Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce, in HBO's 2011 mini-series directed by Todd Haynes

Episode 5 of "What Would Kate Do", as in what would Kate Winslet do as an actress, is about the 2011 HBO mini-series Mildred Pierce, directed by Todd Haynes. This series is an absolute actors' paradise. Also stars Guy Pearce (Kate's childhood crush!), Evan Rachel Wood (amazing), Brian F. O'Byrne, and Mare Winningham. You're in for a treat!

Note that there are SPOILERS of Mildred Pierce in this podcast. This podcast is not a review, it's a commentary on how Kate uses all the resources available to her, to maximize the truthfulness and honesty in a role.

We review acting related learnings from Kate's masterclass acting work including:

• How she helps carry this entire mini-series, having to be in every single scene, with the support of her co-stars especially the talented Evan Rachel Wood.
• How she uses all the faculties available to her, whether in her, on her, or around her, to fully bring in the viewer.
• How the camera can just focus in on her face and her reactions, and how she can display so much of her character's thoughts and emotions, without her having to say a word.
• How she uses the dynamics and layers of her character and its relationships, to realize a fully complete version of the character.
• The many love / sex scenes she gets to do with Guy (or to be more accurate: that Guy gets to do with her), and the assemblage of different emotions that are involved.
• How Kate manages to make me have so much feelings and empathy for a character I wouldn't normally have such compassionate feelings for.
• How fear encourages Kate to choose the roles she plays, and how the HORRIFIC realizations about Veda in Part Five fuel her intentions as an actress.
• How far her American accent has come by this time, since Titanic.
• A few audio clips from Mildred Pierce that showcase Kate's talents as an actress.
• Evan Rachel Wood saying afterwards that she would marry Kate Winslet if she could!
• And so much more!

The reason I'm doing this mini-series now is to time it with the upcoming Todd Haynes celebration / retrospective in Paris, May 10 to May 29, 2023, at The Centre Pompidou. Which also coincides with his movie "May December" premiering at Cannes, starring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. You can find out more here: https://www.centrepompidou.fr/fr/programme/agenda/evenement/pE2bV6f  

You can contact this podcast at whatwouldkatedo {at} shaw.ca

Thank you Rumble House https://www.facebook.com/rumblehouseliveart/ for doing the podcast artwork for us!