It was once revealed that Kate Winslet nearly drowned while filming the movie Titanic, and as ironic as it may sound, it is true! The 1997 film, directed by James Cameron, became one of the best rom-coms ending on a tragic note. Everyone fell in love with the on-screen chemistry of Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
The movie is based on the real-life sinking of the grand ship, which was the biggest ocean-liner during its time of service, of the same name as the film. While the roles played by Kate and Leo (Rose and Jack) are fictional, it is said that James modelled Kate’s character after a real person.
Even though it was the ship and Jack who drowned at the end of the film, it was actually Kate Winslet who met with an accident while filming Titanic. As reported by Los Angeles Times in 1997, Winslet nearly drowned while shooting the scene where Rose and Jack are trapped by a closed gate when a huge wave pursues them.
According to the report, Kate Winslet talked about the incident she faced while filming Titanic and said, “I chipped a small bone in my elbow. And at one point I had deep bruises all over my arms. I looked like a battered wife.” Kate was wearing a long, heavy-coated which stuck to the gate, submerging her into the water.
“I had to sort of shimmy out of the coat to get free,” Winslet said. “I had no breath left. I thought I’d burst. And Jim said, ‘Ok, let’s go again.’ That was his attitude. I didn’t want to be a wimp, so I didn’t complain,” she added.
It was also reported that James Cameron had no idea about that and only 10 minutes after that happened, did the Titanic director figure out that Kate Winslet was shaken.
