First look: Kate Winslet in Channel 4’s I Am Ruth
David Farnor | On 11, Nov 2022
Kate Winslet is heading to Channel 4 later this year for the latest instalment of I Am, and a new image gives us a first look at her as Ruth.
I Am Ruth is a feature-length chapter in the female-led drama anthology series, created by BAFTA winning filmmaker Dominic Savage. The two-hour special tells a fictional story that was developed and co-authored by Dominic Savage and Kate Winslet, who together have conceived a story about the endemic mental health crisis affecting young people.
The film offers an honest and authentic portrayal of a mother and daughter’s increasingly strained relationship. Winslet stars as Ruth, a loving and concerned mother who witnesses her teenage daughter, Freya (Mia Threapleton), retreating into herself as she becomes more and more consumed by the pressures of social media.
Winslet said: “The collaborative and sensitive way in which Dominic Savage goes about creating and filming each episode of I Am is challenging, rewarding and completely immersive. The actors become these roles, and there is simply no room for pretending. It’s a working environment that any actor would give anything to be a part of, and I can safely say with my hand on heart that I will never forget the things we learnt as we made this piece.”
Dominic Savage said: “It encapsulates everything that I love about making drama – experimental, raw, instinctive, with fearless acting, and above all, about something that affects all of us in some way. I believe that many parents and children will relate to our story of immense difficulty and hope.”
Kate Winslet to star in I Am Season 3
13th April 2022
Kate Winslet is heading to Channel 4 for the third season of its anthology drama, I Am.
Winslet and her daughter Mia Threapleton will star in the first feature-length episode of the third run of Dominic Savage’s female-led series. The three episodes of Season 3 are once again are named after their lead characters. Winslet, fresh from her return to TV in Mare of Easttown (pictured) takes the lead role in I Am Ruth opposite her Mia Threapleton (Shadows, Dangerous Liaisons), with the other two films in the trilogy yet to be announced.
Winslet said: “I have always admired Dominic’s work and, in particular, his commitment to telling real stories. British television is at an all time high, and I feel excited and honoured to be part of this community, especially right now.”
The story for each episode of I Am is developed in partnership with the leading actor, with semi-improvised dialogue. Season 1 starred Vicky McClure, Samantha Morton and Gemma Chan, with Season 2 starring Lesley Manville, Suranne Jones and Letitia Wright.
Savage said: “It is a complete honour for me to be working and collaborating with Kate Winslet on this first film of the new series of I Am for Channel 4. Kate is such a legend, such an incredible and sublime acting talent, and I can’t wait to start shooting this unique and important story that we have created together.”
Filming will start at the end of April for three weeks.
