THE GREATEST LOVE STORY: 'I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO FANCY LEO - HE'S SO GORGEOUS'

AS TITANIC IS RERELEASED FOR VALENTINE’S DAY, KATE WINSLET REVEALS HER SPECIAL BOND WITH CO-STAR LEO

- RHONA MERCER

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since Titanic first hit our screens – the iconic film that made its stars, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, more famous than they could ever have imagined.

The movie, which was rereleased on 10 February to mark the anniversary, was based on the tragic events of 1912, when more than 1,500 people drowned in the North Atlantic after a luxury steamship hit an iceberg and subsequently sank.

We sobbed in cinemas across the country all those years ago as we watched Rose (played by Kate) and Jack (played by Leonardo) fall madly in love, only for him to lose his life as he bravely saved hers.

But it wasn’t just the relationship between Kate and Leo’s characters that we were emotionally invested in. We found ourselves swept up in the real-life bond that the actors had established. Unlike many Hollywood friendships, this connection has stood the test of time, and Kate isn’t shy when it comes to gushing about how much she loves her old co-star.

The 47-year-old said, “I feel so grateful for that friendship and it is like family. It’s one of those rare Hollywood friendships that I feel very blessed to have.”

Kate, who was only 21 and relatively unknown when she made the film, is the first to admit that she was worried about working with Leo at first in case she fancied him. “I did think to myself beforehand, it’s going to be hard, because you know, what if I really fancy him? And I so thought I was going to, because he is absolutely gorgeous,” she said.

However, shortly after getting to know Leo, who was then 22, Kate realised they were more like siblings. “It was a real brother-sister thing. We were very, very close and really stuck together,” she added.