Hollywood icon Kate Winslet shared a proud maternal moment on the red carpet this week, standing alongside her towering 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, at the premiere of her new film. The event marked a significant family affair, as the project represents both Winslet's directorial debut and her son's first credited screenplay.
A Family Affair on the Red Carpet
The premiere for Goodbye June, a Netflix Christmas drama, was held on Wednesday night. The Titanic star, aged 50, looked thrilled as she posed for photographers with Joe, who significantly stood taller than his famous mother. The pair coordinated in simple, elegant black attire for the occasion.
Winslet wore a form-fitting floor-length black dress, accessorised with a belt and gold-and-black earrings. Joe complemented her look in a plain black suit and an open-necked white shirt, with his arm affectionately draped around his mother's shoulders.
The Inspiration Behind 'Goodbye June'
The film is a deeply personal project for the Oscar-winning actress. Goodbye June was inspired by the death of Winslet's own mother and follows four siblings whose lives are upended when their mother's health declines during the festive season.
In an interview with the Press Association, Winslet explained her motivation, stating she wanted to make a film that felt authentic. "I also didn't want to make a story that was about someone who dies, because it's really not," she said. "It's actually about the life that is given to the people who are left behind and that family." She emphasised the importance of setting the story within the NHS, aiming to honour palliative care workers.
A Proud Mum's Tribute
Winslet did not hold back in expressing her pride for her son's accomplishment. She revealed that Joe, who studied at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, began writing the script when he was just 19.
"I felt proud of him every day, every single day," Winslet gushed. She shared a charming anecdote about how she kept him involved during the first three weeks of production, when he was overseas working as an actor. "I had a little Snoopy patch, and it says Joe Cool on it, and I would just stick it on various different parts of my body... That was my way of keeping him [involved]."
Joe, whose father is acclaimed filmmaker Sir Sam Mendes, also has acting credits. He appeared alongside his mother in the BAFTA-winning Channel 4 series I Am..., specifically in the episode I Am Ruth.
The film boasts a stellar British cast including Dame Helen Mirren as the titular June, Timothy Spall as her husband, and Andrea Riseborough, Johnny Flynn, and Toni Collette as the siblings.
Goodbye June is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on December 12, 2025, before becoming available for streaming on Netflix on Christmas Eve.
