Kate Winslet says confidence 'gets better with age' and reveals 'best advice' she's ever received from another woman

Kate Winslet has reflected on the lessons she's learnt and she believes 'we become more accepting of who we are' as we grow older

Kate Winslet attends the 2024 Women In Film Annual Gala at The Beverly Hilton on October 24, 2024
(Image credit: Photo by Robin L Marshall/WireImage via Getty)

Kate Winslet believes that confidence "gets better with age" and recently shared the "best advice" she’s ever received from another woman - and it was delivered by Emma Thompson.

Confidence can often be a challenging subject and throughout our lives many of us might find ourselves wondering how to be confident again after a set-back or feeling like it’s difficult to be confident in ourselves at all times. However, Kate Winslet thinks that confidence - like so many other things - gets better with age and recently shared how she feels so much more "grounded" in herself now. The star opened up in an insightful video with Harper’s Bazaar UK and expressed how as we get older, she feels we become "accepting of ourselves" as we learn valuable lessons.

"The thing I’ve learnt about confidence is that it also gets better with age. I think as we get older we become more accepting of who we are and how our bodies and our faces change and how we learn from the lessons of life," Kate declared. "We have to become more accepting of ourselves and of other people."

Kate Winslet on her style, career and confidence learnings: Life Lessons | Bazaar UK - YouTube Kate Winslet on her style, career and confidence learnings: Life Lessons | Bazaar UK - YouTube
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As she’s grown older herself, Kate believes that patience is also something she’s "learnt", sharing that "all of those things make me feel more confident in who I am, more grounded."

It’s not the only thing that she has learnt as she has grown older, though, as the Titanic star reflected upon the valuable lesson she’s learnt about friendship - and it seems her confidence and self-assurance is very much recognised by her friends. So much so, that she believes that they consider her to be a brilliant person to call in a crisis.

Kate said, "I have learnt that friendship matters a lot and that it’s ok not to have a tonne of friends, just that small handful of very special people who know you like the back of their hand. And friendships among women I find as they evolve over time *really* matter because you really do prop each other up."

Kate Winslet attends the gala screening of "Lee" at Ritz Cinemas on October 20, 2024 in Sydney

(Image credit: Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage via Getty)

"I think my friends would describe me as the person you can call in a crisis and then they’ll probably then say and I will always know exactly what to do. Which is probably true," she added.

Her friends no doubt give her great advice in return and the "best" piece of guidance she’s "ever received from another woman" was from fellow actor Emma Thompson, who she worked with on the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility. Although Kate Winslet didn’t reveal exactly when the advice was given, she explained that she had been "younger" and it has stuck with her ever since.

"The best piece of life advice I think I’ve ever received from another woman was probably from Emma Thompson when I was younger," Kate said. "And she said to me, "Listen, babe, just remember, it’s really important to do good work, but it’s also really important not to work." And I’ve never forgotten that."

Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson with their awards at the BAFTA after-party at Grosvenor House in London, 21st April 1996

(Image credit: Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Emma Thompson’s advice to Kate early on has clearly been taken on board by the incredibly successful star as her career continues to go from strength to strength. The two stars have a close bond and Kate went into more detail about Emma’s advice during a conversation with moderator Josh Horowitz at The 92nd Street Y Center for Culture & Arts in New York City in September. As per People, she disclosed, "She has a groundedness and a clarity of perception about the industry as a whole. She was quite, sort of, protective of me."

Discussing Emma’s advice Kate shared how she knew she didn’t want her job as an actor to "run out" and that she worried that people would "get sick" of her and argue, "Well, not her anymore, and let’s move on to somebody else.’"

"I do remember me taking it very seriously, what Emma had said and acting on it. And still acting on it actually," she concluded.

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Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!