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I'll prepare a speech for the Baftas (assuming you're a winner, Kate)

Winslet promises to avoid a repeat of her toe-curling performance at the Golden Globes

Arts Correspondent,Arifa Akbar
Tuesday 20 January 2009 01:00 GMT
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(AP)

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They are known as the three golden rules of award acceptance speeches – be grateful, be gracious and get off – and they are all too often broken when an overemotional actor rushes on to the stage.

None more so than Kate Winslet, who was criticised for giving a long and gushing speech – and forgetting Angelina Jolie's name – after winning two Golden Globes this month.

But yesterday it emerged that Winslet was determined not to be caught out next time. She will prepare a speech for the Bafta awards ceremony for which she has been nominated for two awards.

The 33-year-old British actress picked up two Golden Globes for the films, The Reader and Revolutionary Road. They have earned her two nominations for best actress at next month's Bafta ceremony .

Speaking at the London premiere of Revolutionary Road, Winslet said she had learnt from her mistake. "Clearly, I should prepare a speech because I didn't think that was going to happen at the Golden Globes. Some people apparently haven't been very nice about it but luckily I've been in America where they've said nice things.

"I'm just so excited to be included this year, I really am. It's been a remarkable two years, I think, for films in general and there's some absolutely stunning performances out there so to be up there with those heavyweights is really amazing," she added.

Winslet – whose last major award was a Bafta in 1995 for best supporting actress in Sense And Sensibility – was harshly judged for her emotional acceptance at the Golden Globes ceremony, telling the audience: "I'm sorry, I have a habit of not winning things."

Reflecting on her winning moment, Winslet said: "I'm still overwhelmed and shocked ... very, very shocked."

A host of actors have tended not to prepare a winning speech, for fear of tempting fate and the embarrassing prospect of a crumpled sheet of paper containing their winning speeches falling out of their pockets. But Brian Jenner, a veteran speechwriter, commented: "Kate Winslet didn't get off, she stood up there for ages. The cardinal rule of speech-making is that you must never go over time.

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"I was at an event once and everyone went over their times. When Prince Charles, the main event, came on there was no more time, so he said sorry and got off stage because he's such a professional," added Mr Jenner.

In Revolutionary Road Winslet plays a 1950s housewife opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. He was gracious about Winslet's Golden Globe victory, calling it "fantastic – a beautiful moment. Well-deserved and long overdue".

DiCaprio added that he and Winslet shared a professional chemistry: "We had a tremendous comfort level working together, just because we've been friends with a great trust, we have only the best intentions for each other. We push the boundaries when we act. It's something we took advantage of."

Winslet later revealed in an interview that winning two Golden Globes was the most shocking moment of her life, saying: "You're not supposed to get two, you see; why on earth would you?"

She is widely expected to appear on the Oscars shortlist.

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