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Post your opinions about the news, upcoming films at the forum hosted by Janalynn:

Kate: "I don't pretend things aren't happening and I don't sweep them under the carpet. I am a very up-front, hands-on individual ... I had such a great upbringing, in the sense that I was taught how to find the good things and that it is crucial in life to surround yourself with good friends and people whom you trust and you really love. Knowing that makes me strong and makes me a good mother."

Sam Mendes on his relationship with Kate: "I'm very content, and therefore it's nice to be able to say, 'Yes, it’s true'... All I ever cared about was that people knew this started after she and Jim split up. That's all I’ve been concerned about. The rest of it is just a straightforward relationship."

Sam's father: "I hope Kate is the one. By the tone of his voice I think she could well be... I feel very good about his new relationship. He is very happy and I am happy as well." 

BBC News has added a poll to its recent story, 'Race on for Xmas Number One': Who should be the UK's Christmas Number One? Vote!!

Vote for Kate in the Hello! magazine Most Attractive Woman (of the week) poll!

Vote in the Empire Awards!

Dec 1: Zeusefer's Weekly Oscar Prediction Charts have been updated. Remember, these charts are for fun -- "The predictions are based on buzz on casting, character & film as well as on reviews."

The home page has a pic of Kate in Iris, along with this news:

Dethrones her "Iris" co-star Judi Dench's "Shipping News" performance from #1 and takes over as the new frontrunner on the Best Supporting Actress chart.

Best Supporting Actress:

Dench's Iris role almost definitely to be campaigned as lead but it is arguably supporting; then, that could diminish her leading chances to the point where she may not be a double nominee after all. With the possibility of Dench losing her double nominee status increased, Winslet takes over supporting top spot.

1 Kate Winslet, Iris ('win possible, nom certain')

2 Judi Dench, The Shipping News ('win possible, nom certain')

3 Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind ('win and nom possible')

4 Maggie Smith, Gosford Park ('win not possible, nom possible')

5 Marisa Tomei, In the Bedroom ('win not possible, nom certain')

Best Actress:

1 Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom

2 Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Gray

3 Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge

4 Judi Dench, Iris

5 Audrey Tautou, Amelie

17 Kate Winslet, Iris

Jim Broadbent is at #1 on the Best Supporting Actor chart.

Richard Eyre is at #15 on the Best Director chart and at #7, along with Charles Wood, on the Best Adapted Screenplay chart.

IRIS is at #11 on the Best Picture chart.

BTW - A number of insiders are predicting that IRIS will be one of the best films of the year pics (10 films are chosen) by the National Board of Review. That list is due out around Dec 5.

Nov 30: I have added screen captures of lovely Kate to the page containing the interview she gave to E! News Daily, broadcast last night. GO!

Nov 30: Another review of What If?

By Jeff Magill

And so the battle for the Christmas Number One slot commences. Here Hollywood starlet Kate Winslet sings the theme from the new animated Christmas Carol: The Movie, in which she voices one of the characters.

In truth, this is one of the strongest contenders of the Chrimbo Number One, having a little more oomph than fellow actress Nicole Kidman's duet with Robbie WIlliams.

The song is appropriately touching and Christmassy, if a little sickening, and Kate proves to have a rather beautiful singing voice.

If you need an extra reason to buy this particular single then it might come in handy to know that Kate is donating the proceeds of the single to the NSPCC Full Stop campaign and the Sargent Cancer Care for Children charity. Cheesy? Yes, but then what isn't at this time of year?

Source: Newsletter

Nov 30: Nice review of the Christmas Carol soundtrack cd:

Julian Nott (Wallace And Gromit) and Steve Mac's soundtrack to the UIP's animated interpretation of Dickens' tale combines haunting new compositions with vital and stirring recordings of well established festive pieces. Most notably, Kate Winslet, who plays Scrooge's jilted fianceé, Belle, more than proves herself as a singer with her powerful performance on the track, What If. Charlotte Church And The Monks of Glenstal Abbey breathe life into Quis Est Deus, while Charlotte returns later to take centre stage for the suitably poignant It's The Heart That Matters Most. In the midst of this, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra provide the film's musical backbone with a bed of character themes for Marley, Scrooge and even Dickens himself (played in-the-flesh by Simon Callow in the live action part of the flick).

Source: Yahoo! Music

The cd will be released on December 3rd and can be ordered from amazon.co.uk and hmv.co.uk.

Nov 30: Will Kate attend the IRIS premiere in NY Sunday night? BBC News has an article about the film and mentions the premiere, commenting that Judi Dench will attend, Kate is expected to attend. Read the article on the IRIS Features Page. BTW - My contact at Miramax Films informed me that the premiere is 'pretty small and closed to the general public'.

Nov 30: Vote for Kate in the Empire Awards!

Forget the Oscars! The only film awards that are of the slightest relevance to the movers and shakers of the film world are the annual Empire Awards. Why? Because they're voted for by you, the paying punters. So whether you think that Moulin Rouge, Crouching Tiger or Pearl Harbor were the cinematic experiences of the year there's only one way to have your say and that's by voting here. And if shaping the trophy-holding destinies of the rich and famous weren't enough of a draw, we'll be pulling one entry out of the bag (virtual or real) to join the Empire team and the stars at the awards ceremony on 5 February 2002.

If you need a reminder of the pick of the bunch this year, visit THIS PAGE. 

All votes must be in by 15 January 2002. VOTE!!

Quills is listed in their 'select a film' section:

Director: Philip Kaufman
Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Caine
The Pitch -- A great cast (Michael Caine, Kate Winslet and, standout, Geoffrey Rush) play the Marquis De Sade for Gothic horror. Funny, dark, a class act.
The Pearl -- The necrophilia dream sequence. Honest.

