One of the most cherished on-screen duos of the past three decades reunited last night. Leonardo DiCaprio took the stage at a screening of Kate Winslet’s new film Lee to introduce his Titanic co-star.
“Kate Winslet has dedicated herself to this film and to honoring Lee Miller’s legacy over the past nine years,” DiCaprio began.
“I remember her talking to me about it personally. This project has been a massive passion for her, and it’s a journey that really reflects Kate’s commitment and her passion for telling stories that need to be remembered.”
Lee chronicles the life of British WWII photographer Lee Miller. Before the screening, DiCaprio expressed his hope that the audience would “witness a film that captures not only the complexity of Lee’s life, but also the emotional weight of what it means to share the truth, no matter how painful.
Kate, my dear friend, your work in this film has been nothing short of transformative. I continue to be in awe of your strength, integrity, talent, and dedication to every project you take on.
So, without further ado, I present to you one of the great talents of my generation, the one and only Kate Winslet.”
Visibly moved, Winslet took the microphone from DiCaprio, saying, “I can’t even look at Leo right now, or I’ll cry.”
Lee had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and was released in September.
As DiCaprio’s heartfelt introduction shows, Winslet remains deeply committed to the project, hosting special screenings and inviting her famous friends to share in the experience.
“I can’t tell you what it means to me,” Winslet shared. “Making this film was about people showing up with grace and being willing to support me in telling a story that could have been hidden away forever.”
Lee was a passion project for a talented group of creatives, including Winslet, director Ellen Kuras (known for I Shot Andy Warhol and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), screenwriters Liz Hannah (The Post), John Collee (Happy Feet), fashion editor Marion Hume, and Antony Penrose, Miller’s son and the author of the biography that inspired the film.
DiCaprio succinctly summarized Miller’s remarkable life story before the screening, describing her as “a pioneering photographer and journalist who not only captured some of the most harrowing images of WWII but also served as a fierce witness to history’s darkest moments.”
“Employed by British Vogue,” he continued, “Miller documented the horrors of concentration camps and the devastation across Europe—things that readers might not have seen.
She shone a light on the missing, the women, and the children. She looked into the darkest corners and captured some of the most horrific images of the war.”
DiCaprio and Winslet first worked together on Titanic, James Cameron’s groundbreaking 1997 film, which remains a box office legend.
Since then, Cameron has added Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water to the list of the top five highest-grossing films of all time.
Titanic catapulted both DiCaprio and Winslet into global stardom, making them both enduringly bankable stars who could pursue passion projects like Lee, as well as DiCaprio’s climate change documentaries Before the Flood and Ice on Fire.
The pair reunited in 2008 for Revolutionary Road and have continued to support each other’s careers ever since.
