Kate Winslet was just 21 when she starred in the mega-blockbuster Titanic (1997). In high demand ever since, Winslet brings depth to her roles, from a former Nazi prison guard (The Reader, 2008) to a bored but complicated housewife (Little Children, 2006).

The strains of marriage and parenthood loom large in Winslet’s new movie Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski. It’s a faithful adaptation of the hit Broadway play God of Carnage starring Winslet, Cristoph Waltz, Jodie Foster, and John C. Reilly as two sets of yuppie parents trying to sort out what happened after a playground fight between their sons.

The real issue turns out to be between the adults. “It’s about flinging a lot of mud at each other and each others marriages,” Winslet tells Kurt Andersen. “And the cracks within each of these marriages are revealed and explored and thrown around the room. Throw in apple and pear cobbler and whiskey in the middle of the afternoon and it adds to some interesting fireworks."

As the slapstick drama escalates, Winslet's character suddenly and spectacularly vomits. Kurt can’t help it — he’s curious how this works. "We did several versions of it. That amount of vomit could not be held in anyone's mouth,” she explains, gamely. “And then there was a rig and a little bit of CGI. There are photos of me in a full blue suit in front of blue screen. It was very much a ‘Gollum’ scenario.”