Interview: Kate Winslet on Bringing Lee Miller’s Untold Story to Life, a Legacy Beyond the Male Gaze [VIDEO]

Lee Miller was one of the most significant figures of the 20th century, known first for her work as a model then primarily as a photographer and war correspondent. It’s fitting that Kate Winslet, an actress equally regarded for her transformative performances, would take on the challenge of portraying Miller’s complex life in the film Lee. Not only did Winslet star in the film, but she also played a key role behind the scenes as a producer, ensuring Miller’s story would be told with the depth and authenticity it deserved.

At a recent press event, Winslet shared her thoughts on the importance of bringing Lee Miller’s story to the screen. Miller, who became one of the few women to document the front lines of World War II as a photojournalist, was a trailblazer in a male-dominated field. Her work captured the horrors of war, including the liberation of concentration camps, but her life has often been overshadowed by reductive labels. Winslet remarked that Miller had been largely defined through the “male gaze,” a perspective that framed her primarily as an “ex-cover girl” or “former muse and lover” rather than recognizing her groundbreaking achievements.

Winslet reflected on the way these descriptions diminished Miller’s legacy. “Those were actually not large parts of her life,” Winslet emphasized. She elaborated that the labels attached to Miller were not only infantilizing but also sexualized, reinforcing the idea that Miller’s value was tied to her appearance and relationships with men. “Lee Miller was so much more than that,” Winslet stated, underscoring her subject’s courage and independence.

Lee Miller’s career spanned decades, and she moved from being a muse to renowned artists like Man Ray in the 1920s to documenting the devastation of World War II for Vogue magazine. She was present at the liberation of the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps, where her photos brought the atrocities of the Holocaust to light for a global audience. “If it weren’t for her, we would not have access to those stories,” Winslet explained. “Those stories may have never been heard with a compassionate eye.”

One of the most famous images of Miller is the photograph she took in Adolf Hitler’s bathtub in his Munich apartment in 1945, shortly after his death. Winslet spoke about the iconic moment, saying, “That’s just Lee.” The image became symbolic of Miller’s irreverent approach to life, her defiance of norms, and her unflinching engagement with history. Winslet added, “This was a woman who took risks and took chances. She was a woman who was prepared to go the distance.”

Winslet herself was deeply affected by playing Miller. “The ability she had to live life on her terms, at full throttle, and never take her foot off the gas was a complete inspiration to me,” Winslet reflected. “A lot of who she was has really changed me in so many ways.” This project represents an important retelling of a forgotten woman’s story, one that sheds light on the complexities of her life and the remarkable impact she made on history that likely only Kate Winslet could have told.

Lee is directed by Ellen Kuras, known for her work as a cinematographer on films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The film also stars Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cotillard, and hits theaters nationwide on September 27 from Roadside Attractions.