When Kate Winslet won the BAFTA TV Award for her role in I Am Ruth, the mom of three took to the stage to accept the coveted award, and to talk about a very modern problem for today's children: social media.
The movie deals with the increasingly disturbing issue of how the online world is causing a breakdown in communication between parents and their teens. It's a world in which impressionable and often vulnerable children isolate themselves from loving family members, to be caught up in the world of social media.
In the film, Winslet plays the mom, Ruth (named for a biblical figure known for her patience), who tries to cope with her sullen daughter, Freya -- played by Winslet's real-life daughter, Mia Threapleton -- whose closed-off behavior leads to tension and despair.
It's a situation that sadly might resonate with many parents of teens these days.
So when the visibly moved Titanic actress got up to accept the award she wanted to send a powerful message on a subject that is obviously close to her heart.
First, however, Winslet gave a shout-out to her daughter by wanting to chop the statue in half and give it to her, noting Threapleton's exceptional acting when dealing with such an emotional and frightening topic.
And then she spoke of the movie that was made for "families who feel they are held hostage by the perils of the online world." But she also gave a message of encouragement to teens trapped in the world of social media, sharing "this does not need to be your life," and telling them there is no shame in seeking help.
The multi-award-winning actress also had a strong message to those governing the online world, imploring them to "criminalize harmful content," and in fact to eradicate it completely.
As she strongly stated: "We want our children back."
Whether her message has an impact on those in power we don't know, but the fact the topic is being raised will help families know they're not alone in dealing with the struggles of raising teens in a world where screen addiction is a very real problem.
