Even though Kate Winslet is known for that one really famous love story, some might say that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the superior romance movie that features a soul-crushing tragedy.
Winslet starred alongside Jim Carrey in the 2004 sci-fi drama which tells the story of Joel and Clementine’s painful breakup that caused them both to undergo a procedure to erase their memories of each other. The movie went on to earn some Oscar nominations and in the years since its release, it has found a new audience with younger viewers.
This year, Winslet stars in Lee, a biopic of photojournalist Lee Miller that is directed by Ellen Kuras, who happened to work on Eternal Sunshine all those years ago. Winslet told Time Magazine that she has noticed the newfound admiration for the 2004 film. “There’s something really special about Eternal Sunshine somehow becoming an inspirational narrative for those young people who are still figuring it all out,” Winslet said. The movie celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with some snazzy new merch and a limited theatrical re-release, proving that its popularity has remained intact over the years.
Winslet also expressed surprise at Ariana Grande’s latest album, Eternal Sunshine, having numerous references to the film. She asked, “I mean, how old must she have been when the movie came out?” To answer, she would have been 10, so definitely not old enough to watch a hear-wrenching breakup tale. Winslet’s 34-year-old costar, Josh O’Connor, revealed that it’s one of his favorites, so that has got to be worth something.
In March, Grande dropped a music video for “We Can’t Be Friends” which followed a very similar plot to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. “I think the movie is so beloved because so many people can relate to knowing that something isn’t right but loving so much and wanting to stay,” the singer said at the time. “I think it kind of fell into place that these songs had little tidbits of that theme. I just felt really inspired by it.”
Next up, Winslet stars in Lee, which hits theaters on September 27th, and, eventually Avatar: Fire and Ash.