Kate Winslet says the one film she’s certain she’d have regretted letting someone else take it on is actually her latest film, Goodbye June.
The 50-year-old actress not only stars in the Christmas drama, it also marks Winslet’s first time directing a feature film.
Written by her son Joe Anders, the story follows four siblings whose lives are upended when their mother’s health deteriorates during the festive season.
Speaking on Kermode & Mayo’s Take podcast, Winslet said she immediately recognised the potential of the script when her son first shared it with her.
At the time, Anders had not yet completed it. She encouraged him to finish the screenplay and told him she believed it could become a film.
After more than a year of development and redrafting, the project began attracting interest from Netflix and was preparing to be sent to directors. That was the moment, Winslet said, when she realised she couldn’t step away.
“I suddenly realised I couldn’t let it go,” she explained, adding that even if she never directs again, this was the one film she needed to make.
She described feeling deeply proud to have directed it, particularly at a time when the film industry is facing significant challenges.
Winslet also spoke candidly about the obstacles she encountered as an actress-turned-director, saying women are often not afforded the same automatic confidence granted to their male counterparts.
Inspired by the death of Winslet’s mother, Goodbye June also stars Dame Helen Mirren, Toni Collette, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough, Johnny Flynn, Stephen Merchant, and others.
The film is in UK cinemas now and arrives on Netflix on Christmas Eve.
