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Kate Winslet was "too scared" to base her dictator character on a real political figure for her new TV miniseries The Regime.
The Oscar-winning actress plays Elena Vernham, the power-hungry dictator of a fictional European country, in the HBO political satire, which depicts the unravelling of her authoritarian regime.
On The Graham Norton Show, Winslet admitted she did not feel confident about taking on the character.
"I never feel confident. It was completely terrifying. I have never played a character like this before," she said. "She is so absurd and really just nuts. I knew that I was going to have to try and find a way to do something I have never done before. Every single day I was like, 'Come on, you can do it.' It was such a wild ride."
When asked if she used any real political figures as inspiration, the Titanic actress admitted she was "too scared" to do so.
"I wish I could tell you that I did, but I was too scared to do that, so I just made up my own stuff. I couldn't draw a comparison to anybody I know because she is such an invention. I have never come across anyone like her," she told host Norton. "People will take from it what they will."
While she was terrified about playing her character, Winslet had "a great experience" taking on the satirical material.
"It really is very funny, and we wet ourselves laughing every day," she shared.
The Regime, also starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough and Hugh Grant, will premiere in the U.K. in April.
The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday nights.
The Oscar-winning actress plays Elena Vernham, the power-hungry dictator of a fictional European country, in the HBO political satire, which depicts the unravelling of her authoritarian regime.
On The Graham Norton Show, Winslet admitted she did not feel confident about taking on the character.
"I never feel confident. It was completely terrifying. I have never played a character like this before," she said. "She is so absurd and really just nuts. I knew that I was going to have to try and find a way to do something I have never done before. Every single day I was like, 'Come on, you can do it.' It was such a wild ride."
When asked if she used any real political figures as inspiration, the Titanic actress admitted she was "too scared" to do so.
"I wish I could tell you that I did, but I was too scared to do that, so I just made up my own stuff. I couldn't draw a comparison to anybody I know because she is such an invention. I have never come across anyone like her," she told host Norton. "People will take from it what they will."
While she was terrified about playing her character, Winslet had "a great experience" taking on the satirical material.
"It really is very funny, and we wet ourselves laughing every day," she shared.
The Regime, also starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough and Hugh Grant, will premiere in the U.K. in April.
The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday nights.