For many families, gathering to watch “The Holiday,” the beloved romantic comedy featuring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, has become an annual tradition during Christmas. Despite its popularity, Winslet revealed that her own family does not partake in this yearly viewing. “No, we haven’t seen The Holiday for years,” she stated, stressing, “We don’t sit down and watch films I’m in. I barely do.”
The actress, who has had a prolific career, admitted, “Almost everything I’ve been in I’ve only seen once. When you watch the finished product, for most actors, that’s an excruciating experience.” Winslet’s candor comes as she discusses her first Christmas film in nearly two decades, “Goodbye June,” which is set to debut on Netflix on Christmas Eve.
“Goodbye June,” written by her son Joe Anders, was inspired by the passing of Winslet’s mother, Sally, from ovarian cancer in 2017. The film portrays siblings striving to set aside their differences to honor their mother’s life while she receives palliative care during the Christmas season. “It’s not actually a film about dying,” Winslet clarified. “It’s a film about living more than anything. People have been finding it very, very uplifting.”
In addition to starring alongside acclaimed actors such as Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough, and Stephen Merchant, this project marks Winslet’s directorial debut. She had contemplated directing for a decade and felt the time was right, now that her children are older. “Now is a time when I’ve felt that my children are grown up enough that I can be that little more absent,” Winslet explained. “I just don’t think I would have honestly had the time before now.”
Addressing the challenges female filmmakers face, Winslet expressed her determination to break stereotypes. “There is a thing with female filmmakers… there’s a strange almost judgey thing,” she noted. “But I’ve been in front of cameras for 33 years… I do really feel at this time in my life I have learnt everything.” Winslet highlighted the disparity in representation, noting that in the UK box office’s top 100 films last year, only 16 were directed or co-directed by women.
Admiring the work of directors like Jocelyn Moorehouse, Winslet hopes her foray into directing will inspire young women in the industry. She remarked, “If there is more of us doing it then hopefully more will follow…”
In addition to her directorial ambitions, Winslet’s children have also chosen paths in the film industry, but they are making a conscious effort to establish their individual identities without relying on their mother’s name. Winslet expressed her discontent with the term “nepo baby,” emphasizing that her children are not simply benefiting from her fame. “They are not getting a leg up,” she asserted. Winslet explained that her son Joe is keen on ensuring that their work stands on its own merits without the overshadowing pressure of family associations.
“Follow your heart,” she advises her children, recognizing their passions for creative expressions. “There are lots of people whose children go into a similar family business… it doesn’t surprise me at all that my children wanted to do something creative.”
“Goodbye June” will be available in cinemas and streaming on Netflix from Christmas Eve, while “The Holiday” is accessible on BBC iPlayer, allowing viewers to enjoy the festive spirit of both films this holiday season.