Thanks to Michael for the tip!

Nov 30: This Is London's Hot Music column features What If? and confirms the record 'will definitely make the top 10':

Kate's Singing Set For Top 10

By Richard Simpson

Kate Winslet's first foray into the album charts is set to take off and is a likely to be a huge Christmas hit.

This is one of the striking publicity shots released by her label EMI to go with the soundtrack to her new film, A Christmas Carol.

Winslet's first single from the album is giving the likes of SClub7, Geri Halliwell and Hear'Say a run for their money in the UK singles chart today; early figures show What If will definitely make the top 10.

In the movie Winslet plays the voice of Belle, a woman once rejected by Scrooge, who dedicates her life to those in need. Joining her are Hollywood star Nicolas Cage (Jacob Marley), Simon Callow (Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles Dickens), Jane Horrocks (ghost of Christmas past), Sir Michael Gambon (ghost of Christmas present), Rhys Ifans (Bob Cratchit) and Juliet Stevenson (Mrs Cratchit).

The soundtrack for the film is released by EMI on Monday and the film is out on 7 December.

Nov 30: Femail has an article about starting a new relationship soon after ending an old one. They use Kate, of course, as an example. The article is posted on the New Love page. Excerpts:

Can you fall in love too fast?
So Kate Winslet is in love again. Less than three months after splitting from her husband, she's fallen head over heels with the Oscar-winning film director, Sam Mendes. To many of us, starting a new relationship can seem like the best way to get over an old one but what are the dangers of falling in love so soon after a major break-up? Is it natural and healthy or a quick-fix solution, destined for disaster?

...Not all experts agree that falling for someone straight after a break-up is necessarily a dangerous thing. Counsellor Mo Shapiro says: 'So-called rebound relationships get a lot of bad press but I think the attitude that they're always risky is an insulting one. Sometimes you have to trust your emotions. You can meet Mr Right straightaway, it does happen, and actually your subconscious can be very good at learning from the past and helping you go out and find exactly the sort of man you need.'

Nov 30: Ah, Cindy Adams... Another 'gossip' columnist who doesn't have her facts straight:

Kate Winslet. Caught the eye and ear of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Having heard her sing, he's thinking of throwing her into the "Phantom of the Opera" lead.

Meanwhile, I hear when she departed that old English pump house she shared with newly temporary former husband, director Jim Threapleton, she took off in such a hustle that the floor stayed strewn with Gucci, Pucci, Fiorucci. Official movers recently went in to collect the remains of her belongings. The Oscar-winning actress is now dating the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes. His family says they should marry. My family says she should first divorce. At any rate, Kate is now on to bigger and better directors.

I must have missed the Oscar ceremony when she collected her well-deserved trophy. LOL. Don't you just love it when one gossip monger picks up bits and pieces from other gossip mongers? Just keep publishing it, and people will believe it.

Nov 30: Have you spotted these 'blunders'?

Titanic (Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet, 1997) is another major disaster movie in more than one way. When the liner is sinking, take a look at the hole through which the water is pouring, you can see part of the set and huge bucket which is tipping the water.

Then as people are hurling themselves into the lifeboats, one man is wearing a digital watch. As Jack and Rose run through the inside of the ship you can blatantly see cameras and crew.

Throughout the whole of the movie - even though the Titanic spent its time in or under the Atlantic, you can see the outline of hills in the background, and at one point, when the lovers are on the bow of the ship, there is a glimpse of desert behind them.

Source: Western Daily Press

Nov 29: Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey has some nice things to say about Kate:

Seamus is also extremely fond of Kate Winslet, the 26-year-old Titanic star, who he worked with on the Mick Jagger-produced film Enigma.

"Again she's somebody who's very down to earth. When we shot her in Enigma she was actually five months' pregnant. As the shoot went on we started getting closer and closer. She said to me 'I must get pregnant more often in these films because I have never had so many close-ups in my life'. So we shot all the wide shots at the start of the film. Funny, at the end of the film, she was actually required by the plot to be pregnant but she wasn't pregnant enough for it to register properly. So they gave her a big false tummy.

"We were filming in Trafalgar Square and the paparazzi were out. She was really only five months' pregnant but she looked full term. And they went mad taking all these shots of her - to show how big she was!"

Source: Newsletter

Nov 29: Tonight's E! News Daily included a brief, recent interview with Kate about IRIS. I usually watch the program, but thanks to Morgan's tip, I was prepared with video tape loaded and remote in hand. I'll work on getting captures up. Go HERE to read the transcript of the segment:

Nov 29: Enigma opens April 19. Check out the new website from Manhattan Pictures Int'l (currently just one page, under construction).

Nov 29: There's a new pic of Kate (apparently taken in LA earlier this month when she met with the members of HFPA) in the December 1 issue of Heat magazine. As soon as that issue is available here, I'll post a better scan, along with the article. (Image from ebay)

Nov 29: George has sent me info from the German record charts, indicating that What If? debuted at #22.

Nov 29: Is Kate Britain's answer to Julia Roberts?

Who Are Britain's Most Bankable Stars?

In terms of box office appeal, Winslet is Britain's answer to Julia Roberts. The Titanic star is said to earn £2m per movie and likes to intersperse big Hollywood projects with more modest homegrown films. She will appear next year as the young Iris Murdoch in Iris, a biopic about the novelist before co-starring with Kevin Spacey in The Life Of David Gale, a prison drama directed by Alan Parker.
Pulling power: Currently box office gold and rarely out of the gossip columns - a publicist's dream.

Kate is the only female on the list rated so highly.

