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Sara Packard
My name is Sarah Packard, and I'm a 19-year old student from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I run my own website (and my own Kate shrine), and my hobbies include music, movies, poetry, reading (everything from Jane Austen to Michael Crichton), traveling the globe, singing and acting. I was first exposed to Kate before she was a "name" actress at all, when few people recognized the Winslet name when I mentioned it in conversation...I watched "Heavenly Creatures" on video, in 1995, and not only adored the film, but was particularly captivated by young Kate as the spirited and imaginative Juliet Hulme. From then on I became a Kate follower; the next day, in fact, I went to see "Sense & Sensibility" in the theatre, and recognized the now familiar face.
Like Kate, I'm a tall, curvy blue-eyed blonde and utterly unashamed of my figure, as I have no desire to try to look like a stick to fit some media idea of beauty. In fact, one of the reasons I admire Kate in particular is the way she is so "natural"; of course she can be glamorous (in Givenchy for the Oscars, for example), but she is also often seen just hanging out in her jeans and beloved combat boots like a regular gal. She's obviously unconcerned with fitting into the Hollywood elite and seems very down-to-earth, independent, intelligent, and has a strong, healthy sense of self. I especially admire the nonchalant attitude she has taken in response to journalists and the like who criticize her for her weight (ha! If Kate is "fat", then what pray tell are we supposed to look like? Bony Gwyneth Paltrow?); she could care less. She is evidently secure enough in herself to not be bothered by immature, silly Hollywood types who can't handle a "real" woman like Kate. I see her at setting a very positive example as a role model for her young female fans (female fans of all ages, even) by being proud of her body instead of relentlessly dieting to look less conspicuous. Of course, Kate's physique (or her beauty in general) is not the only reason I idolize her; I consider her my favorite actress and probably the best actress of her generation because she is so phenomenally talented. She has demonstrated the range of her enormous talent in varied roles in a series of excellent, unique films (all of them favorites of mine, with the exception of "A Kid In King Arthur's Court," which is still partly redeemed simply by her appearance)...she has accepted only roles which offer something new and challenging, and stands out even in the smallest role. I never cease to be amazed by her subtle skills in relating the deepest, most powerful emotion with a simple facial expression or a few words. Few actresses are capable of making me completely empathize with them and genuinely care about their character (in fact, she often makes me cry!). In each of Kate's films I find that her characters are always fleshed-out, multi-dimensional people once she brings them to life.
The fact that Kate can act with such depth at such a young age makes her accomplishments all the more impressive, and she certainly inspires me to go out and reach for my own dreams as she has. Even though she has yet to win an Oscar (though she has at least been nominated twice already, a first for a woman her age), I am sure she eventually will rack up a few, even though I know for her it's not about the glory, the accolades, but about the sheer joy and challenge of the performance - and I commend her for that.
Kate is and will always be my idol in so many ways - for her talent, her inspiration, her great personality and intellect and smart, witty attitude, and definitely her determination. While I admire many other actresses, Kate stands out for me as an example of nonconformity and individualism in a business that tends to be about shallowness and the bottom line. Kate is a great human being above all, which is important because it renders her less susceptible to the glittery trap of becoming a self-centered Hollywood socialite. She brings a world of emotional experience to each role and creates characters that defy screenplay cliches and touch our hearts and minds indelibly. I am sure that we will continue to see such excellence from Kate as long as she remains in the business, as she seems to have a bright, promising future...and the success of "Titanic" has obviously put her in the public eye, for better or worse, so hopefully more people will be exposed to her talent. I just can't wait to see what she does next!
Previous Fans of the Week
| Phil Nolan | Dons....Kate autograph | Libby |
