Kate Winslet, 50, says women in their 40s are ‘conditioned’ to fear aging

• Kate Winslet, 50, says growing older has helped her feel more comfortable with her body.
• "We're so conditioned as women in our 40s to think, OK, well, I'm creeping closer to the end," she said.
• But the confidence that comes with getting older only adds to a woman's charm, she said.

Kate Winslet, 50, says aging has taught her to feel more confident in her own skin.

During an appearance on Monday's episode of the "How to Fail with Elizabeth Day" podcast, Winslet spoke about how growing older has reshaped her relationship with her body.

"I'm great with it. I think I look flipping amazing," Winslet told podcast host Elizabeth Day.

Winslet said that while many people still view aging as something to fear or fix, she has learned to see it in a different light.

"We're so conditioned, women in our 40s, to think, OK, well, I'm creeping closer to the end. You know, you think you go into menopause and you're going to stop having sex, and your boobs are going to sag, and your skin's going to go crepey, and all these things," Winslet said. "But, first of all, so what? And secondly, it's just conditioning."

The "Titanic" star added that the confidence earned with age only makes a woman more captivating.

"You know, I think women, as they get older, become juicier and sexier, and more embedded in their truth and who they are, and more powerful, and more able to walk through the world and care less. And that is an empowering thing," Winslet said.

The actor said she often makes a point of complimenting her friends by telling them they look "amazing."

"It's very important, and it doesn't mean you look great slash you've lost weight," she said.

When it comes to exercise, Winslet says she focuses on her health rather than aesthetics.

"Exercise for me is not actually about looking a certain way. It's about not getting injured. So I don't hurt myself in my life because I always want to swim in the cold water, and I always want to be able to hike for five hours," Winslet said.

Even little things, like giving her son a piggyback ride and being able to carry her own luggage, are part of what motivates her to stay active, she added.

Not only that, she also relies on her fitness to keep up with the physical demands of her work.

"So, you have to have resilience and stamina, and a lot of that does come with just making sure that you're fit and well," Winslet said.

At the height of her "Titanic" fame, Winslet faced intense media scrutiny over her appearance.

Speaking on the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast in 2021, the actor said she was unprepared for the level of attention that followed the film's success.

"I was subject to a lot of personal physical scrutiny, I was criticized a lot and the British press were quite unkind to me. I felt bullied if I'm honest," Winslet told host Marc Maron.

In 2022, Winslet told The Sunday Times that her agent would often get calls asking about her weight.