Nov 29: A columnist for the Evening Standard has come up with a theory for the motive behind the letter Kate's attorney sent to newspapers about the Mirror claiming their story was an 'exclusive':

The letter to newspapers on Monday from Kate Winslet denying that she had given an interview to the Daily Mirror last week was strange - even by the standards set these days by controlling celebs and their increasingly sinister pufflicity agents. What can explain it? Of course, there was a principle involved: papers that tag as 'exclusive' quotes they got from a press conference are naff.

But there's another explanation. La Winslet was to appear in an 'exclusive' magazine interview about her love life.

Nov 29: Meanwhile, OK! magazine has been fined for misleading readers about Madonna's wedding:

OK! magazine has been left £5,000 out of pocket after being successfully prosecuted by Trading Standards for a "misleading" cover of a glossy photo supplement on Madonna's wedding. "The cover of the magazine stated it was a wedding souvenir special with 45 pages of pictures and listed the beautiful dress and romantic ceremony, whereas the magazine contained no pictures of the dress or the ceremony," said the prosecutor, Stephen Moorhouse...

The case forces into the spotlight exaggerated claims made in cover lines by magazines and newspapers desperate to lure readers with scoops.

Earlier this month Kate Winslet complained the Mirror had labelled a report on her as "exclusive" even though she said she had spoken at a press conference.

Nov 29: As many of us Titaniacs predicted, Harry Potter is no longer seen as a threat to Titanic's box office status:

'Potter' may not be hot enough to sink 'Titanic'
By Scott Bowles, USA Today
Can a film that brings in $57 million in its second weekend be a disappointment? If you're talking about knocking off the all-time box office champ, perhaps. Make no mistake: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a juggernaut, destined to break more than a dozen box office records and become the benchmark of franchise films. But some industry analysts are expressing some surprise that the film's grosses dropped 36 percent from opening weekend and say its best hope is to become the No. 2 all-time moneymaker.
"The drop-off was pretty considerable, given that this is a family movie and the past weekend fell on a family holiday," says Robert Bucksbaum of the box office tracking firm Reel Source. "Still, when you make $90 million your first weekend, there's only one way to go: down."
Potter, which has already grossed $187 million, still appears destined to become the top-grossing film of the year, supplanting Shrek, the current leader at $267 million...

Titanic's opening weekend of $28.6 million was paltry, but it held the No. 1 spot for a staggering 15 weeks.

"When you talk about any movie making more than $400 million, you're talking about one thing: competition," Bucksbaum says. "The reason Titanic made so much money is because it didn't have any real competition for four months. If it had opened this summer, it wouldn't have made $300 million." [Do you agree with that opinion?]

Nov 29: This Is London takes a look at the contenders for the post of Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse theatre that Sam Mendes will leave at the end of next year. Therese Raquin director David Leveaux is one of their candidates:

David Leveaux is also a contender - a real proponent of international theatre and a proven, well-regarded director of a wide range of drama. One of three associate directors at the Donmar. His international perspective would make him well-suited to the Donmar or the Almeida; he is currently pencilled in to direct his first film, Therese Raquin, starring Kate Winslet.

Nov 29: Two of Kate's costars enjoyed pranks on the set of The Shipping News. [No, this story isn't Kate-related, but it's fun]:

Perhaps the best joke played involved an old feud between Dame Judi and fellow British thesp Tim Piggott-Smith. It transpires that the pair have been hiding a black glove on each other's film or theatre sets for many years - with points awarded for the more creative locations. When Dench's co-star Spacey discovered this he sent for the glove...and waited.

Four weeks later when Dench shot a scene involving her peeing over her dead brother's ashes (don't ask), Spacey hid himself under the outhouse with the glove on a stick, waiting until Dench had hiked up her skirts before pouncing. 'I felt something tickling my bottom,' Dench tells this months' Premiere magazine, 'Kevin says I jumped into the air screaming. It took me quite a long time to recover and it will take even longer to plan the proper revenge.'

Well, Judi could always conspire with Kate, who has been working with Kevin, LOL.

Nov 28: The Express confirms that Kate is:

Set To Sink Rival Geri's Hopes:

By Mark Jagasia

Pop prima donna Geri Halliwell is facing the prospect of seeing her latest single lose out to her new top 10 rival - Kate Winslet. The Titanic star is set to make her chart debut on Sunday and is being widely tipped to enter the charts above the former Spice Girl. The single, What If, marks Kate's first foray into the pop world with a track from an animated version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Her success will be a bitter blow to Geri, 29, who released her new song, Calling, on Monday and describes it as the "best thing" she has ever done. But the experts disagree. "To be frank it's something of a departure, " says Emma Jones, editor of pop bible Smash Hits. "In fact it's hairdresser music. Kate Winslet has the added benefit of being a Hollywood star and appealing to a massive market. Perhaps Geri should amalgamate her careers, she was always banging on about being an actress, so if she goes to Hollywood as well maybe that will help her."

Kate's bid to be a pop star was boosted when the producers of her latest film hired producer and songwriter Steve Mac to pen a sure-fire hit. Mac has had seven number one singles in the UK charts in the past 18 months and has helped engineer hits for the likes of Mariah Carey, Five, Westlife and Boyzone.

"It seems to be the fashion at the moment getting actresses to sing," says Ms Jones. "And there are a lot of these novelty style singles around at Christmas. I think Geri knew this wouldn't do well - she's always stayed true to her pop roots unlike the other Spices but this is a ballad which won't appeal to her younger fans.".

And it's not just Geri who should be worried. Popstar band Hear'Say's hugely anticipated first single from their new album is also heading for a relatively lowly chart placing, according to the secret industry data.

Nov 28: I have added to the IRIS Features page an article from Talk Magazine. Thanks to 'joliefemme'!

