Kate Winslet wants to be honest about career regrets

15 September 2020

Kate Winslet wants to be "up front" about her regrets.

Kate Winslet

The 44-year-old actress has opened up after recently admitting to Vanity Fair she wishes she hadn't worked with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski, and she insisted people should be allowed to address their past.

She told Variety: "We learn, we grow, we change. I think we should all be allowed to say, 'Look, I shouldn't have done that,' you know?

"And I think this is a huge, seismic time for all of us, where we're aware of how many planes we take, for example, or things we have done in the past -- or would go back and wish to do differently.

"And I just want to lead with a bit of integrity, and to just be up front and say, 'You know what? I probably shouldn't have done that.'

"And so what I said in that Vanity Fair piece is really true, you know: I do regret it. I do regret it."

Last week, Kate insisted it is "f****** disgraceful" that the pair have continued to be held in "such high regard" despite Allen being accused of sexual abuse by his daughter and Polanski being convicted of the statutory rape of a 13 year old.

Now, she has explained when she decided she made a mistake working with Allen.

She said: "To be completely honest, I think as soon as I was doing press for [2017's] 'Wonder Wheel,' it just made me crashingly aware that perhaps I shouldn't have done this.

"But what was remarkable to me is that these are individuals who have been feted and praised and patted on the back for decades in this industry.

"And so by and large, it was presented to actors that these were people who it was OK to work with. But now, of course, I feel I can just say 'I shouldn't have done.'

"That may well have been the case. But I shouldn't have done. And so there you go."

Despite her past praise for the directors and her "extraordinary working experience" with them both, Kate hinted in 2018 that she now regretted their films.

She said in 2018: "As women around the world and from all walks of life marched last weekend, once again joining together to speak out about harassment, exploitation and abuse, I realised that I wouldn't be able to stand here this evening and keep to myself some bitter regrets that I have at poor decisions to work with individuals with whom I wish I had not."

Allen has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, while Polanski pleaded guilty to statutory rape in 1977 as part of a plea deal but then fled the US before he was sentenced.