Kate Winslet

     I'm not much for celebrity profiles, actually I avoid them at all costs, but when browsing the Vanity Fair magazine website, even though until now I have found this magazine a bit dry, I noticed a profile about Kate Winslet; for some reason, I was like, 'ok, maybe I'll give this a chance, after all if it was in Vanity Fair, it can't be as mundane as a People Magazine pop journalism, surface deep profile, maybe there's some substance.' So I read it. It began with a scene- surprise! But this scene kind of pulled me in, it was eloquently written, and also included unique information, such as that Winslet rolls her own cigarettes. Usually the action of rolling cigarettes reminds me of old lumberjacks or of the Turkish exchange student in one of my classes, since I saw him rolling one one day in class. Anyway, back to the story. Unlike me, it maintains focus on Winslet and her mannerisms and life, but also incorporates information about the movies she has been in and the extrinsic circumstances surrounding them. The article even includes information about Winslet's and DiCaprio's friendship; they seem to be a pretty classic movie duo, since the release of Titanic. The way that the reporter relates their onscreen duo to Bogart and Bergman fabricated thoughts of black and white classics, with all of their sophistication and style. What intrigued me was the fact that Winslet's husband actually encouraged her and DiCaprio to work closely in their movie, Revolutionary Road. It's also interesting how the reporter included her biographical information; although, it was fortunate that her and her husband were born in the same small English hospital, so there's an easy way to tie that bit of information into the profile. This story follows the simple formula for a profile, but it also was surprisingly interesting. Winslet's quotes remained intelligent sounding throughout, there were outside sources, and it just kind of flowed so that I didn't find myself wondering when it would be over. What stood out to me, other htan the eloquence with which this article was written, was the way the Winslet is just fine with having a full shape, like she sort of doesn't feed into the stick thin celebrity fad, which I find inspiring when we live in a culture obsessed with appearance and weight. Maybe I won't avoid Vanity Fair anymore, maybe it's not as starchy and snoody as I had assumed.