Irish writer and painter Christy Brown in My Left Foot. His portrayal of Brown, who created art while living with Cerebral Palsy, was only the beginning of a legacy involving method acting, which led to several more nominations and wins in the process.

Amy Adams - Junebug

Let’s put aside the fact that Amy Adams and Arrival were failed by awards boards in the 2016- 2017 season. Outside of that grudge that some still hold dear, Adams has a total of six Oscar nominations to her credit. That’s pretty amazing, with the first nod coming from her performance in 2005’s Junebug. With that noted, we can go back to grousing about how she deserves to be at seven nods, thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s brain-breaking masterpiece.

Leonardo DiCaprio - What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

While Leonardo DiCaprio could finally call himself a winner as part of 2016’s Academy Award nominees, the path to that victory for The Revenant kicked off in 1994. A hot young talent, DiCaprio’s first nomination was for his role alongside Johnny Depp in the drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Turns out, when it was winning time for Leo, the answer to that question was, “A bear.”

Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

One of America’s sweethearts, Sandra Bullock can be counted as a member of the First Timer's Club. Her first nomination was also the one that won her the trophy, as the 2010 Academy Awards yielded a golden win for her role in The Blind Side. Despite the recent controversies and lawsuit from Michael Oher that have hit that film’s story about the football player and the Tuohys, this is a hard-earned win, and the first of two nominations so far for Ms. Bullock. 

Tom Hanks - Big

We all know that Tom Hanks is Academy Award-winning royalty, as America’s Dad has six nominations and two wins under his belt. Looking back at the fact that his first competition for Oscar glory came from 1988’s Big, it’s an impressive feat for happening so early in Hanks’ career as an actor. It’s even more stunning when you take into account that it was for a comedy performance, which isn’t as prevalent at the Oscars as one would hope.

Viola Davis - Doubt

Despite the title of the film she was first nominated for, there was absolutely no Doubt when it came to Viola Davis’ status as an Oscar contender. Her first round came in 2008, through that very film mentioned; and she would eventually be nominated three more times, at the time of this publication. Her first win came in 2016 after she starred with fellow Oscar titan Denzel Washington in the film adaptation of Fences. (It's also worth mentioning that this actress is also in the elite club of EGOT winners.)

Peter O’Toole - Lawrence Of Arabia

Tied with Glenn Close for the most Oscar nominations without a win, the late great Peter O’Toole banked his first Academy Awards nod with the movie you’d most expect. Thanks to the director David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, O’Toole began a dance with Academy voters that only saw him net a 2002 Honorary Academy Award. 

Jodie Foster - Taxi Driver

In the world of Disney actors turned Academy Award contenders, Jodie Foster will always be one of the most notable in that field. At the age of 15, Foster saw her first nomination through her only Best Supporting Actress nod to date. The eventual victor for films like The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie first competed for Oscar glory through the role of child prostitute Iris Steensma in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. 

Morgan Freeman - Street Smart

Even movies with Oscar buzz can become buried in the sands of time. Just ask Morgan Freeman, who first saw himself nominated at the Academy Awards in 1987 for Street Smart. A crime drama starring Christopher Reeve as an ambitious reporter profiling Freeman’s pimp character Leo “Fast Black” Smalls Jr., it’s a movie that most wouldn’t remember; especially when compared to the other films the prestigious actor would be nominated for.

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth

Playing royalty almost feels like a shortcut to winning big-time gold. However, Cate Blanchett is one of those exceptions that sets the rules. While she would later win trophies for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, Blanchett’s first bid for an Academy Award came in 1999, thanks to the titular role in director Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. 

Anthony Hopkins - The Silence Of The Lambs

Horror is one of those genres that doesn’t seem to get much love on the awards circuit. However, when the results are something as chilling as director Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, containing Anthony Hopkins’ equally unsettling performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, it’s hard not to take notice. Score another First Timer’s Club victory, as Hopkins took home the gold his first time up.

Charlize Theron - Monster

Portraying the criminal mind provides such an allure for actors and auteurs alike. A case proving that point was Charlize Theron’s portrayal of convicted killer Aileen Wuornos in Patty Jenkins’ film Monster, her first nomination out of three at the time of this writing. Theron won the Best Actress trophy on the first try in 2004, all thanks to this tale of true crime. 

Christian Bale - The Fighter

Able to disappear completely in any character he plays, Academy Award winner Christian Bale has four nominations to his name. Equally split between Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor accolades, his first roll of the dice in 2011 landed him a win in the former category; thanks to David O. Russell’s The Fighter. 

Kate Winslet - Sense And Sensibility

The works of Jane Austen are another one of those sources that seem to periodically score nominations at the Oscars. Kate Winslet’s first is part of the proof, as the first of her current total of seven Academy Award nominations (and one win) came from 1995’s Sense and Sensibility. Ms. Winslet’s heart would go on to win Best Actress…in 2009, for Stephen Daldry’s The Reader.

