Kate Winslet [1] is one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading ladies [2], but that wasn't always the case. During a talk at the fourth annual WE Day UK event on Wednesday, the Oscar-winning actress [3] opened up about her experience with being bullied and body shamed [4] growing up. "I was always comparing myself to others," she told the crowd. "They called me 'Blubber,' they teased me for wanting to act. Locked me in the cupboard and would laugh at me. I wasn't the prettiest and I was even told that I'd be lucky in my acting if I was happy to settle for the fat girl parts. I'd never let go of that, and they'd say, 'You're just not what we're looking for, Kate.' This unkindness made me feel truly horrendous."

Even though she didn't fit into "someone else's idea of perfect [5]," she chose to ignore the negativity and work hard for what she was passionate about. "I was always auditioning for the school plays," she said. "I didn't really get very good parts, mind you, but I didn't mind. I didn't care. I would often get cast as the crocodile, or the scarecrow, or the dark fairy. I was even a dancing frog once. But it didn't matter. I still loved it. I loved acting. It didn't matter how big or small the parts were. I wanted to be great and I was determined to keep learning." And look where she is now!