[Excerpt] Eyre’s film is built on the cornerstones of four performances. As the young Iris, Kate Winslet is slightly hampered by the conventionality of her good looks, but the seriousness and steadiness of her gaze effectively suggest the dawning amplitude of the Murdoch imagination. Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent portray Bayley quite seamlessly (their stutters must have been calibrated by stopwatch); much more is asked of Broadbent, of course, and it is duly given. As for Judi Dench, as the mature Iris: She is transcendent. I knew Iris; I have respectfully kissed that cunning, bashful, secretive smile. It is as if Dame Judi and Dame Iris were always on a metaphysical collision course. Her performance has the rarest quality known to any art - that of apparent inevitability.

Nov 28: Thanks to Ruth of Discover Kate for passing along the link to a German music site that she stumbled across. They have a video interview with Kate about What If? (Windows Media Player), done on the day of the music video shoot, as well as lovely wallpaper -- links are posted on my What If? page.

Nov 28: Thanks to Dakota for the news that Titanic will again be broadcast on network TV in December:

Sunday, Dec 16, 09:00P NBC -- Titanic, Part 1

Monday, Dec 17, 09:00P -- Part 2
Director James Cameron's Oscar-winning epic centering on a pair of young lovers aboard the doomed 1912 luxury liner. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart.

USA, 1997, (CC), Video, SS, In Stereo

Nov 28: The folks at the Mirror continue their war against celebrity 'control':

Nov 27: I have been advised by Ruby at Miramax Films that a clip of Judi Dench in IRIS is now online. No Kate, but go HERE to view (Quicktime 5).

Nov 27: Ananova Entertainment News reports that Kate's single What If? is currently at #7:

A newcomer is set to pip a string of top names to number one with a song which started a record label bidding war. Sales show Daniel Bedingfield, 21, is expected to oust S Club 7 and stop Hear'Say from notching up a third chart-topper.

Kate Winslet - who was initially being tipped as a possible Christmas number one with What If - is at only number seven in midweek chart predictions.

Bedingfield's track Gotta Get Thru This was championed on the Ayia Napa club scene during the summer and record labels were blown away by the track. Madonna's company Maverick was among those chasing the star and he is said to have been offered a duet with her if he signed with them. The singer, who also writes and produces, recorded the track in his bedroom with a computer and a microphone.

Geri Halliwell's new single Calling is expected to be a new entry in this weekend's chart at number eight, according to early sales figures for the Official UK Chart.

Hear'Say, whose first single Pure And Simple sold more than half a million copies in one day, are at number four after one day's sales but they are expected to have shifted up a place by Sunday when the chart is published.

Hey, only Number Seven is great! I'm delighted for the charities that will benefit!

Nov 27: Kate holds at #2 on Zeusefer's Weekly Oscar Prediction Charts. (This chart is usually updated on Friday, but the update was delayed due to the holiday weekend. Thanks to George for the news the update had been made.) Again, "The predictions are based on buzz on casting, character & film as well as on reviews".

Best Supporting Actress:

1 Judi Dench, The Shipping News

2 Kate Winslet, Iris

3 Marisa Tomei, In The Bedroom

4 Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind

5 Maggie Smith, Gosford Park

[BTW - Judi's and Kate's names are coded 'win and nom certain'. Well, they both can't win in the same category. Perhaps they were meant to be coded 'win possible, nom certain'. This list matches many other pundits' lists; I hope it comes true!]

Best Actress: Judi is at #2 for Iris ('win possible, nom certain'); Kate is at #18.

Best Supporting Actor: Jim Broadbent is at #1.

Richard Eyre is at #12 for Best Director and at #4, along with Charles Wood, for Best Adapted Screenplay.

IRIS is at #11 for Best Picture.

I picked up on something in the Mirror editor's 'piece' (posted earlier today). He wrote, "Ms Winslet spoke to a number of journalists from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in the presidential suite of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles at 11am on Sunday, November 18." The members of the HFPA choose the nominees (and winners) of the Golden Globes. It's great that Kate's people lined up the interview to promote IRIS. Let's hope she receives a nomination from that group, as their choices so strongly influence the Academy (they shouldn't, but they do). BTW - The nominations for the Golden Globes are scheduled to be announced Dec 20.

Nov 27: Yahoo! Music reports on the current batch of releases:

Geri Halliwell's hopes that her new single would give her a fifth No. 1 look dashed, according to early indications. After first day sales, it looks like her lush ballad, Calling, will miss out on the Top 5 altogether, despite being released on two CDs. Speaking recently, the Ginger one admitted that Calling was her best release yet and hoped it would make up for the disappointing chart performance of her last single, Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, which also failed to crack the Top 5. However, Geri's not the only chart-topper to be licking their wounds this week. Hear'Say look set to see their brief run of No. 1 hits come to an abrupt end, as their new single, Everybody, is currently trailing behind dance act PPK, S Club 7 and garage newcomer Daniel Bedingfield. Elsewhere, Kate Winslet looks like she'll be enjoying a Top 10 place with her debut single, What If? but it's bad news for Macy Gray's Sexual Revolution, which looks set to miss out on the Top 40.

Nov 27: Kate is again the cover girl for Hello! magazine:

Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes

Confirm That They Are Dating And She Says: 'I Love Sam' [The Mirror claims she said that to a 'friend'.]

