Sunday, June 22, 2008

Kate Winslet Finally Becomes Gloria Stuart

Well, not really. But this new photo from The Reader (thanks to George for the Discover Kate tip) reminds us that Kate has already won two Oscar nominations for roles in which another actress played her in old age: Gloria Stuart in Titanic and Judi Dench in Iris.

Kate as Hanna Schmitz, former concentration camp guard

Now that she's finally handling the senior citizen part of the character equation as well, can an actual Oscar be far behind for the double duty (not to mention a make up effects nomination)? And if The Reader is really opening on December 12th after all, that makes two big period dramas based on famous novels starring Kate Winslet arriving as Christmas gifts. There's also Revolutionary Road (December 26th). We 're totally behind the notion that Kate is a gift but one wishes they would spread out her greatness a little.

23 comments:

Hayden said...

In some "old Kate" pics she looks exactly like Christopher Walken.

J.D. said...

If it comes to fruition, it shall be a most magical Christmas. And depressing, probably.

Anonymous said...

Definitely Oscar material. Whenever a beautiful actress uglies up for a part, it's pretty much a guaranteed win. I'm not quite sure why.

NATHANIEL R said...

I believe, Liz, that they call it for "bravery" (hee. because obviously the most horrible thing that could ever happen to a woman is that she be less than gorgeous!) and thus respect it.

Anonymous said...

i still feel the reader will be moved to 2009.

if it is released kate is a shoo in for the win don't put all your eggs i nemryls basket.

Anonymous said...

that should've been meryls basket.

Michael Parsons said...

I am still thinking "The Reader" could be pushed to 2009. Also revolutionary road has a very late release date. Getting it in last minute to make a bit stir, hype it up, get everyone to love it before they realize it is actually is not that great?

Rizz said...

I think the reader will get shifted its just too close to revolutionary road...won't that hurt kate's chances?

Anonymous said...

I don't know much about the Revolutionary Road source material, but the book The Reader is tops. It's sexy, it's literate, it's profound -- and it's a story set in Germany in the years right after the Holocaust. Kate's part is the best in the book, and it's unlike anything I've seen her act before. I think Oscar'll bite, whether it lands in 2008 or 2009.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the novel. It'll take you two hours.

Glenn said...

Clearly if Kate has both films in play then one will be supporting and the other lead. It's just how that stuff works.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Sometimes I wish they would make a movie about an actress who makes a list and hits all the Academy's cliches for rewarding a human being. And not have it end up as a TV movie.

Emma said...

Amazingly good transformation.

The Pretentious Know it All said...

I hate that whole "playing ugly=bravery" thing. Like when "Being John Malkovich" came out and people talked about how "brave" Cameron Diaz was. Pfft. Speaking of which, I'd love to see Anna Faris do a full on Cameron Diaz biopic. But that's a whole different topic...

And Winslet does in fact look like Christopher Walken, as Hayden put it. I hope this movie is pushed back to 2009 though. It looks to be a lead, but they'll but her in supporting (because of Revolutionary Road) which I hate. I have a feeling when Kate finally wins her Oscar, it'll be like when Helen Mirren won--Great actress. Mixed feelings about the film that got her the award...
I think this will probably be the year of Meryl anyway and I kind of can't wait.

NATHANIEL R said...

or maybe we'll get the year of MERYL (lead) and KATE (support) and then we can finally put both long waits to bed.

then we'll just see what can be done about those 80s long-wait leftovers (pfeiffer, close, weaver) and the 90s hangers-on (allen) who've all been waiting too long.

of course not everyone ends up a winner before they die. Not everyone can be as talented an movie star as Jennifer Hudson or Helen Hunt!

Anonymous said...

Meryl doesn't need or deserve another Oscar. There I said it. Two is enough for anyone, I don't care if she won both at the start of her career. A third now would just be, well, boring.

Kate all the way this year for me. I'm not normally for the double dips - and with all the recent ones I always would've nominated one performance and not the other: Moore for The Hours not Far From Heaven; Foxx for Collateral not Ray; Blanchett for I'm Not There not Elizabeth 2; glad that Meryl and Kate didn't double-dip in '02 and '04 respectively - but with Kate this year, I kind of want her to get both nominations. Only to see her tally reach 7 aged 33. That would just be immense.

Anonymous said...

Double nominations time! Go Kate! Make it happen. Love the photos.

Anonymous said...

i think all this it's meryl's oscar is premature remember this time last year we all said it was cate b's year,look how that turned out.

it is never ver safe to pick a frontrunner i feel,better wait till we see the film.

NATHANIEL R said...

mrripley --who you talkin about "we" ---;)

i never thought Cate Blanchett was going to win for Elizabeth 2

Anonymous said...

"Not everyone can be as talented an movie star as Jennifer Hudson or Helen Hunt!"

That's just sad, isn't it... I mean, how many interchangeable starlets have won this thing whereas absolute movie stars (Pfeiffer, Moore, Winslet, Close, Weaver, Allen, Bassett, Kerr, Stanwyck, Dunne, Bening) who deliver great work every time they're on the screen just can't seem to catch a break. But despite these flaws, I used to worship the oscars...until Crash came along. Since then, I'm absolutely pissed at every bad decision the academy has made.

J.D. said...

I know I did, pretty much up until September. But then again, I saw Elizabeth for the first time in April, and with it that fresh in my mind, I was being insanely fanboyish and it was clouding my judgment.

I'm sorry, everyone. :(

adam k. said...

I'm all for Kate getting double-nommed this year, if it's at all arguable that The Reader is a supporting role. I always figured she'd win for RR (the multiple press hooks just seemed too good to be true) but maybe it'll become a "reward her year" sort of thing, and they'll pivot to The Reader in order to clear the way for Meryl. Especially if RR disappoints, even a little... it has big big expectations to live up to.

Anonymous said...

I think Meryl should win a 3rd Oscar sometime, indeed she should. To think that the select group of 3-or-more-times Oscar-winning-actors is a club that even Meryl Streep has yet to be invited to join, makes me desperately want to see her win again. I sure hope both Meryl and Kate win Oscars this year. That would be just great!

Anonymous said...

double nominations and double oscars. ftw!