Kate Winslet admits she felt ‘horribly conflicted’ over decision to move her dying mother out of NHS care and into a private ward during her cancer battle

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Kate Winslet recently shared details about her mother’s final days, revealing she felt deeply conflicted about moving her from NHS care to a private hospital ward. This is the first time she has spoken publicly about the difficult decision.

The 50-year-old actress was deeply saddened when her mother, Sally Bridges-Winslet, passed away in May 2017 after a struggle with ovarian cancer.

She processed her grief while creating her first film as a director, ‘Goodbye June,’ a story about four siblings who come together to care for their ailing mother.

Kate told the Daily Mail she was deeply saddened when she had to move her mother, Sally, to a private hospital room near the end of her life. Sally had always preferred to receive care through the National Health Service.

She admitted that after her mother passed away, she was cared for in a private hospital room. Everyone in the family felt uneasy about the situation, and it caused a lot of internal conflict.

I’m opening up about this because I haven’t mentioned it before: all of her cancer treatment was through the National Health Service, but near the end, a situation arose where we could only find a bed for her quickly in a private hospital ward.

‘We all felt really upset for her, because she was so adamant she wanted NHS all the way.’

Kate’s son, 21-year-old Joe Anders, wrote the screenplay for Goodbye June. He was inspired to write it after the death of Sally, and created it while taking a screenwriting class.

In an interview on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, the Academy Award-winning actress shared that, even after nearly ten years, her mother’s passing still feels incredibly recent.

While playing Julia, the daughter in the film, she found it difficult to separate her own memories of caring for her mother as she was dying from the character’s emotions.

The family drama stars Helen Mirren as June, with Timothy Spall playing her husband, Bernie. Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough, and Johnny Flynn round out the cast as their children.

Kate shared honestly that making the movie wasn’t exactly healing, but there were times she powerfully relived the experience of losing her mother, despite the story being made up. She described a strange impulse to almost hide from those feelings.

During the quieter, more personal scenes – like those with Helen Mirren and Tim Spall – I’d find a spot in the room and quietly observe. I’d usually hide behind Max, our wonderful focus puller, and sit with him, watching the monitor and quietly crying.

You know, when I’m deeply immersed in a role, it can be tough to separate my own feelings from the character’s. While filming, Max was just a wonderful presence – someone I could naturally gravitate towards when those boundaries blurred and I needed a bit of support. He had this amazing ability to be there without overstepping, just a truly grounding force when I was struggling to keep my own experiences separate from Julia’s.

She noted that our society doesn’t handle loss or grief very well. We often struggle to talk about it and truly process our feelings.

You know, it was really amazing to see how this project sparked so many important conversations. People – not just the actors, but the entire team working behind the scenes – were genuinely thankful for the opportunity to connect and talk openly about things. It created a really supportive environment, and that meant a lot to everyone involved.

After Sally passed away, Kate took a year off from work, explaining she was completely emotionally drained and had nothing more to give.

She told The Telegraph that losing a parent felt like losing your guiding light, leaving her feeling completely lost and without any strength.

I set things on autopilot and honestly, I couldn’t picture myself working again. I ended up taking a whole year off work.

She’s spoken about the lasting influence her mother had on her life and work, and has shared how she continues to honor a promise she made to Sally before becoming famous.

In a 2021 interview with the Mirror, the star of Mare of Easttown revealed that she and her mother strongly disliked people who bragged.

She explained that her mother always told her, “Just promise me you won’t show off.” That advice has really stuck with her and continues to influence her work and how she does things.

With ‘Goodbye June,’ Kate is making her directorial debut. She shared that she wanted to direct the film to ensure her son retained control over his own story.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she enthusiastically praised Joe, calling him a very knowledgeable film buff and saying she thoroughly enjoyed working with him.

She shared that once the script was finished, she planned to produce the film, star as Julia, and begin the search for a director. She realized she was too invested to give up on the project.

I told him I’d be happy to direct the project, because once you hand it over to a director, it truly becomes their vision – and that’s how it should be. However, I didn’t want that for him specifically.

I hoped he would stay involved and witness the beautiful creation he’d brought to life.

He’s incredibly knowledgeable about film, and it was wonderful having his expertise with me each day.

Joe’s father is Sam Mendes, the well-known film director, age 60. Sam and Kate were married for seven years before separating in 2010.

Growing up with parents who are both prominent figures in Hollywood has opened doors for him, including a role in the Oscar-nominated film 1917, directed by his father, and a recent acting opportunity alongside his mother in the World War II film, Lee.

Kate’s oldest daughter, Mia Threapleton, whose father is actor and director Jim Threapleton, is also pursuing an acting career in Hollywood, just like her mother.

She began her acting career at just 14 years old, appearing in the historical drama A Little Chaos alongside her mother, who starred as the main character. She is now 25.

Kate first gained recognition for her performance in the 2022 Bafta-winning drama, I Am Ruth, where she played a difficult teenage daughter. Her on-screen mother was also featured in the show.

Mia had a breakthrough year, landing a major role in Wes Anderson’s new film, The Phoenician Scheme. She acted alongside established stars such as Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Willem Dafoe.

Kate is upset by the label ‘nepo baby’ being applied to her children, believing they are talented enough to succeed on their own merits.

In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, she argued that these children simply following in their parents’ footsteps – like those who pursue careers in medicine or law – aren’t receiving any unfair advantages. She emphasized, ‘They’re not getting ahead because of who their parents are.’

Joe told me he didn’t want anyone to assume the movie was being made solely because I was his mother.

The movie was going to happen regardless of my involvement – the script was just that strong. It was the quality of the script that really drew in all the talented actors.

I always tell my kids, when it comes to Mia, to do what feels right for them. Many people have children who end up working in the same field as their parents – whether that’s law, medicine, or any other family profession.

It’s no surprise my kids pursued creative careers – they’ve always loved writing, acting, and music.

However, success in one area doesn’t always lead to job opportunities or the respect of colleagues and others. Both individuals have taken unique approaches to achieve their goals.

It’s also about helping them tune out unimportant distractions, like the label ‘nepo baby,’ because there’s nothing they can change about it.

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2025-12-10 12:35