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Joe Anders
Born
Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes

(2003-12-22) December 22, 2003 (age 21)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2019–present
Parents
Relatives

Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes[1][2] (born December 22, 2003),[3] known professionally as Joe Anders, is an American-British actor. He is the son of actress Kate Winslet and film director Sam Mendes, and the younger half-brother of actress Mia Threapleton. He made his film debut with a small part in the war drama 1917 (2019), and has appeared in the television drama film I Am Ruth (2022), in the biographical war drama Lee (2023), and had his first leading role in the musical coming-of-age romantic comedy Bonus Track (2023). He also wrote the screenplay for the upcoming film Goodbye June, his mother's directorial debut.

Early life

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Anders was born in New York City on December 22, 2003,[3][4] to British actress Kate Winslet and British film director Sam Mendes.[5][6] His parents divorced in 2010, when he was six years old.[7] His father identifies as a secular Jew.[8] He has three half-siblings; an older half-sister from his mother's first marriage to film director Jim Threapleton, actress Mia Threapleton (born 2000);[4] a younger half-brother (born 2013) from his mother's third marriage to Edward Abel Smith;[4] and a younger half-sister (born 2017) from his father's second marriage to English trumpet player Alison Balsom.[9] His step-father, Edward Abel Smith, is the former head of marketing promotion and astronaut experience at Virgin Group and the nephew of the company's co-founder, English business mogul Richard Branson.[10] After marrying Winslet in 2012, Smith became a stay-at-home dad helping her raise her children.[11]

His maternal grandmother worked as a nanny and waitress, and his maternal grandfather was a struggling actor who took labouring jobs to support the family.[12][13] His maternal great-grandparents were both actors and ran the Reading Repertory Theatre Company.[14] His paternal grandfather, Jameson Peter Mendes, was a Roman Catholic University professor[15] of Portuguese descent from Trinidad and Tobago,[16][8] and his paternal grandmother, novelist Valerie Mendes, is an English Jew.[17] His paternal great-grandfather was the Trinidadian writer Alfred Mendes.[16] He also has Irish and Swedish ancestry through his mother.[18][19] His maternal great-grandparents were both actors and ran the Reading Repertory Theatre Company.[20] His maternal five times great-grandfather, Anders Jonsson, was an agricultural slave labourer in Sweden and was arrested for stealing potatoes and honey to feed his family and died in prison from typhoid in 1832, while waiting for his appeal.[19]

Anders grew up between New York City and England.[21][22] In 2010, he moved with his mother and half-sister from New York City to England in order to avoid paparazzi,[23] and since 2013 they have lived in West Wittering, Sussex.[24]

Career

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In 2019, Anders made his feature film debut at the age of 15 with a small part as Private Willock in the war drama 1917, directed by his father, Sam Mendes. He was credited as "Joe Mendes" in the film.[25]

In 2022, he changed his stage name to Joe Anders and had a small part in the Channel 4 television drama film I Am Ruth (2022), directed by Dominic Savage, appearing alongside his mother Kate Winslet and his sister Mia Threapleton, portraying their son and brother, respectively.[26]

In 2023, Anders had a small part as an American soldier in the biographical war drama Lee, directed by Ellen Kuras,[27] and had his first leading role in the musical coming-of-age romantic comedy Bonus Track,[28] directed by Julia Jackman.[5][29] For his performance in Bonus Track, he was longlisted for the British Independent Film Awards in the Breakthrough Performance category, but did not get the nomination.[30]

Anders is also a musician[31] and learned how to play the piano in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.[32] In 2024, he composed the score for Mike Gilbert's short film Big Cat.[33]

In October 2024, Anders joined the cast of Zoe Kazan's upcoming miniseries East of Eden, adapted from John Steinbeck's 1952 novel of the same name.[34]

In February 2025, it was reported that Anders wrote the screenplay for Winslet's directorial debut for Netflix, the upcoming British family drama film Goodbye June.[35]

In May 2025, Anders joined the cast of Apple TV+'s series Cape Fear.[36]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2019 1917 Private Willock as Joe Mendes
2023 Lee Frank Kleeman, American GI
Bonus Track George Bobbin

Television

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Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
2022 I Am Ruth Billy Television film
2026 East of Eden † Aron Trask Miniseries
TBA Cape Fear † TBA Television series

References

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  1. ^ "Profile: Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes". BBC News. March 15, 2010.
  2. ^ Dowd, Maureen (May 31, 2021). "Kate Winslet Has No Filter". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024. He added 'Winslet' as one of his middle names, just simply because the children have Winslet. When we're all traveling together, to all have that name on the passport makes life easier.
  3. ^ a b "Kate Winslet has son in New York". BBC News. December 27, 2003. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Kershaw, Emma (October 15, 2024). "Kate Winslet's 3 Children: All About Mia, Joe and Bear". People.
  5. ^ a b Baughan, Nikki (October 6, 2023). "'Bonus Track': London Review". Screen International. The film is also notable for giving a central role to Joe Anders, son of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes
  6. ^ Bradley, Faye (May 10, 2025). "Meet Kate Winslet's 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, who has scripted her Netflix directorial debut – the Titanic actress' child with ex-husband Sam Mendes wrote forthcoming film Goodbye June". South China Morning Post.
  7. ^ Hanel, Marnie (March 16, 2010). "Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes to Part Ways". Vanity Fair.
  8. ^ a b Bloom, Nate (January 9, 2009). "Jewish Stars". Cleveland Jewish News.
  9. ^ Lahr, John (September 17, 2018). "Sam Mendes's Directorial Discoveries". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  10. ^ Lutkin, Aimée (October 5, 2024). "All About Kate Winslet's Husband, Edward Abel Smith". Elle.
  11. ^ Campione, Katie (May 31, 2021). "Kate Winslet Says Husband Edward Abel Smith Is a 'Superhot, Superhuman, Stay-at-Home Dad'". People.
  12. ^ Fox, Chloe (January 3, 2013). "Kate Winslet: 'I don't do theatre because I'm not prepared to miss my children's bedtime'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  13. ^ Benson, Richard (December 12, 2008). "Kate Winslet: girl interrupted". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  14. ^ Feinberg, Scott (November 11, 2013). "'Labor Day' Star Kate Winslet on Defying Expectations, Onscreen and Off (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. ^ Moore, Matthew (August 7, 2019). "Sam Mendes's film 1917 is a personal battle". The Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Jameson Peter Mendes, a university professor, was the director's father.
  16. ^ a b The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes 1897-1991, p. 112-114
  17. ^ Wood, Gaby (December 14, 2008). "How Sam became The Man". The Observer. London. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
  18. ^ "Kate Winslet discovers her Irish roots". Irish Central. August 6, 2019. Kate Winslet can trace her roots back to Dublin. She learns about this link, courtesy of her paternal great-great-great-grandmother Eliza O'Brien... her roots are primarily British, Irish, and Swedish... The actress had long had a hunch her maternal ancestors were from Sweden but sadly was unable to confirm this before her mother, Sally, died
  19. ^ a b Moore, Matthew (July 16, 2019). "Kate Winslet weeps as Who Do You Think You Are? uncovers 'slave' ancestor". The Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  20. ^ Feinberg, