Kate Winslet Reveals That Devastating Avatar: The Way of Water Death Scene Was Played Opposite a Giant Metal Grate, Not a Co-Star
Ro'a’s on-screen death stunned viewers — but on set, the moment unfolded in a radically different way.
One of the most emotional beats in Avatar: The Way of Water was powered by a truly ridiculous acting partner: a metal grate with an eyeball stuck to it. Yes, really.
Kate Winslet vs. The Eyeball Grate
In the Disney+ documentary 'Fire and Ash - Making the Avatar Films,' Kate Winslet breaks down how she shot Ronal's gut-punch reaction to the death of her spirit sister, the Tulkun Ro'a. Instead of a majestic creature, she was floating in a water tank, face-to-face with a big metal grate sporting a single, minimally sculpted eye. It sounds like a prank, but no — that was the stand-in.
'I was thinking, OK, I’ve got to dig deep here... That’s the most extreme version of imagining. It was easier imagining an iceberg passing by.'
Production designer Dylan Cole admits even he was stunned by what Winslet pulled off, praising her for emoting to, essentially, a prop eyeball. Bizarre setup, serious performance.
Cameron’s Version of 'Do It for Real'
If you’re picturing green screens and dry stages, James Cameron would like a word. He pushed hard to make the underwater work feel grounded for the actors — which meant building real environments and making them work in them.
- Custom-built water tanks sized for full performance capture
- Jetpacks in the water to create believable currents and resistance
- Top-tier free-divers on set to keep the cast safe and calm underwater
'Pantomime is your enemy. You want the actors to have real behavior, real effort, really be tired. The more the world pushes back against the actor, the more it starts to feel real to them.'
Winslet backs that up, saying the work was physical, hard, and fully immersive — not some cartoon shortcut. It really is the actors in there, generating the energy and environment you see on screen.
About That Breath-Hold
Quick reminder: Winslet made headlines on Way of Water for holding her breath underwater for more than seven minutes. Grate or no grate, they’re not faking the water. Will she top that in 'Fire and Ash'? We’ll see.
When You Can Watch
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' hits theaters on December 19.