'The Late Show With David Letterman' - Early 1998
Following
is the transcript I have done (includes screen captures) of Kate's appearance on
the Late Show with David Letterman, early 1998 (about 3 weeks prior to the
Academy Awards ceremony):
Portion of Dave's monologue that opened the show:
Moments ago, just before the show began, I was backstage, and Kate Winslet let me sketch her in the nude. [Wild applause from audience] And I don't mind telling you, I was a little nervous, because I have never worked in the nude before! I've got charcoal smudges all over me! How many of you folks have seen 'Titanic', the big blockbuster? [Lots of applause] I guess the question is, how many of you have seen it eleven times? [More applause] By the way, I have not seen it, so don't tell me what happens, alright? But, apparently, in the movie 'Titanic', there are some, ah… I guess, artistic liberties taken. There are some inaccuracies, if you will. And far be it from me to nit-pick. You know, I ain't here to nit-pick. Let me know when this gets annoying, because, you know, if it were up to me, I could do this for days. So, anyway, some inaccuracies in the movie 'Titanic.' For example, and this one I think people out to be screaming about - when the captain of the Titanic blames the whole damn thing on El Nino. Now, come on. Really? [Applause] But, God bless her, in the film, as you know, Kate Winslet plays the part of a woman who stays on board a sinking ship for the man she loves. Think about that - stays on board a ship clearly going down because of the man she loves - and, you know, it reminds me of Hillary Clinton a little bit...
[Talking about 'Titanic'] It's like the biggest anything, the biggest movie, it's just like the biggest everything. The most successful motion picture of all time. Here she is - the lovely and talented Kate Winslet. Kate! [She walks onstage to thunderous applause] The crowd goes crazy!
Kate: The crowd does go crazy, my God!
Welcome to the show. This is a nice thing for any actor, but it's really, really nice. And you're just a kid - you're like 21, or something like that?
I'm 22.
Twenty-two-years-old. Your second Academy Award nomination, and the biggest picture ever, likely, you know, in our lifetimes.
I know, it's extraordinary, really. You know, a part of me thinks, 'God, how do I relate to this? How am I supposed to understand this?' It is so huge and so sort of unexpected and things, but I'm kind of going with the flow of it.
As well you should.
Cause, you know, it was hard work…
You should enjoy this and everything it affords because stuff like this don't come along everyday.
No, I know that. You know, life is not a dress rehearsal.
And it's interesting. You wonder sometimes… This provides the opportunity for a perspective that maybe you wouldn't have had before. Because everybody on the film worked as hard as they could, and did the best job they could. That's still no guarantee that it would have been a success at all.
I know, it's true, and, you know, as an actor you never really think ahead. You never think about, you know, Academy Award nominations, for example. It's always about, you know, there and then, and what's happening each day, and doing the job as well as you possibly can. And, so, you're absolutely right. There is, of course, no guarantee.
In the beginning, the film cost, like, a billion dollars. Right? It was huge. It cost like a billion dollars. [Kate laughs] And everybody was saying, 'what a bomb, what a mistake, what a waste of money.' And now, it's just turned completely the other way.
I
know, it's good, isn't it? [Sticks out her tongue, as if she's doing it to those
'critics'; audience cheers]
How many times did they sink the boat? 'OK, we're gonna have to do it again. Raise the Titanic. We're gonna try it again.'
Oh,
God, I tell you! It was just… this lowering and raising! [In an American
accent] 'Lower the ship!'
And then it's, 'Action!' And then all these extras would run up and down everywhere, and I would just go, 'what do I do? What do I do?' And then, suddenly, Leo's grabbing me up the deck. But, it was sunk and raised, and sunk and raised many, many times.
What's the deal on that Leo? What's his deal? What's his story? [Girls cheer] What's going on there? What's happening with that guy? What's the story there?
[Slapping
the arm of the chair, and with a twinkle in her eye] What kind of a story do you
want?
You know, is he a regular guy? Is he nice? Is he snotty?
Leo is one of my best friends, and he always will be.
Well, that's great.
We had a… It was a friendship, and nothing more than that.
Now, I'm not… Now, there you go, there you go. [Audience laughter]
Everyone's always asking me this.
Not me, not me!
OK, listen, Leo is beautiful, he is absolutely beautiful. And I have to say, he is more beautiful in the flesh, he is more beautiful in the flesh. [Girls cheer] But, he's just a friend, and he's a regular guy, he's normal, he's a homeboy.
I'm sorry - he's a homeboy? [Audience laughter]
He's a homeboy, yeah.
