Kate Winslet
by Roxanna Bina
IFQ sits down with Kate Winslet as she discusses corruption, politics and Louisiana’s charm.
IFQ: Since All the King’s Men is about corruption, what corrupts our souls? Are you easy to corrupt?
Kate Winslet: Well, I’m not easy to corrupt! The soul is weak, all in all. We have a weak side in all of us and it’s easy for people to find out what it is and tap into it
IFQ: It seems like most of the corrupted world is in politics? How come?
KW: I don’t know, but it’s true. In this case, it’s the story of a man who really had a conviction and his ideas were extraordinary and he really wanted to fight for the poor. He might have gotten lost on the way. He was a dream politician and someone we would have all voted for, but he failed. I guess it doesn’t work that way in politics – maybe because there are lots
of people involved who change things and who change you.
IFQ: Do you see any political parallels between this film, which is a period piece, and today’s world?
KW: For sure, there are political parallels with what we go through today. It’s a drama and it has so many things, but for
me, they are fighting for their right to be and for the dreams they have and how they are achieving that at any price. I think
it shows that in life you have to go for it. You can’t give up and you need to keep dreaming in order to get to your reality, in order to find yourself.
IFQ: Was there a particular challenge for you while shooting this film?
KW: For an English actress to play a woman from the South took some magic, accent wise, and I worked very hard with my acting coach. Beyond the challenge, it was such a wonderful collaborative experience and we all were so supportive of each other. We had such a great time in Louisiana and New Orleans with my family and kids, but there were lots of dinner parties in wonderful bars and restaurants. It was such a charming and haunting place at the same time. For me, I really felt like I had won the
lottery and it was an opportunity I would not have missed for anything. The whole experience was wonderful and it was so stimulating to face the intense and amazing actors.