Denzel Washington - Cry Freedom

Let’s see if King Kong knows this piece of movie trivia. Actor Denzel Washington has had 10 Oscar nominations, with two wins coming from that pool. While most would be tempted to cite his win for Glory as the first time he was nominated, that is incorrect. Washington’s first Academy Awards ceremony happened two years earlier in 1988, for his part in the film Cry Freedom. 

Kathy Bates - Misery

Frightening characters can make for the most golden of dreams, as was proven with 1991’s Academy Awards. Kathy Bates took home her first award on her first nomination, through the role of Anne Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s Misery. A “brilliant” adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, this fan favorite is one of many that’s seen the famed horror author’s work turning in some of the most well-regarded films and performances of all time.

George Clooney - Good Night, And Good Luck/Syriana

Here’s a wild story: George Clooney’s first Oscar nominations came from not one, but two films he was involved with. 2006’s Academy Awards saw the ER veteran land and win Best Supporting Actor for his role in Syriana, while one of CinemaBlend’s 100 best movies of the 2000s, Good Night, And Good Luck., netted him a Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay nod in that same contest.

Helen Mirren - The Madness Of King George

Did you know that half of Helen Mirren’s four Oscar nominations came from playing royalty? Surely most know of Mirren’s win in 2007 as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. But, dear readers, another queen marked the start of Dame Helen’s Academy Awards history. Her Best Supporting Actress nod in 1995 for The Madness of King George would be her initial foray into this circuit, playing Queen Charlotte to Nigel Hawthorne’s titular monarch.

Judi Dench - Mrs. Brown

Dame Judi Dench is another regal figure that practically screams “Oscar” when you see her. Another member of the club of actors winning as royalty, Dench would win in 1999 for her as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love. That was only on her second try, because in 1998 Dame Judi received her first nomination, playing Queen Victoria in the film Mrs. Brown.

Dustin Hoffman - The Graduate

And here’s to you, Mr. Hoffman; Oscar came a’calling very young. At 30 years old, Dustin Hoffman saw his first Academy Award nomination through starring in 1967’s The Graduate. What may be more surprising than the actual 6-year age gap between himself and co-star Anne Bancroft is that his first Oscar win would take place 12 years later, with 1980’s Kramer vs. Kramer.

Susan Sarandon - Atlantic City

Five nominations and one win are actor Susan Sarandon’s Academy Award legacy, at the time of this writing. But her first nomination was from an Oscar-buzzed title that most folks may not remember: 1981’s Atlantic City. With nominations in “The Big Five” categories, Sarandon and the film at large walked away empty-handed that year.

Russell Crowe - The Insider

Before his name was Maximus Decimus Meridius, Russell Crowe found himself heading to the Oscars under a different moniker: Jeffrey Wigand. Nominated for the first time in 2000, Crowe’s role in Michael Mann’s whistleblower drama The Insider gave the Australian actor his first golden thrill ride. One that he’d repeat in 2001, and win for through the strength and honor of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.

Angela Bassett - What’s Love Got To Do With It

Surprisingly, Angela Bassett only received her second nomination as part of 2023's Academy Awards, thanks to Marvel Studio’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Bassett’s first nomination came from playing royalty of a different type, as her lead role in the Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It saw her walking the Oscar red carpet in 1994.

Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Count this as another shocker in Oscar nominations history: Gary Oldman only received his first Academy Awards nomination in 2012. You’d think the Bram Stoker’s Dracula actor would have had more than the three nods and one win he currently holds. However, his dreams of golden splendor only started after he played George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

Julia Roberts - Steel Magnolias

With three nominations and one win, Julia Roberts’ odds of firing you up or making you cry with her Academy Award-nominated projects are officially even. Her first time in the race came in 1990, in the dramedy classic Steel Magnolias. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, we’ll leave it to you to find out which bucket this particular nom falls into on your own time.

Al Pacino - The Godfather

Some roles are such an indelible part of an actor’s career, they just had to land an Oscar nomination for it. Al Pacino is certainly one of those cases, as he would turn his first Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Godfather into a Best Actor nod in The Godfather Part II. Both stem from his portrayal of Michael Corleone, the favorite son who descended into darkness and power.

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married

“It came true.” Those three words marked the end of Anne Hathaway’s journey to Oscar gold, with her second nomination and first win for Best Supporting Actress in Les Miserables. But the beginning of Ms. Hathaway’s Academy Awards journey was in 2009, when she was nominated for Best Actress in Rachel Getting Married. 

Matt Damon - Good Will Hunting

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both won their first Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, thanks to 1998’s Good Will Hunting. But much like other members of the First Timers Club in this list, Damon’s first victory was also his first time at the dance. How ‘bout dem apples indeed.

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone

The second time was the charm for Jennifer Lawrence, as her role in Silver Linings Playbook made her a winner in 2013. That wasn’t too long after her initial foray into Oscar victory, which came in 2011 thanks to her lead role in the neo-noir gem Winter’s Bone. Who’d expect any less from the eventual "girl on fire" that would lead The Hunger Games to box office domination?

