Shailene Woodley Says Kate Winslet 'Sat Me Down' at Age 21 to Give Sage Advice for Navigating Hollywood

Mar. 15, 2025

Kate Winslet and Shailene Woodley at the L.A. premiere of ‘Divergent’ on March 18, 2014.Photo:Steve Granitz/WireImageShailene Woodleyis grateful forKate Winslet’s advice on staying true to herself while navigating Hollywood.TheThree Womenstar appeared onThe Drew Barrymore Show, where she said, “I’ve been blessed to have people, at a young age, show up in a really real, truthful, pure way.“After getting her start on the ABC Family teen dramaThe Secret Life of the American Teenagerthat premiered in 2008, Woodley went on to lead theDivergentfilms,The Fault in Our Stars,Big Little Liesand more.Woodley, now 32, told host Barrymore, 49, that Winslet, 48, was someone who set her straight early in her career, giving her a heart-to-heart when they made 2014’sDivergentand 2015’sInsurgenttogether.“Did Kate Winslet actually, was she someone who was, like, a good sounding board for you?” asked Barrymore. Woodley replied, “Beyond. I mean, you guys, she’s so, not to overuse the word real, but she’s just real. She is who she is, and she’s not afraid to be who she is. And she’s done the hard work.“Barrymore added, “I read a quote of hers recently that I really appreciated, which was she said, ‘I wish I had had the gumption and confidence that I have now as a woman, as a young girl when I came out inTitanicand, particularly men, commented on my body shape and size and how I would not have allowed that at all and I would have shut it down right there and then.’ And I’m like, wow.“Woodley then shared, “But you know what’s cool about that is she maybe didn’t do that for herself but she did do it for me. She absolutely did.““Because we worked together. I was 21. I had all, you know, the influx of public life and being told ‘you should look a certain way’ or ‘you should be a certain thing’ or ‘don’t eat that’ or ‘do this’ or ‘dye your hair a different color,’ " recalled Woodley, who said Winslet “absolutely sat me down, held my shoulders, did this, and was like, ‘No, no, no, that’s not who you are. This is the truth.' ““She gave me that moment,” she continued. “And I wouldn’t— I would not be who I am today without her, singlehandedly.“Drew Barrymore and Shailene Woodley on “The Drew Barrymore Show”.The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash BeanWinslet has been outspoken about the rocky time she had as a young star navigating fame and public attention after the success of 1997’sTitanic. The Oscar winner previously toldPORTER, “I felt like I had to look a certain way or be a certain thing, and because media intrusion was sosignificant at that time, my life was quite unpleasant.“Three Womenis available to watch on Starz, new episodes Fridays.

Kate Winslet and Shailene Woodley at the L.A. premiere of ‘Divergent’ on March 18, 2014.Photo:Steve Granitz/WireImage

Steve Granitz/WireImage

Shailene Woodleyis grateful forKate Winslet’s advice on staying true to herself while navigating Hollywood.TheThree Womenstar appeared onThe Drew Barrymore Show, where she said, “I’ve been blessed to have people, at a young age, show up in a really real, truthful, pure way.“After getting her start on the ABC Family teen dramaThe Secret Life of the American Teenagerthat premiered in 2008, Woodley went on to lead theDivergentfilms,The Fault in Our Stars,Big Little Liesand more.Woodley, now 32, told host Barrymore, 49, that Winslet, 48, was someone who set her straight early in her career, giving her a heart-to-heart when they made 2014’sDivergentand 2015’sInsurgenttogether.“Did Kate Winslet actually, was she someone who was, like, a good sounding board for you?” asked Barrymore. Woodley replied, “Beyond. I mean, you guys, she’s so, not to overuse the word real, but she’s just real. She is who she is, and she’s not afraid to be who she is. And she’s done the hard work.“Barrymore added, “I read a quote of hers recently that I really appreciated, which was she said, ‘I wish I had had the gumption and confidence that I have now as a woman, as a young girl when I came out inTitanicand, particularly men, commented on my body shape and size and how I would not have allowed that at all and I would have shut it down right there and then.’ And I’m like, wow.“Woodley then shared, “But you know what’s cool about that is she maybe didn’t do that for herself but she did do it for me. She absolutely did.““Because we worked together. I was 21. I had all, you know, the influx of public life and being told ‘you should look a certain way’ or ‘you should be a certain thing’ or ‘don’t eat that’ or ‘do this’ or ‘dye your hair a different color,’ " recalled Woodley, who said Winslet “absolutely sat me down, held my shoulders, did this, and was like, ‘No, no, no, that’s not who you are. This is the truth.' ““She gave me that moment,” she continued. “And I wouldn’t— I would not be who I am today without her, singlehandedly.“Drew Barrymore and Shailene Woodley on “The Drew Barrymore Show”.The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash BeanWinslet has been outspoken about the rocky time she had as a young star navigating fame and public attention after the success of 1997’sTitanic. The Oscar winner previously toldPORTER, “I felt like I had to look a certain way or be a certain thing, and because media intrusion was sosignificant at that time, my life was quite unpleasant.“Three Womenis available to watch on Starz, new episodes Fridays.

Shailene Woodleyis grateful forKate Winslet’s advice on staying true to herself while navigating Hollywood.

TheThree Womenstar appeared onThe Drew Barrymore Show, where she said, “I’ve been blessed to have people, at a young age, show up in a really real, truthful, pure way.”

After getting her start on the ABC Family teen dramaThe Secret Life of the American Teenagerthat premiered in 2008, Woodley went on to lead theDivergentfilms,The Fault in Our Stars,Big Little Liesand more.

Woodley, now 32, told host Barrymore, 49, that Winslet, 48, was someone who set her straight early in her career, giving her a heart-to-heart when they made 2014’sDivergentand 2015’sInsurgenttogether.

“Did Kate Winslet actually, was she someone who was, like, a good sounding board for you?” asked Barrymore. Woodley replied, “Beyond. I mean, you guys, she’s so, not to overuse the word real, but she’s just real. She is who she is, and she’s not afraid to be who she is. And she’s done the hard work.”

Barrymore added, “I read a quote of hers recently that I really appreciated, which was she said, ‘I wish I had had the gumption and confidence that I have now as a woman, as a young girl when I came out inTitanicand, particularly men, commented on my body shape and size and how I would not have allowed that at all and I would have shut it down right there and then.’ And I’m like, wow.”

Woodley then shared, “But you know what’s cool about that is she maybe didn’t do that for herself but she did do it for me. She absolutely did.”

“Because we worked together. I was 21. I had all, you know, the influx of public life and being told ‘you should look a certain way’ or ‘you should be a certain thing’ or ‘don’t eat that’ or ‘do this’ or ‘dye your hair a different color,’ " recalled Woodley, who said Winslet “absolutely sat me down, held my shoulders, did this, and was like, ‘No, no, no, that’s not who you are. This is the truth.' "

“She gave me that moment,” she continued. “And I wouldn’t— I would not be who I am today without her, singlehandedly.”

Drew Barrymore and Shailene Woodley on “The Drew Barrymore Show”.The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash Bean

The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash Bean

Winslet has been outspoken about the rocky time she had as a young star navigating fame and public attention after the success of 1997’sTitanic. The Oscar winner previously toldPORTER, “I felt like I had to look a certain way or be a certain thing, and because media intrusion was sosignificant at that time, my life was quite unpleasant.”

Three Womenis available to watch on Starz, new episodes Fridays.

source: people.com