Raymond Hall/GC ImagesToday is a glorious day in our nation's history. October 5, 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the birth of one Kate Winslet.
That's right, the affable actress turns the big 4-0 today, and we couldn't be happier. Forgive us for going a little overboard, but it's been a bleak few days in the news cycle. Mass shootings, migrant crises, massive flooding and celebrity divorces makes for a very upsetting time, so we'll look for anything that gives us a bit of a mood boost. And boost our mood Kate Winslet certainly does.
There are so many reasons to love the newly-minted 40-year-old, but she often finds herself taking second fiddle, fan-wise, to the more, er, out there actresses in Hollywood. She probably prefers life out of the spotlight, but since it's her birthday we're going to embarrass the crap out of her with praise. Consider it the digital version of having an entire restaurant sing "Happy Birthday" while you cringe the night away. As such, here are 10 of our most favorite things about Kate.
1. She's actually excited about turning 40. Just look at that photo! She's so jazzed about her big day that she's flashing a 4-0 at the obnoxious gang of paparazzi. In a culture that looks down on aging, this is d--n refreshing.
2. She absolutely rules the red carpet on the reg. And not with, like, boring gowns and stuff—she rolls up to events in fantastically bright blues and basically screams "I'm here, I'm Kate, get used to it!"
3. She does this at sporting events. In other words, she looks exactly like most sports fans, but it's especially impressive since the typical Wimbledon attendee prefers to sip champagne in crisp white suits instead of actually getting into the game.
4. Her characters are wide-ranging and vast, yet somehow she always manages to play someone we find ourselves completely connecting with. Whether she's playing a war criminal or an unlucky-in-love newspaper editor she literally is us. (But especially when she's an unlucky-in-love newspaper editor).
5. Three words: Self-deprecating humor. There's no faster way to our hearts.
6. She drank tea on a mountainside with Bear Grylls, before they started a fire out of nothing but a tampon and some lip balm. It's official: Kate Winslet is the most charming person to ever be stuck in the wilderness.
7. She actually saved an elderly woman from a house on fire. This came after she endured a hurricane, a lightning strike, and getting her own children to safety, too. "You go, girl" seems a vastly deficient term, but it's all we can think of.
8. Just...this.
9. She married a man named Ned Rocknroll. Anyone who can see past that name is really living the whole "Beauty is on the inside" mantra.
10. She's British. And yes, if you're wondering, simply having that accent is enough to make us crush on her constantly.