Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio: EW's Exclusive Reunion Q&A!

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Did either of you hear from James Cameron when it was announced you'd be starring together in another movie?

LEONARDO DICAPRIO: Did you?

KATE WINSLET: No. Did you?

DICAPRIO: No. But I don't think there's any real reason for him to call us about that.

WINSLET: No, not necessarily. [Pauses] There really isn't any residual weirdness. MakingTitanic was very, very hard, and Jim Cameron is an absolute visionary. Because there was a lot of press around the experience of makingTitanic, it's been very hard for us to talk objectively about it.

DICAPRIO: Because anything that's said feeds into the ''Ooh, the controversy surrounding that movie!'' I think we have nothing but respect for Jim when we look back at that experience. And it was tough for us to get our heads around. Jim had to be a certain type of director to make that film work. He literally had to command an army of people every single day.

WINSLET: And now that I'm married to a director I absolutely can understand the frustration that if you spent years of your life planning something and somebody shows up to work that day and they're simply not doing their job, my good God, I can understand how disappointing that would be.

DICAPRIO: [Laughs]

WINSLET: No, I just think it is important to stress that I didn't walk away from Titanic and think, I'm never speaking to Jim Cameron again. Anyways, that just seemed like a good opportunity for a statement I never get a chance to particularly say.

There are countless examples of how sudden fame can permanently destroy a young person in Hollywood, and yet somehow the two of you emerged intact.

WINSLET: I look back on that time now and I remember thinking, ''I'm doing okay, I'm absolutely fine. My life hasn't changed. I won't let it! I can just walk to the grocery store and buy milk in my pajamas still. Ahhhh, right, no, I can't. I have no idea what the hell is going on or how I'm supposed to deal with suddenly having 10 paparazzi there. Oh, okay, ohhhh, I get it. Anonymity, that's gone.'' I look back and think, ''Jesus, I was seriously ill-equipped emotionally to be able to cope with all of that stuff.''

Is there any way for a young person to equip oneself for fame?

WINSLET: No, I don't think so.

DICAPRIO: No.

WINSLET: But it did affect my choices as an actress, definitely. In a good way. It really made me sit and think, ''Okay, you know what? Don't worry about the fact that there's 10 paparazzi outside the door, don't worry about the fact that people may be expecting completely different things from you right now just because you're suddenly so famous. This doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of what you love about your job.'' So in a way, Titanic has played a very big part in being able to hang on to a sense of who I am, because I felt that I had to fight for it then at a very young age.

DICAPRIO: Honestly, it was so bizarre. I just didn't work for a couple years. I think I did one small cameo? [Looking at Kate]

WINSLET: You did [Woody Allen's] Celebrity.

DICAPRIO: Then I did Man in the Iron Mask, but that was before Titanic had been released. I think?

WINSLET: Yes, you did Man in the Iron Mask and then you did Celebrity.

DICAPRIO: Thank you, Kate! [Laughing] I think it's hilarious that I need to ask her.

WINSLET: May I? [Reaching over and rubbing her finger over DiCaprio's nose] You've scratched the top of your nose! Oh, no, we're literally doing everything we said we wouldn't do.

DICAPRIO: I know, this is a little too cute. It's like out of one of those —

WINSLET: Don't say it!

DICAPRIO: — one of those scenes from When Harry Met Sally... with the old couples. ''And I met her in the park in 1992! And she was...'' ''Eating a hot dog!'' ''And I was scratching my butt!''

WINSLET: Oh, my God, and look at me fussing over your face. I've literally turned into a combination of your mother, your sister, and, I don't know what, your wife!

DICAPRIO: By the way, I really hate talking about post-Titanic because it always sounds to me in print like I'm complaining when I have nothing to complain about. That movie gave both of us tremendous opportunities for what we wanted to do as actors.

Kate, it's refreshing to meet an actress who's comfortable admitting, ''Hell yeah, I'd like an Oscar!'' Do you feel the same way, Leo? [Kate lays her head on the sofa and peers up at him.]

DICAPRIO: What's wrong with you?

WINSLET: I just want to know what you have to say. [Leans into him with a grin]

DICAPRIO: I'm going to be very honest.

WINSLET: I'm just being curious!

DICAPRIO: Listen, I think Kate has been nominated a lot. I think I would probably be somewhat frustrated if I were her, too. [Laughs]

WINSLET: Looooooo-ser!

DICAPRIO: No, no, I'm not saying you're frustrated, no. But come on, the girl has been nominated a lot. I mean, what's that figure that she's going to be the most nominated actress without winning?

WINSLET: [Fake grimaces] Most nominated loser.

Hey, you've been nominated a few times yourself. Do you cop to wanting an Oscar?

DICAPRIO: I don't want to jump into the whole cliché about the honor of being nominated, I'm not going there, even though that's the truth. I don't know how to answer — I feel like some people are titled as Oscar-hungry and I would not say that I'm hungry for one. It's not something I've got to have in my life.

Posted in: hollywood actress