7 minutes and 14 seconds. This is the precise amount of time Kate Winslet held her breath for in training for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way OfWater. It became the longest breath hold amongst the cast, something of which the actor — who, don’t forget, was waterlogged by Cameron making Titanic — is understandably proud. The freediving bootcamp was essential for Winslet to play Ronal (rhymes with toe-nail, not tonal), a leader of the water-based Metkayina clan, who inhabit the reefs of Pandora. Ruling alongside her husband Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) Ronal is, in Winslet’s words, “strong. A warrior. Even in the face of grave danger, and with an unborn baby on board, still she joins her people and fights for what she holds most dear.” In other words, a classic Cameron female protagonist. Here, she discusses reuniting with Cameron after 26 years, her first foray in performance capture, and holding hands with Sigourney Weaver fifteen feet underwater
EMPIRE: What excited you about entering the Avatar universe?
Kate Winslet: Where to begin? I was just excited about all of it. To work with Sig and Zoe and Sam, of course. But to be a part of something that was so impactful and important on its first outing, was just so exciting. Everyone welcomed me immediately into the Pandora family. All the kids were adorable and want[ed] to learn all the time. And that was one of my favourite parts of the process actually… to be able to give those teenagers a bit of guidance here and there. Because it's tough when you are young and learning on the job, and sometimes it's a challenge just to put your vulnerabilities to one side and focus. So, getting to spend time with them was something I really valued. Because I understood what some of them may have felt like – those feelings of being nervous and awkward when you are embarking on a career in film at such a young age.
Tell us about Ronal. What makes her such a compelling character?
Ronal is a formidable female character. Like Neytiri, she holds her family's needs close to her heart and will stop at nothing to protect her children and her people. A true mother, in every sense.
It's no secret that James Cameron is a perfectionist, so that part hasn't changed at all.
Ronal faces off against Zoe Saldaña's Neytiri. How would you describe their conflict and playing scenes opposite Zoe?
These two females are so aligned in their deep desire to keep their individual families safe. They are both powerful, willful creatures who respect their husbands but will not be led by them. They carve their own paths, and they expect to be listened to. They are both physically as capable as one another, and in the world of Pandora, the need for physical ability amongst all tribespeople is not only important — it is crucial. They also need to possess equal strength to their male counterparts, which both these females do. In staggering ways. Working with Zoe was just wonderful. Her commitment to the world of Pandora and being Na’vi is so embedded within her now that it is truly inspiring to be around. It's as if it's in her blood now.
How did you find performance capture as a process?
Incredible! I didn't know what to expect. It's a little like being in a really funky, cool tech gang, but on steroids! The mind-blowing technology has been developed in such a meticulous way, that quite honestly it goes over my head a little. Even though I had it explained to me a million times! But just knowing that every single facial muscle and each microscopic movement, is picked up by the system so the actors’ performances are really truly captured, completely, is still baffling to me.
Jim says he was surprised you came back to work on the water with him after Titanic. Did you have reservations?
I absolutely loved the first Avatar movie. The deeper themes it conveys about our declining planet, were extremely poignant, and that mattered to me. So, I had no reservations at all. Plus, I was jumping into a well-oiled machine, so I was excited to think that everything they had learned as filmmakers from the first movie, would have only been ironed out and amplified in its second go around. And that's fun!
How difficult is it playing dramatic character scenes while holding your breath for three minutes?
I absolutely loved, loved, loved learning how to breath hold. Maybe that's why I got so good at it, just because I wanted to do it all the time. We think we are only capable of trying new things when we are young, in our twenties, when we feel a heck of a lot more invincible than we do as we get older. So, I was so proud of myself! I did something challenging and new. But putting the skills together and performing with Sig at the bottom of a 15 ft tank for four minutes at a stretch was a highlight of my career. That woman is such an inspiration! Not only is she effortlessly and naturally beautiful, but her work is always so compelling. And she is such a kind special and lady. So, being able to hold hands together, acting whilst holding our breath, and doing something that very few people in the world get to do, and on a film that is so heavily anticipated — was absolutely a highlight of my life.
How has your experience working with Jim this time round?
It was such a privilege to spend time with him again, and to contribute something to his passionate remarkable storytelling. I feel so grateful. It's no secret that Jim is a perfectionist as a filmmaker, so that part hasn't changed at all. And that is what makes his movies precise in every tiny detail. All those tiny components are huge when assembled, and it’s Jim’s vision and his determination that produces extraordinary filmmaking that will stand the test of time.
Avatar: The Way Of Water comes to UK cinemas from 16 December