Kate Winslet has slammed claims her love scene with Saoirse Ronan in their upcoming movie is any way “controversial”.
The actresses both star in a new period drama called Ammonite, where they play star-crossed lovers Mary Anning and Charlotte Murchison.
The film has hit headlines over the past few months, as its set to feature an intimate scene between Kate and Saoirse.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 45-year-old shut down suggestions the scene is “controversial”, as love scenes between same-sex couples should be normalised in this day and age.
Kate said: “Why can’t they just be called passionate scenes, rather than ‘lesbian or gay’? We wouldn’t say the ‘heterosexual romance’ Titanic!”
Speaking about filming the love scene with Saoirse, the actress explained that it was written in detail by filmmaker Francis Lee.
Kate said: “Saoirse and I would talk about it beforehand, and go: ‘How the hell are we going to film that?!'”
In the end, the actresses decided to choreograph the scene themselves.
“We discussed the beats of the scene with Francis, but Saoirse and I decided everything else,” she revealed.
“It was very clear to me that they were quite capable of passionate moments — and Saoirse and I both wanted to embody that. And for me, at the age I am now, that felt quite good, actually!”
“I remember saying: ‘Here I am, doing nudity at 43 (the age I was then). How is this possible?!’ I swear, I thought I was going to hang up my hat when it came to nudity on screen.”
“But I was surprised at how I felt. I felt quite good about it, really. I’ve got all my marks, and scars, and I’m older. It’s a different body than the one I had 20 years ago.”
“There was something wonderful about having that shared, equal language with another woman,” she added.