Kate Winslet is possessed of honesty, charm and an effortless ability to combine star potential with ordinariness. But there is no mistaking the steely determination underneath. For someone who recently proclaimed: "I believe in aggressively pursuing roles I want," she appears to be equally single minded in her private life.
Ever since the announcement that she and her husband Jim Threapleton were calling it a day, Jim has been unable to shake off the look of devastation that such news inevitably brings. Kate, however, seemed like a woman reborn, looking more and more ravishing with each new day.
Now, the 26-year-old actress has joyously declared her love for another man - not just any man but a film director, like her husband Jim. But whereas Jim was a third assistant director - only marginally better than being the teaboy - Sam Mendes, 36, is an Oscar-winner. He is also the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London and is currently filming Steven Spielberg's The Road To Perdition in LA.
To read Kate's full and frank interview see this week's HELLO! magazine, on sale now.

Notice the word 'exclusive' on the cover. Hmm, I wonder if Kate gave Hello! an exclusive interview. LOL.

Nov 27: The Mirror showbiz editor's tirade against Kate (see item immediately below) has been noted by others, including the Guardian:

Mirror Turns On Winslet

By Jessica Hodgson

Again, the Mirror editor's defense, IMHO, doesn't hold water. Note that he pointed (in the next article) to the questions, "Would you mind commenting on true love in regards to your character and also to you personally?" and "What is it that bonds a couple?" Pretty general questions that were not specifically about the break-up of her marriage.

Go HERE for an image of the Mirror story.

Nov 27 (Early am update): The folks at the Mirror certainly are upset over the letter Kate's attorney sent them ('calling them' on their lie about her recent interview being an 'exclusive' for them only, among other things). A Mirror editor claims the interview was an exclusive because no other 'British tabloid' was there. Now, that's twisting things around, LOL. Actually, this guy's rant isn't funny [me thinks he's burning some bridges]:

KATE WINSLET DISAPPEARS UP HER A***

By Kevin O'Sullivan, Showbusiness Editor

NEWSFLASH -- LATEST CELEBRITY OUTRAGE

We're sorry as long as it shuts her up

PS. YOUR CHRISTMAS SINGLE IS RUBBISH

Hollywood legend-in-her-increasingly-large-vanity-mirror Kate Winslet has demanded that The Mirror says sorry for an outrageous slur on her character. In a furious legal letter the once media-friendly, charming actress insists we issue a grovelling apology to her for the following disgusting allegations:

1. That she actually gave us an "interview".

2. That it was "exclusive".

3. That it took place in the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles on Monday, November 19.

4. That she spoke about her marriage break up from Jim Threapleton.

Ms Winslet declares this is all rubbish. The Mirror has fully investigated this matter and concluded that she's quite right to be so upset.

FACT ONE: Ms Winslet spoke to a number of journalists from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in the presidential suite of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles at 11am on Sunday, November 18.

FACT TWO: She spoke to them for ONE HOUR.

FACT THREE: One of those journalists was Mirror writer John Hiscock.

FACT FOUR: Every word we published is on John's tape. [Yeah, but how did your reporter 'interpret' her words?]

FACT FIVE: It was "exclusive" in the sense that no other British tabloid newspaper was there, or had access to it. [Get real!]

FACT SIX: The "interview" contained a liberal sprinkling of remarks about her private life - which, thanks to Ms Winslet herself, is very well known to the public as she has rarely resisted the chance to talk about it in magazine "interviews". [Actually, I suspect she has just been nice in answering questions asked of her.]

- ONE question for example asks: "I wonder if the change in your personal life has had any affect on you?"

Ms Winslet then invades her own privacy [but that's her choice] by banging on about how much she loves her baby Mia etc etc etc. The same baby Mia that was "controversially" in the hotel room with her and her new lover Sam Mendes last week.

- ANOTHER asks: "Would you mind commenting on true love in regards to your character and also to you personally?"

To which her lengthy reply starts: "OK, tricky question. Well yes, you know, I still absolutely believe in true love..." etc etc etc.

- AND yet another asks: "What is it that bonds a couple?" [A general question, not specifically about her own marriage, is it?]

She replies: "I think a marriage is about a meeting of minds and souls and hoping it's going to work together. And, you know, life is life and sometimes it just doesn't happen and it's a shame."

CONCLUSION: We owe Ms Winslet a number of heartfelt apologies:

1. It was utterly disgraceful of us to suggest this "interview" happened on a Monday when quite clearly it happened on the Sunday. [Yes, the Mirror got that wrong, too, but I don't think that was the point of her letter.] Though with the time difference it was of course about 9pm-ish our time so it did nearly stray into Monday.

2. It was a revolting smear to say it was an "exclusive interview". Well, it was true actually [not!], but we're happy to apologise if it shuts her up.

3. We were totally outrageous to suggest she discussed her marriage break-up. In fact, as the transcript shows, she talked about ... well, how she feels about being on her own since her marriage break-up. [That's different than claiming she talked about the reason for her marriage break-up!]

4. Oh, sod it. SORRY KATE, WE'RE SO UNBELIEVABLY BLOODY SORRY. OH GOD, WE'RE INCREDIBLY, EMBARRASSINGLY, SICKENINGLY SORRY. (That you have become such a shocking piece of work)

Personally, I feel that if celebrities don't continue (and Kate doesn't start) calling these tabloids on the way they 'report' on events and take remarks out of context, the rags will just continue getting away with it. They're the pieces of work! BTW, Mr. O'Sullivan, an 'excusive' means for your publication only.

Think about how a respectable publication would have addressed the letter from Kate's attorney. They would probably indicate they had investigated the incident, spoken with the reporter, listened to the tape, and reached some conclusions (perhaps acknowledging some wrongdoing, perhaps defending their story). To 'rant' as Mr. O'Sullivan has, though, just shows what type of person he is (childish) and explains much of what we read in publications such as the Mirror. Well, there's no doubt now that the Mirror will continue taking Jim's side and bashing Kate. [Come on, Kate, give one of the Mirror's competitors an 'exclusive'.]

