Kate Winslet Talks Drama 'Ammonite' at HIFF

Kate Winslet doesn’t mind Zoom interviews. In the COVID-confined world of movie promotion, she’s in Philadelphia working on an HBO series while her Ammonite screens as an official selection in this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival.

Instead of in-person sit down interviews, stars are cyber chatting. Winslet’s interview began streaming Friday. “The Zoom thing is working for me,” she told Variety’s Jenelle Riley. “It’s just wonderful actually, and I prefer longer conversations.” Regular red carpet and junket interviews are “quite frantic.” In Ammonite, she stars opposite Saoirse Ronan. It’s the first time the two have worked together. Winslet is a fan. “Every time Saoirse is in a film, I race to see it, because she’s so original. She can blush on cue which is almost impossible to do.” There’s a lot of opportunity for blushing in this dramatic lesbian love story. Winslet is a scientist who digs bones and Ronan. “We planned the emotional beats and the love story,” Winslet admits. “We’d help each other out and give each other ideas and it’s lovely as actors when you can do that.”

Other admissions in the half hour conversation: “Actors can be pretty odd and I’m sure I’m odd too.” Of her work in the next two Avatar movies: “It was all filmed over a year ago. Most of my work is either in or under water. I had to learn to free dive.” Of her post-Titanic fame: “I honestly didn’t cope very well. I didn’t like being so famous so suddenly.” She seems to be coping just fine these days.