Kate Winslet Often Gets Confused for Cate Blanchett, Calls It a ‘Huge Compliment’

During the premiere of her HBO show The Regime at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on Monday, Kate Winslet revealed that she is frequently confused with Cate Blanchett. Winslet said, “They say, ‘Loved you in ‘Elizabeth,’ and I say, ‘Thank you, that’s so kind.’” Here, Winslet was discussing Blanchett's role in the 1998 film that garnered her first Oscar nomination, according to HuffPost. Blanchett portrayed Queen Elizabeth I in the historical drama depicting her ascent to power in 1558.  “And she gets the same thing. People will say to her, ‘Loved you in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ or ‘Loved you in ‘Titanic,’” Winslet further added.

Winslet added, "To be mistaken for Cate Blanchett is a huge compliment. So, no, I'll take it. I'll take it." During their joint appearance on The Graham Norton Show last week, Winslet and Blanchett, who hail from Australia and England, revealed that they often get confused for one another. They shared several instances of their experiences with fans mistaking them for the other. According to PEOPLE, Blanchett said, "I get it all they time. People will say, 'Is it you? Is it you?' and I say, 'Yes, I think so.' And then they say, 'I loved you in Titanic.'"

Blanchett and Winslet aren't the only celebrities with well-known lookalikes. In a 2019 interview, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt disclosed that they frequently encounter fans who mistake them for Matt Damon. Pitt said, “I’ve actually signed autographs as Matt. They’ll figure it out later.” In recent discussions, Winslet candidly shared her challenges with fame during the early stages of her career, particularly facing intense scrutiny following the success of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic.

She recalled, "I felt like I had to look a certain way or be a certain thing, and because media intrusion was so significant at that time, my life was quite unpleasant." She added, "Journalists would always say, ‘After Titanic, you could have done anything and yet you chose to do these small things’ … and I was like, ‘Yeah, you bet your life I did! Because, guess what? Being famous was horrible.'" Moreover, during her appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Winslet delved into her experience portraying a dictator in the satirical drama The Regime. She said, “It really is very funny, and we wet ourselves laughing every day."

She added, “After Covid, being in a pack of actors was overwhelming – we had all missed that sense of just playing when you get into a room and fire off each other. It was just a great experience.” She was then questioned about her level of confidence as she prepared for the role. According to the Northern Daily Leader, she added, "I never feel confident. It was completely terrifying. I have never played a character like this before. She is so absurd and really just nuts. I knew that I was going to have to try and find a way to do something I have never done before. Every single day I was like, 'Come on, you can do it'. It was such a wild ride."