Over 25 years after Titanic premiered, Kate Winslet has shared a fun behind-the-scenes secret about the iconic door scene.
While promoting her latest film, Lee, Winslet was asked about the unforgettable moment where her character, Rose, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack struggle to survive in the icy waters of the Atlantic.
She explained, “That was quite an awkward tank. To clear things up, it was only waist-high at the time… Leo, I’m afraid to say, was kneeling.” Winslet jokingly added, “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but Jimmy Cameron’s going to call me,” referring to Titanic’s director, James Cameron.
She also revealed the tank wasn’t just shallow but narrow, making the scene a little more uncomfortable. “I’d often ask, ‘Can I just go for a pee?’” she laughed, describing how she’d step off the door, walk to the edge of the tank, and climb back onto the door.
Despite its size, she called the tank “amazing” due to its infinity pool design, where water continuously cascaded over the edge. Winslet also mentioned that the sound of the water kept the cast “entirely looped” during the final 22 minutes of filming.
Fans have long debated whether both Jack and Rose could fit on the door. Mythbusters confirmed it was possible, but Cameron emphasized Jack’s death was crucial to the story. Winslet later added, “He could have fit on that door, but it wouldn’t have stayed afloat.”
