Truth be told, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the incredibleAvatar 2set photo ofKate Winsletfilming underwater. This photo, which was recently shared via theAvatarfranchise’s Twitter, sees Winslet in one of the many water tanks used on the first of four sequels. She’s decked out in the requisite underwater gear but also sports what seems to be a magnificent cape or pair of wings to go with it. Very little context is given around the photo (lest any details about Winslet’s character be revealed), which only contributes to the curiosity one might feel looking at it.
So, it was a sincere delight to get some more insight to that photo and what it was like filming underwater straight from the source. Winslet opened up about theAvatar 2photo during her chat with Collider’s Christina Radish while promoting her new filmAmmonite. When the subject of the photo came up, Winslet recalled, “I was walking on walking on the bottom of the tank. That’s a big ceremonial sequence with those huge heavy wings. That was quite scary. The thing is, when you can hold your breath for seven minutes, you become unafraid. Actually, strangely, I was able to rely on my own ability to hold my breath for that long. Somehow I was not afraid, at all.”
From there, Winslet went in-depth about what it took for her, as an actor, to shoot those underwater scenes.
“There’s so much safety underwater. There are two safety divers on every performer. There are two safety divers on every underwater camera. There were so many people in that tank. I probably felt safer down there than I did on dry land. I found the whole thing incredibly calming. There was something very meditative to me, and I don’t meditate. I can’t switch my brain off. I’m too busy. I love doing yoga, but I can only do it for about 25 minutes, and then I’m making lists. I get bored and I have to stop. But somehow, learning how to [do a] breath hold was one of the most calming things I’ve ever done because you have to slow your body down. You actually have to lower your heart rate to be able to oxygenate your body and subsequently hold your breath for that long. So, I had no choice but to stop fucking moving, which is not normal for me.”
Winslet’s comments about the photo came on the heels of her loving comments about reuniting withTitanicdirectorJames CameronforAvatar 2. It’s undeniable that she and Cameron have a solid working relationship which has remained intact more than 20 years after making the multi-Oscar winning romantic epic. When we asked how theAvatarfilming experience compared to filmingTitanicwith Cameron, Winslet went deep with her praise. As she candidly put it,
“Well, look, we’re all older. We all got older. I look back on the experience of makingTitanicand it’s no secret that it was a very difficult shoot. It was very, very stressful and things were tough for all involved. When I think about what Jim had to pull off — six-day weeks, for a seven and a half months shoot, four and a half months of which were night — Christ, I know that was hard for us, the young actors. But I’m able to gain perspective, as well, and with the benefit of hindsight, I look at what Jim was trying to pull off and the level of pressure he was under, and actually, I have even more respect for him now than I ever have done before.”
Winslet continued, “The Jim Cameron onAvatar, he is calmer. I will say that he’s just much more stepped into his true self, I think. That’s because of experience. That’s also because he’s doneAvatarbefore, so he knows this world and he knows these characters. He’s invented that way of filming. There’s a level of confidence that has grounded him in a much more comfortable place, just for him. He was brilliantly collaborative onAvatar, honestly. I was awestruck by how much time he allows for the actors to often just meander over a scene if it doesn’t feel like it fit quite right. And obviously, safety had to come first.”
Additionally, Winslet touched on just how deep her bond with Cameron goes — and it will no doubt delight you.
“Listen, if there’s a proper world collapse and we really are all set on fire and there’s another global pandemic any minute now, I can tell you with my hand on my heart, one of the people I would want to be with in that bunker is Jim Cameron. He’s very much ‘safety first.’ I felt really good working with him. I’m so excited forAvatar.”
Avatar 2is scheduled for release on July 23, 2025. Get even more updates on theAvatarfranchisehereand be sure to check out the first look at Edie Falco’sAvatar 2characterhere.
Allie Gemmill is the Weekend Contributing Editor for Collider. You can follow them on Twitter@_matineeidle.