Ben Affleck - Good Will Hunting

Sailing on the same current as his writing partner and longtime buddy Matt Damon, Ben Affleck’s first Oscar nomination came from his co-authoring of Good Will Hunting. And to think, if Damon and Affleck’s hijinks involving the script hadn’t worked, we may never have seen either contributor go on to the storied careers they enjoy today.

Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction

Fans of Samuel L. Jackson are about to engage in some harsh language, as the current MCU star only has one Academy Award nomination. While it’s rightful for his Best Supporting Actor-worthy role in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, the man’s gone on to deliver several other powerhouse performances worth at least a nod or two. This is something that not even the tastiest beverage could wash away.

As an actor, you never know where that first win or nomination is going to come from. And when you're an A-lister as iconic as the people we've just discussed, those initial impressions are all the more interesting to look at as time goes on. Who knows where these blockbuster draws will find their next brush with golden glory, and how it will compare to these humble beginnings? 

Legendary filmmaker James Cameron has a number of wildly impressive accomplishments on his resume. He created some of the industry’s greatest modern science-fiction movies, from The Terminator and its sequel to The Abyss and Aliens. From a box office perspective, Cameron remains king. The director currently has three of the top four highest grossing movies of all time in Titanic and his two Avatar movies. That stat might only increase once Avatar 3 arrives in theaters… providing it arrives in theaters on time. But there’s an element of Cameron’s work that I think gets overlooked sometimes, and I was happy to bring it up with Titanic and Avatar: The Way of Water star Kate Winslet during a recent conversation. 

When you survey James Cameron’s filmography, you will notice that he writes exquisite female characters, and often makes female leads the heroes of his films. This includes Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, extends to Linda Hamilton in the Terminator films, as well as Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) and Winslet herself. Because Winslet was given the opportunity to once again play a strong, female warrior in Avatar: The Way of Water, I asked her about Cameron’s penchant for writing powerful women into his scripts, and what that means to her. And she told CinemaBlend: 

Watching Avatar: The Way of Water, it’s hard not to get swept up in the incredible story of Zoe Saldana’s Neytiri, and the fight she wages to protect her children from invaders. This even led to the character having beef with Spider, a child she once thought of as her own who turned his back on the family unit… creating all sorts of headaches. We have to assume that emotional conflict will be explored in Avatar 3. 

Kate Winslet is no stranger to playing powerful women on screen. Her performance in HBO’s Mare of Easttown inspired her co-star Evan Peters as he prepared to play Jeffrey Dahmer. Off screen, she also has a blast poking fun at Tom Cruise for beating his box office records, and inspiring young female journalists to break into the industry by answering their toughest questions. Honestly, we’d follow Winslet anywhere. And by all accounts, that path will lead us to a third Avatar movie, one of the many Upcoming 2024 Movie Releases we have on our radar. 

Kate Winslet and Evan Peters made the perfect pair as two detectives investigating a murder after they were cast in HBO’s limited series Mare of Easttown. Peters has been a notable actor for a while now, lending his talents to various American Horror Story characters and a host of other roles. However, Winslet is a legend, and one of the most successful actresses working today. The Dahmer actor seemed to forge a good relationship with his co-star. And during a chat, he opened up about working with the "fucking incredible" Winslet on the mystery series, revealing what he learned from her that he could apply to his Netflix show.

Evan Peters was recently interviewed by THR  as part of its Drama Actor Roundtable discussion, which included other notable names like Jeff Bridges and Pedro Pascal. He was asked if there's anything specific he’s learned due to taking on wicked characters during his career. In response, Peters gushed about his Mare of Easttown co-star and specifically explained how she conducted herself on set:

On-set attitudes often have an impact from the top down so, if the main star is treating everyone with love and respect, it’s likely to have a chain reaction. The X-Men alum seems to have witnessed the benevolence that Kate Winslet led with on set and sought to model it for himself. Shortly after the limited series debuted, Peters was number one on the call sheet on the Netflix series Dahmer, so that experience came at the right time. All in all, he seems to have learned from Winslet just how important it is to be a positive leader and role model while working.

The firm chemistry between Evan Peters and Kate Winslet was definitely apparent on screen. While Mare of Easttown has incredibly dark themes, the two actors shared some tender moments that were very well acted. At first, their characters acted as foils for each other, though they developed a stronger bond as the show went on. I’m sure the positive on-set culture created by Winslet helped make this character dynamic as strong as it possibly could be for audiences. 

The Pose alum deserves just as much credit for his acting as his Oscar-winning colleague does. His performance alongside won him an Emmy, and his turn as Jeffrey Dahmer has been strongly praised as well. That latter role earned the AHS alum a Golden Globe Award and made him a likely Emmy contender this year. The actor has surely developed into a gifted performer, and he could get even better if he continues to take positive cues from additional actors.

Fans can check out both Evan Peters and Kate Winslet’s award-winning performances in Mare of Easttown, which is streaming now for Max subscribers. Those who want to check out Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story can grab a Netflix subscription and stream it. And for info on upcoming premieres, consult our 2023 TV schedule.