Kate Winslet on Working with James Cameron (Again) for Avatar Sequels

Twenty-five years ago, the world was offered a look into James Cameron’s ambitious, big-budget project Titanic, presenting a doomed love story based on a very real tragedy starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio (a movie that would become one of the most profitable films ever).

Despite that monumental success and the accolades that would follow, the demanding title left Winslet a little less than invested in working with the visionary director for a second time until the fresh release of Avatar: The Way of Water, successfully enlisting Winslet for Cameron’s effects-heavy creation. So what is it about Avatar that was able to see Winslet and Cameron reunite for a second cinematic experience?

How Avatar and Titanic Differed for Winslet

During an interview with Winslet and EW, the star discusses the opposing conceptual forces of both Avatar and Titanic that intrigued her by explaining, “You couldn’t compare the two. The two films are so different. Literally, the only common thread is there’s water in both of them, but water that is there for different reasons behaves in totally different ways.” Winslet then elaborates, “These experiences were so far apart. I turned 21 on that shoot. I am now 47 years old. It’s a very, very, very long time ago. Jim, as a director, as a person, you know, we are just both different, older, have hopefully learned a lot more in terms of how to tell stories and be creative contributors and collaborators.”

In the same conversation, the star expands on the connection that’s developed in-between films by admitting, “I feel like he’s always checked in with me. ‘Are you busy right now?’ or ‘What’s going on? I may have something.’ Then I wouldn’t hear for a while, and I think he’s drifted off that idea. Then he’d be floating back in with another one. And then in 2014, he did say to me, ‘I’m gonna get you big and blue.”

Avatar: The Way of Water is in theaters now, so check it out for your second helping of Cameron’s unique, carefully crafted story in 3D!