Nov 27: IRIS will be released in Italy in March:

ROME -- Milan-based rights trader Mediafilm, a long-established buyer of nontheatrical product for Italy, will launch its own distrib unit, Mediafilm Cinema, in 2002...

Mediafilm's first release will be Peter Hyams' "D'Artagnan," starring Tim Roth, Mena Suvari, Justin Chambers and Catherine Deneuve, which will open on 200 prints in February. After that, company will release Richard Eyre's "Iris," starring Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Kate Winslet, in March to capitalize on possible Oscar attention.

Source: Variety

Nov 26 (Afternoon Update): It looks as though Jim is under 'surveillance' from the folks at the Mirror:

Surveillance -- Jim Threapleton gabbing away on his mobile while wandering down Wardour Street, London.

Nov 26: Sarah Left reports on 'Singing Thespians' in today's Guardian:

Kate Winslet has today released her first single. Read our guide to the best sites on actors who sing.

Read the rest of the article.

Nov 26: Film critic Todd McCarthy feels Christmas Carol: The Movie is 'slow going for any viewer over 12':

The instructive story of the old miser Scrooge is retold in perfunctory fashion in this mundanely animated version of Dickens' familiar Christmas fable. British kidpic boasts a fine lineup of vocal thesps, but even their energy can't overcome the bland character drawing and cutesy mouse-capades that make this umpteenth rendition slow going for any viewer over 12. Due for U.K. release Nov. 30, pic is marketable to family auds, but theatrical results look to be unremarkable, with a bigger upside in store on video and home screens.

Framed by live-action material of Dickens (Simon Callow) reading his 1843 classic in a packed Boston theater, pic takes a slightly more psychological approach than usual to Scrooge's bitterness, tending to the reasons he became so hardened to human suffering and filling in the backstory of his long-ago engagement to Belle. But character animation is dully inexpressive, and two obnoxious mute mice do more scampering and gesticulating than Harpo Marx did in his entire career. Production was truly a global affair, with various pieces having been animated in Germany, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Poland, Spain and Estonia, among other spots.

Nov 26 (Morning Update): What If? video online! (See links at top of page.) Thanks to Andy of EMI for sending the links to Admiring Kate. Andy also emailed me the press release for the recording, a synopsis of the film, track listing for the soundtrack cd. Thanks, Andy!

Nov 26: Dot Music also has links to the video for What If? posted today:

Winslet's Titanic Battle

Internationally renowned actress Kate Winslet takes her first steps into the pop world this Christmas and you can see and hear the results exclusively now on dotmusic.

Winslet is the voice of Belle in the animated movie adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol', which is out in the UK in December. However, Winslet also took the opportunity to make her vocal debut, recording 'What If', her debut single, which is well-placed to be the Christmas Number One.

Record company bosses were apparently so impressed with her singing in the film that they asked her to approve the commercial release of the track. Winslet agreed, after striking a deal over the proceeds of the track, which will go to the NSPCC and Sargeant Cancer Care for Children.

'Somethin' Stupid', the duet between Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman is currently the favourite for the festive Number One, while Winslet has dropped back to 33-1.

'What If' was released today. Click to watch the video in full.

Nov 26: Claudi posted this message on the forum:

Kate is second highest new entry in German charts this week with "What if" on position 27!

More on the release of What If?

Winslet Releases 'Christmas Carol' Single

LONDON (Reuters) - British actress Kate Winslet turned to a tender song for her first single Monday, choosing a song from a new animated version of A Christmas Carol. What If, from the soundtrack of the reworking of the Charles Dickens classic, was written and produced by Steve Mac who Winslet's agent said was behind seven Number One UK singles in the past 18 months.

In Christmas Carol -- The Movie, Winslet, 26, is the voice of Belle, a strong and determined woman rejected by Scrooge, who dedicates her life to those in need. Nicholas Cage stars as Marley's Ghost and Simon Callow plays Scrooge. Jane Horrocks is the voice of the Ghost of Christmas past and Michael Gambon is the Ghost of Christmas present.

Winslet has recently separated from her movie director husband Jim Threapleton after a brief marriage. The star of Titanic is now seeing Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes of American Beauty fame. Winslet, now filming Alan Parker's The Life of David Gale, said: 'I still absolutely believe in true love' just three months after her marriage split shocked the show business world. Mendes, Hollywood's new golden boy after the success of American Beauty, insists he is no marriage wrecker.

Actress Kate Winslet has released her debut single in a bid for the UK's Christmas number one spot - and her main rival is another Hollywood actress.

Winslet had been favourite to be number one on Christmas Day - but Nicole Kidman's duet with Robbie Williams has overtaken her in the race for the prestigious position.

Winslet's spokesman Robert Garlock said: "She just wanted to be a part of the project and it turned out well. So if some charities could get some money out of it, she was happy to help out." The NSPCC and Sargeant Cancer Care for Children will benefit from money raised by the single.

It has recently been confirmed that the actress is having a relationship with American Beauty director Sam Mendes after her marriage to assistant film director Jim Threapleton broke down earlier this year.

In Christmas Carol: The Movie, an animated version of the classic Dickens story, Winslet will provide the voice of Scrooge's ex-fiancée, Belle.

Quality -- Winslet impressed many with the quality of her singing voice in 1995's Sense and Sensibility.

Source: BBC News

Nov 26: Here's the item we discussed yesterday on the forum. It was published today in the Guardian:

Winslet Denies Mirror Exclusive
By Jessica Hodgson
Kate Winslet has issued an unprecedented letter to newspapers through her solicitors, denying she gave an interview, "exclusive or otherwise", to the Mirror.

In an unusually controlling move, the star of Titanic and Hideous Kinky has issued a statement through her lawyer, Keith Schilling.

