2009 Feb 19

Kate Winslet’s Oscar’s nerves

With just days to go until Oscar night, Hollywood A-lister Kate Winslet’s mum Sally has told the Evening Post her girl is nervous.

Kate, who is yet to scoop an Oscar despite being nominated six times, is hoping to land the award for Best Leading Actress for her performance in The Reader at the ceremony on Sunday.

Mrs Winslet and her husband Roger – Kate’s dad – told the Evening Post they will be heading from their home in West Reading to LA for the glitzy ceremony.

Mrs Winslet said: “I would really like her to win. Her voters might take into consideration her performance in Revolutionary Road, which she was not nominated for.”

She added Kate sometimes thought being a Brit might work against her at award ceremonies but after a flurry of awards at the beginning of the year they all hoped her time had finally come to win that elusive Oscar.

Mrs Winslet revealed they were looking forward to staying at the luxurious Bel Air Hotel – and being given the ‘Oscar’ beauty treatments all guests are given free, including hair, make-up, pedicure and manicure.

But she said she was not going to wear too fancy a frock, despite the night being the highlight of Hollywood’s calendar.

“I’ll probably just wear a long skirt and top,” she admitted.

“We’re staying on in America for a week so I do not want too much to carry. And I wouldn’t feel comfortable in a fancy dress.

“But I will borrow some jewellery – that’s what everyone does.”

The couple have been to the Oscars before – in 1995 when Kate was nominated for Best Supporting actress in Sense and Sensibility.

Mrs Winslet said it was fun but that although everyone was pictured at lots of after-show parties, often the big stars just posed outside and never actually went in.

She said: “And LA shuts down at 10pm. The parties finish and everyone goes home to bed. It’s not like over here.

“We are so proud of Kate,” she continued, explaining her other daughters Anna and Beth and son Joss will be staying at home in Reading for the ceremony.

Kate, who grew up in Reading, recently received two Golden Globes for her performances in The Reader and Revolutionary Road.

She also received a Bafta for her performance in The Reader.

“Kate was so nervous at the Baftas,” Mrs Winslet said. “She was shaking and I asked her if she was cold. She said, ‘No. I’m nervous’.”

Talking about Kate’s recent Golden Globe three-minute, four-second acceptance speech – including five “my Gods”, four sniffs, three shoulder heaves, two pauses and 11 thank yous – Mrs Winslet said: “She really did not think she was going to win any awards. She was just totally shocked.”

Mr Winslet said he was looking forward to having a drink with Mickey Rourke, nominated as Best Actor for his role in The Wrestler.

“I had a drink with him at the Baftas and he was the most ‘real’ person there,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to having a beer with him after the awards.”

He added he hoped Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had more success at the Oscars than the Baftas.

He said: “They did look shocked at winning nothing.”

Angelina is up against Kate again and he doesn’t think Kate is a shoo-in despite the awards she’s won so far this season.

“The Academy is different,” he said. “Because it’s made up of past winners a lot of members vote for their friends – and perhaps the subject matter of The Reader may be a bit sensitive for them.”

SOURCE: Reading Evening Post