ComScore

Um, Kate Winslet Just Revealed a BTS Secret About ‘Titanic’ & It Totally Changes How I See the ‘Door Scene’

This is wild

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio
CBS via Getty Images

Some of the most intense movie debates I've had revolved around the possibility of Jack surviving in Titanic. Could he really fit on that door with Rose? And even if he could, would the door's buoyancy have kept them both afloat?

As far as I was concerned, there was definitely room on that door, although it wouldn't have mattered because the extra weight would've caused it to tip over. But I'm not here to rehash that debate. Rather, I've just learned an interesting behind-the-scenes detail, and quite frankly, I feel like a child who discovered that the Tooth Fairy isn't real.

Allow me to explain: Earlier this week, Kate Winslet, who played Rose in the film, chatted about the pivotal Titanic scene while attending an advance screening of her new movie, Lee, in New York. And according to the 48-year-old star, the water was nowhere near as deep as it appeared to be in the movie. It was, in fact, a shallow tank, which made it easy for Winslet to step out and go to the bathroom while filming.

Per People, Winslet said, "Well, that was quite an awkward tank...because to burst the bubble, it was waist height at that time." Um, what?

The Finding Neverland star went on to explain why filming this sequence wasn't the most pleasant experience. She said, "So first of all, I was regularly like, 'Can I just go for a pee?' And then I get up, get off the door, walk to the edge of the tank, sort of 20 feet away and I literally have to fling my leg over and climb up and come and get back on the door again. It's terrible."

Another shocking detail? Her co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio (aka Jack) had to stay on his knees while filming the scene, since the pool was only waist-high. Winslet added, "Leo, I'm afraid to say, was kneeling down."

The actress also recalled the tank's design and explained, "The thing that was amazing about the edges of the tank was it was an infinity tank. So there was constant water rushing and you could hear the constant sound of water."

leonardo dicaprio and kate winslet
Getty Images

I'll admit that, before now, I never really thought of how these scenes were filmed. I was perfectly content with assuming that the passengers were paddling in a vast ocean that was quite deep. But now that I know these details, it'll be nearly impossible for me to forget that Jack is actually kneeling in waist-deep water, or that Rose could easily climb off that wood and jet to the bathroom.

Even so, I've got to give credit where credit is due. Director James Cameron did an incredible job with this disaster epic, and both Winslet and DiCaprio had me convinced that they were truly in the ocean. Any team that can pull that off deserves major props.

Want more entertainment news sent to your inbox? Click here.



nakeisha campbell bio

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

  • Writes celebrity news, TV/movie reviews and SEO-focused entertainment articles
  • Interviews celebrities and covers red carpet events
  • Has 8+ years of experience covering entertainment topics