Winslet, whose affair with the American Beauty director Sam Mendes recently became public, denied she had spoken about the break-up of her marriage.

"My client attended a press conference in LA relating to the film Iris at which a number of journalists attended," said Mr Schilling. He said she did not "talk frankly about the reasons behind the break-up [of her marriage]" to John Hiscock or anyone else as is claimed in the Mirror of Tuesday.

Articles by the freelancer Hiscock appeared in both the Mirror and the Daily Telegraph. Both detail Winslet's approach to marriage following her split from director Jim Threapleton, the father of her daughter, Mia.

In both she speaks of her belief in "true love" and that marriage should be "a meeting of two minds and two souls". But Winslet seems to have objected to the Mirror's use of the word "exclusive" on the piece.

Celebrities have become increasingly controlling in their approach to newspaper interviews, with many demanding and receiving copy approval as a matter of course. But this bid to control the paper's editorial approach to an interview by a freelance is unusual.

Nov 26: Dominic Monihan picked up this quote from Sam's recent interview for the Bizarre column in The Sun:

Director Sam Mendes is glad his romance with Kate Winslet is out in the open. He said: "It's great no longer having to pretend it’s not happening."

Nov 26: Nice words about IRIS:

Here's a movie that sounds utterly tedious. It's a study of two pensioners, one of whom gets Alzheimer's and then dies.

But Iris is as poignant a film as I've ever seen. I caught a preview the other day, before it opens in January. The film is based on John Bayley's two books about his late wife, Iris Murdoch, and her descent into the hell of Alzheimer's.

Judi Dench plays Murdoch and Jim Broadbent Bayley. There are flashbacks, too, of the young Iris (Kate Winslet) and John (Hugh Bonneville). All four act quite wonderfully.

Iris is directed by Sir Richard Eyre. The former artistic director of the National is best known for his theatre work, but I've always rated his movies, especially The Plougman's Lunch and the TV film Tumbledown. Eyre was drawn to Iris as his own mother died of Alzheimer's.

Bayley has seen the film and is very pleased with it, particularly with Dench. "Yet I felt quite detached seeing myself portrayed on screen," he told me. Watching yourself as an elderly bumbler is probably hard to take.

Bayley is the sort of chap who likes to please everybody. When the third installment of his biography, The Widower's House, came out earlier this year, his description of two female admirers, Mella and Margot, became a cause celebre. He later confessed they were figments of his imagination.

Nov 26: No surprise - NW magazine (Australia) features the news about the Kate/Sam romance on the front cover of the current issue ('Kate Falls For Playboy'):

Meet Kate Winslet's new man - they fell for each other weeks after announcing her marriage split.

Nov 26: Listings: Look Ahead -- The top arts events of the coming months

Christmas Carol: The Movie

Animated reworking of the Dickens classic, with Simon Callow providing the voice of Scrooge and Kate Winslet as Belle, as well as the voices of Nicolas Cage, Sir Michael Gambon and Jane Horrocks to name a few. From Dec 7

Nov 25: More kudos to Allan are in order for scanning the items from the current issue of OK! magazine for us! They're posted on separate pages -- Rumors of a Romance and What If.

Nov 25: Special thanks to Allan for scanning this item for Admiring Kate! It's from the Express magazine supplement (I love the pic!):

Nov 25: The Sunday Mirror has come up with another attention-grabbing headline, and other news publications have picked up on the story:

Mendes Told: Marry Kate!

The father of film director Sam Mendes has urged him to marry new love Kate Winslet. Peter Mendes says if his son feels Kate is "the one", he should waste no time in getting spliced.

Sam, who won a Best Director Oscar for American Beauty, has previously spoken of his fear of marriage. His misgivings follow his parents' divorce when he was five.

But his 62-year-old father, a retired college professor, has advised him to forget about his worries. He told the Sunday Mirror: "I feel very good about his new relationship. He is very happy and I am happy as well. I haven't met Kate yet but I'm sure I will eventually."

Sam and Kate met soon after she split from her husband Jim Threapleton, an assistant film director. The couple, who have a one-year-old daughter Mia, are now divorcing.

Source: Sky News/Yahoo! News

The Sunday Mail also picked up the story.

The Sunday Mirror article, containing more remarks from Sam's father, is posted on the New Love page.

Nov 25: Christmas Carol: The Movie will play at the Cinemagic festival in Belfast:

Stars of the screen will soon flock to Belfast for Cinemagic, the largest young person's film festival in the British Isles. The festival, which begins on Thursday and runs until December 9, allows young film fans to take part in events and workshops and see exclusive screenings of some of the latest movies.

All screenings will take place at W5 and Warner Village Cinemas, a 12 screen state-of-the-art facility in the city's Odyssey centre.

Over 70 screenings from more than 18 countries, post-screening discussions, competitions and an intensive and imaginative programme of masterclasses, workshops and satellite events, form be part of the programme.

Special guests include television presenters Dermot O'Leary and Amanda Byram, actors Ian Hart - who can currently be seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Aidan Gillen and Adrian Dunbar.

The festival, the twelfth organised from Belfast, will open with the Irish premiere of Christmas Carol: The Movie, featuring the voices of Kate Winslet, Jane Horrocks and Nicholas Cage.

Another highlight is The Princess Diaries, a smash US box office hit about a shy San Francisco teenager who discovers she is a real-life princess.

Young film fans will also get sneak previews of Christmas television treats and there will also be a series of satellite events in Downpatrick at St Patrick's Centre and in London's Ritzy Cinema.

More information on all events is available in the Cinemagic programme or from the Cinemagic box office hotline on Belfast 230606.

