Kate Winslet on why sex scene with Saoirse Ronan was different

Kate Winslset achieved instant fame with her role as Rose DeWitt Bukater in 1997's epic blockbuster Titanic.

Speaking to The Weekend Australian's Review, the English-born star, 45, revealed why her sex scene with Saoirse Ronan, 26, in her latest film Ammonite felt 'very different' compared to her heterosexual love scenes. 

Kate plays Mary Anning, a 19th-century British palaeontologist who has an affair with a married woman, Charlotte Murchison, played by Saoirse. 

Candid interview: Kate Winslet (pictured in 2018), 45, revealed to The Weekend Australian's Review on Saturday why her sex scene with Saoirse Ronan in latest film Ammonite, felt 'very different' than previous heterosexual love scenes 

'It did feel very different,' Kate said of her sex scene with Saoirse. 'I've played LGBTQ characters before. In fact, I played an LGBTQ character in the first film I ever did, Heavely Creatures.' 

Kate said in those days she lacked the confidence she now has.   

'I was very young, I had only just turned 17 actually and also I had very little experience of actual intimacy in my own life, so I didn’t really know what I was doing, other than playing the character,' she explained. 

Latest role: Kate (pictured on the set) plays Mary Anning, a 19th-century British palaeontologist who has an affair with a married woman, Charlotte Murchison, played by Saoirse 

Kate added that having performed heterosexual sex scenes in many of her other films, she realised that with two women, speaking the 'same physical language' made a huge difference. 

The Academy Award winner was thrust into the spotlight in 1997's romance drama Titanic, where she played Rose DeWitt Bukater opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.

Kate told Good Housekeeping back in 2007 how the film's success changed her life.

'It did feel very different': Kate told The Australian that having performed heterosexual sex scenes in many of her other films, she realised that with two women, speaking the 'same physical language' made a huge difference. Pictured with Saoirse, 26 

'Well, the thing that it really did for me was give me this incredible freedom of choice,' she said.

'Now that I'm a mother, I'm in a position where I can choose to work or not to work.'

Kate also said she takes acting very seriously, and doesn't just 'turn up' to the set. 

'I really fret about it, I do my homework, I prepare myself for the experience of playing a particular character. And I love that about my job.' 

Ammonite is in cinemas from January 14. 

Better with age: The Academy Award winner also said that in her younger days she lacked the confidence she has now