Five Reasons To Celebrate Kate Winslet's 40th Birthday

Kate Winslet turns 40 today! In honor of the brainy and talented actress’s birthday, we’ve decided to round up our five favorite moments from her life and career, from her personal stance on body positivity, to her Academy Award nominated roles. Cheers, Kate! 

1) Juliet Hulme in Heavenly Creatures

If you’re telling me your nascent baby lesbian 16 year old self didn’t fantasize about running away to a dissociative episode disguised as a beautiful magical world with Winslet’s Juliet Hulme, I will call you a liar. Because that’s what you are. I know that wasn’t just me.

2) Flipping the script on the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Clementine Kruczynski has all the superficial hallmarks of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl—ever changing neon hair, spontaneous urges to make snow angels, etc.—but as the movie progresses, a solid script and Winslet’s thrilling performance give the character the depth she deserves. 

3) She stands up against animal cruelty.

The graphic (no, really, it’s very graphic) video above depicts undercover footage of ducks and geese enduring torture during foie gras production. Guess who teamed up with PETA to narrate the film? Yep, that’s right. The caring and kind Kate Winslet. 

4) She knows all bodies are great bodies, including her own.

When Britain’s GQ magazine ran a cover photo of Kate that looked like a freshman graphic design student went a little too hard on the Photoshop after three too many PBRs, the actress came out with the following statement: “So I just came out and said 'Look, I don't look like that'. I'm not mad at the magazine, but I have no intention of looking like that.” She’s continued the fight, and has since won two libel suits, one against Grazia who claimed she visited a diet doctor, and the other against The Daily Mail after they printed that she’d lied about her exercise regimen. 

5) Young Iris Murdoch in Iris

Winslet’s portrayal of the young, bisexual writer, Iris Murdoch, earned her a third Academy Award nomination. Winslet was nominated alongside Judi Dench, who played the writer in her later years. Judi Dench and Kate Winslet in the same movie playing the same character? Yes, please!

Tell us your favorite Kate Winslet moments, or which films you’ll be watching to celebrate her birthday in the comments below!

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