Celebrity Mound

Hollywood star Kate Winslet finds the glamorization of ultra-thin “size zero” models and actresses “unbelievably disturbing” and says she keeps magazines featuring such women away from her 6-year-old daughter.

“It’s so disturbing because young girls are impressionable from 11 up to 19 or 20 even. Women are very impressionable at those ages,” Winslet told British Broadcasting Corp. television’s “Sunday AM” program.

“They’re trying to figure out who they are, and they want to be loved, and what I resent is that there is an image of perfection that is getting thinner and thinner, and it’s truly upsetting to me.”

Stick-thin celebrities like Kate Moss, Nicole Richie and Victoria Beckham have been criticized as poor role models for young women and accused of contributing to the rise in eating disorders. A major fashion event in Madrid, Spain, banned ultra-thin models from the catwalk earlier this year, and other shows have indicated they plan to do the same.

The 31-year-old Winslet, who burst on the movie scene in “Titanic” and stars in the current romantic comedy “The Holiday,” said it was “unbelievably disturbing what’s going on at the moment” with the popularity of the ultra-thin.

The British actress said she refuses to allow any magazines featuring rake-thin models into her house for fear her daughter, Mia, will see them.

“It’s only a matter of time before she becomes aware of it, and it frightens the life out of me,” said Winslet, who is married to director Sam Mendes.

Winslet said she hoped her success will be an inspiration to others.

“I hope that in some small way I’m able to say, ‘I’m a normal person, I’m doing all right.’ I’ve got a lovely husband and children and I didn’t lose weight to find those things, and those things are what should be important.”

Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet