Kate Winslet reveals Idris Elba's foot fetish during 'Mountain Between Us' shoot
Synopsis
A resurfaced clip from The Graham Norton Show has Kate Winslet recounting one of Hollywood's more unexpected on-set requests — Idris Elba asking her to keep her socks on during their intimate scene for The Mountain Between Us, explaining he has 'a foot thing.' The moment is vintage unscripted television, and it's found a whole new audience years later.
Key Takeaways
Kate Winslet recalled the anecdote on The Graham Norton Show ; the clip has resurfaced online.
The intimate scene was from The Mountain Between Us ( 2017 ), directed by Hany Abu-Assad .
Winslet said the director had never previously shot a love scene and arrived with a shot list of around 25 shots .
Idris Elba asked Winslet to keep her socks on, telling her: 'I've got a foot thing.' The clip is the latest example of older celebrity interview moments finding renewed viral traction on social media.
Kate Winslet once shared a candid and humorous account of filming an intimate scene with Idris Elba for their 2017 survival romance The Mountain Between Us — a shoot that came with an unexpected request from her co-star. The anecdote, originally told on The Graham Norton Show, has resurfaced online and is drawing fresh attention.
The Love Scene That Almost Didn't Happen
According to Winslet, the film's director had never previously helmed an intimate scene, which created an atmosphere of collective nerves on set. Winslet recalled that the director arrived with an extensive shot list of around 25 shots, prompting her to step in and take charge of the situation.
'I'm afraid I had to get quite bossy. I've done a few of these kinds of scenes before,' she said, recounting how she redirected the crew to simply get filming underway. Both the director and Elba were, by her account, visibly anxious before cameras rolled.
Elba's Surprising Request
The moment that has since gone viral came when Winslet was preparing for the scene and Elba made an unexpected ask. 'Keep your socks on,' he reportedly told her. When she questioned why — pointing out that 'everything else is off' — Elba explained simply: 'I've got a foot thing.'
Winslet recounted the exchange with evident amusement, and the studio audience's reaction on The Graham Norton Show mirrored that energy. The clip, now recirculating across social media, has reignited interest in the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the film.
About the Film
The Mountain Between Us, released in October 2017, starred Winslet and Elba as two strangers stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, who develop a romantic connection while fighting to survive. The film was directed by Hany Abu-Assad. It received mixed critical reviews but drew audiences largely on the strength of its two leads.
Why the Clip Is Trending Again
The resurfacing of older celebrity interview clips is a well-established social media pattern, particularly when they involve candid, unscripted moments from well-known stars. Winslet's storytelling — self-deprecating, vivid, and clearly unrehearsed — fits that template precisely. This is not the first time a Graham Norton Show segment has found a second life years after its original broadcast.
As both Winslet and Elba remain among the most prominent names in global cinema, the clip is likely to continue circulating in entertainment news cycles in the days ahead.
Point of View
But its second viral life says something more interesting: audiences are increasingly turning to unscripted, archival celebrity moments as an antidote to the carefully managed press-circuit content that dominates today. Winslet's willingness to tell the story — with Elba's name attached and no apparent discomfort — reflects a generational comfort with candour that PR teams now struggle to contain. The Graham Norton Show has long been the format that extracts these moments; the algorithm is simply finishing the job years later.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Kate Winslet reveal about Idris Elba on The Graham Norton Show?
Kate Winslet revealed that Idris Elba asked her to keep her socks on during the filming of an intimate scene for The Mountain Between Us, explaining that he has a foot fetish. The anecdote was told on The Graham Norton Show and the clip has since resurfaced online.
Which film were Kate Winslet and Idris Elba shooting when this happened?
The incident occurred during the production of The Mountain Between Us, a survival romance released in October 2017. The film was directed by Hany Abu-Assad and features Winslet and Elba as two strangers stranded in the wilderness who fall for each other.
Why is this old clip trending now?
The Graham Norton Show clip has resurfaced on social media, a common pattern for candid and humorous celebrity interview moments. Both Kate Winslet and Idris Elba remain high-profile figures, which amplifies the clip's reach when it recirculates.
Who directed The Mountain Between Us?
The Mountain Between Us was directed by Hany Abu-Assad. According to Winslet, it was his first time directing an intimate scene, which contributed to the nervous atmosphere on set that day.
How did Kate Winslet handle the nervous atmosphere on set?
Winslet said she 'had to get quite bossy,' taking charge of the shoot after the director arrived with an extensive list of around 25 planned shots and both he and Elba appeared visibly anxious. She redirected the crew and pushed for filming to begin.