Maybe I'm thinkin' of the wrong guy. [Laughter]
He's a normal guy. He loves being at home, you know.
OK, oh, oh…
That's what I mean! Sorry.
He's a home body, he's a home body.
He's a home body, he's a home body. [Kate laughs, as audience is still laughing]
Now, let me just ah… We'll try this one more time and then we'll go on to other things.
Right.
If you really were on a boat that was going down, would you rather be with Leo, or - with me [points to himself with both hands; Kate laughs and applauds, as audience cheers] I'm older, I'm smarter.
I know.
I'm cool in the face of adversity, I'm good with my hands, I can make stuff up. You know, maybe… Think about it. I don't need an answer now.
We need to get to know each other first, you know.
I'm talking about just in terms of an emergency. Who do you want to be with, in terms of an emergency?
I want to me with Number One [pointing to herself]. I tell you, I don't want to be going down on any sinking ship.
Of course not, of course not.
I'm afraid I would be, ah…I'd probably be taking care of myself, actually. [Dave just looks at her; audience is still laughing] You're not gonna let me get away with this, are you? OK, I'd be with you. [Cheers] You have to have new experiences in life!
Let
me put it to you another way. [Kate laughs] You buy a new house. Who do you want
building your deck? Leo [Kate cracks up, throwing her head back and laughing] or
Bob Villa? Bob Villa, exactly.
Oh, God.
Now… So, you've been through this before. This is your second Academy Award nomination. How do you feel about this? I mean, having done it now twice, you know what to expect. You could win, so you gotta have something to say, or you might not win. And, in either case, you kind of prepare yourself for it.
Well, you do… I mean, I'm already mentally thinking, 'Oh, God, I'd better think of something to say just in case that did happen.' I mean, apart from the fact that I really don't think that it is, it will be great to be there. It's so fantastic…
Who are the other nominees?
It is myself, Helena Bonham-Carter…
Ah, Helena Bonham-Carter. [Putting hand up to his forehead]
And she's wonderful.
Oh, my goodness, I'd build her a deck any day of the week.
Can I go, now? Bye. [Getting up from chair; laughter from audience]
No… [Dave reaches for her; Kate sits back down - she was just joking] She's very nice, very nice woman, she's been on the show.
Yeah, she's great, and she's so wonderful in that 'Wings of the Dove.' And there's Julie Christie… Did I say her already? Judi Dench, Helena Bonham-Carter, Julie Christie, and Helen Hunt, and myself.
It's pretty good company, isn't it?
It's amazing! I mean, so, for me…
How many of those women are British?
Four of them. So, for me, I'm sort of going, 'hang on, I'm 22, this isn't… These are people who I've been admiring for the last… at least 10 years of my life. What am I doing? What's happening?' It's a bizarre, bizarre feeling. But, I'm just so thrilled that I can go along and be a part of representing 'Titanic.'
Well, if you do win this award, and well deserved…
You want me to thank you, don't you?
Well,
could you? Would it kill you? [Audience laughter] You could work it in somehow.
[Kate laughs, too] 'Thanks to Dave Letterman for
the beautiful new deck.' But, I mean, then the fairytale is complete, isn't it,
with this whole 'Titanic,' and stuff - and then you win the Academy Award.
You're 22, it's a great story.
Well… It would be.
I know. It's hard to talk about.
The thing is, I mean, you never think about prizes…
That's all I think about, is prizes.
All right. Fine.
I like prizes. I like shiny objects. Let's show the people the clip. Now, I find this amusing. We're gonna show a clip of the movie. Why? Because the business is not that good? So, we'll show you a little clip to entice you to go see the film.
We have to spoon feed you a little bit more.
Yeah. Do you know the scene we're looking at?
No,
what is it?
I don't know.
Oh, that's lovely. I love surprises.
Here we go, something from 'Titanic.' [Clip of Jack and Rose in flooded corridor, rescuing little boy]
It would have been, I'm sure, so much more horrific than that. That was one of the things that I always found very frustrating at work, was trying to imagine quite what it would have been like. And it was practically impossible, really, at the end of the day.
Yeah. You did a great job, and you did a great job here. I hope you come back. And good luck. The Academy Awards are just like three weeks away, or something like that.
It's three weeks away, and I shall go along with my mum and dad, and we shall have a fun night.
Oh, that will be very nice. I hope you have a lovely evening.
Thank you!
Kate Winslet! [Dave leans over to hug Kate]
Postcript: I heard that actor Patrick Stewart was on the
next 'Late Show'. He mentioned having seen Kate's appearance, and commented that
Dave seemed smitten with Kate. [No kidding!] Apparently, Dave didn't deny it!