Source: The Sunday Mirror

Nov 25: Kate's 'look' is being analyzed as a mirror to her personality:

Fashion: If Looks Could Talk -- Kate Winslet

Hair -- Kate, everyone's favourite superstar, has thrown an adoring nation some curve balls in the last few months, what with the marriage split and the new singing career. But the fact that when she puts her hair in a ponytail, some bits fall out and look a little messy, reminds us she's normal underneath.

Sunglasses -- Opaque black shades are for those who really want privacy - unlike the Meg Mathews-types who tend to favour diamante-studded, ever-so-slightly tinted shades for maximum exposure.

Bag -- None of that mini-tote nonsense - this is a serious, mum-size bag.

Boots -- Cosy and sexy at the same time, these are perfect for Kate's girl-next-door sex appeal.

Source: The Guardian

Nov 25 (Early am update): Sam speaks a bit more about Kate in an interview with Matt Wolf that is featured in the Times' Culture Magazine:

Cover Story -- Sam Mendes Interview: It's Sam's Grand Glam

Sam Mendes found himself all over the papers thanks to his new relationship with Kate Winslet, but the big news is that he's leaving the Donmar. He tells Matt Wolf about both...

Read Sam's remarks on the New Love page.

Nov 25: The Sunday Mail picked up on the news that Kate decided not to appear at the Donmar next fall, and came up with an attention-grabbing headline (rolls eyes):

Kate Snubs Roles From New Lover

Titanic star Kate Winslet has turned down two plum stage roles offered to her by new boyfriend Sam Mendes.

The award-winning director and Kate got together after they met to discuss her playing Viola in his stage production of Twelfth Night and Sonya in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya.

But although she fell for the man, his charm failed to persuade her to take the roles.

American Beauty director Mendes said: "The reason I offered her the parts is that she's a fantastic actress, but she has a movie to do."

The productions are set to be staged at one of London's trendiest theatres, the Donmar Warehouse, where Mendes, 35, has been the artistic director for a decade.

Nov 25: David Ansen, film critic for Newsweek, feels Kate's name may be on the list of award nominees for her performance in IRIS:

Best Supporting Actress
The buzzmeisters have been in overdrive about Jennifer Connelly's performance opposite Russell Crowe in "A Beautiful Mind." There seems to be some debate, however, as to whether it's a lead or a supporting turn. The same question may apply to Dame Judi Dench, who plays the ailing novelist Iris Murdoch in "Iris." Yes, the movie's named after her, but the character is played by Kate Winslet as a younger woman, and Dench only appears in the last part. Never bet against Dame Judi. And throw Winslet's name into the hopper, too.
A few other names are being floated: Cameron Diaz as one of Tom Cruise's lovers in "Vanilla Sky" and Marisa Tomei (a previous winner) as a grieving girlfriend in "In the Bedroom" seem the most plausible at this point. Maggie Smith in either "Gosford Park" or "Harry Potter"? Fionnula Flanagan, the housekeeper in "The Others"? Either Angelica Huston or Gwyneth Paltrow in "The Royal Tennenbaums"?
One deserving candidate who doesn’t have a prayer is Sondra Oh as a stripper/poet in the little-seen "Dancing at the Blue Iguana." Even more obscure, but utterly wonderful, was the former chanteuse Patachou in the charming French road movie "The Adventures of Felix." I would also like to personally nominate Macy Gray for her hair-raising cameo as a junkie in "Training Day." She’s probably not on view for much more than a minute, but boy does she pop off the screen.
For a clearer picture of all this, talk to me in a month. By then I'll know everything.

A couple of other filmlovers had this reaction to Ansen's column:

"The only place Ansen really errs is in thinking that Judi Dench could be considered supporting in Iris. That's probably because he hasn't seen the film. Iris follows the last year or so in the life of Iris Murdoch, with flashbacks to her earlier life. It is not a straight narrative. Kate Winslet is featured in the flashbacks. Word is that the film belongs to Dench, who is one of only two serious contenders for best actress. The other is, of course, Sissy Spacek." ~~ 'Big Magilla'

"As for the article, I agree with Magilla, the oddity is his downgrading Dench to supporting actress, something I'd gleaned from no other source. (It's odd, too, that in the same breath, he says Broadbent could be leading -- aren't their scenes together?) Perhaps Iris resembles Shine, where, in terms of screen-time, Rush had a borderline supporting role -- but took over the film in the last reels and thus left the bigger lasting impression. ~~ 'Mister Tee'

From the Nov 22 issue of OK! magazine:

Get The Look

Christian Dior fan Kate Winslet always looks made up to perfection. Here’s how to create her English rose look with a helping hand from one of her favourite make-up brands...

Lips -- To get Kate's full and rose-pink lips, emphasize your lip line with Diorific Lip Liner in Graphic Pink, £16, before adding some Rouge Dior Addict Colourplay Lipstick in Rose Perspective, £13.

Eyes -- Here's how Kate’s eyes have a fabulous, subtle golden glow. Emphasize your eyes with Christian Dior Eyeliner Pencil in Deep Brown, £10, before applying Mascara Parfaith Thickening Lashcare with Cashmere, £14. Finish off the look with Solo Dior Single Eyeshadow in Golden Brown, £13.

Cheeks -- Kate's skin is fairly pale but she always opts for a pink, rosy glow on her cheeks. Recreate her natural, wind-swept look with Christian Dior Effets Blush Powder Blush Trio in Rosewood Tones, £22.

Face It -- For a subtle make-up look that leaves your sking crystal clear, try Christian Dior Teint Soft Sensation - Natural Matte Foundation, £21.50. Cover up dark circles with Anticerne Diorlift Smoothing Anti-Fatigue Concealer, £15.

Weekly Winslet Index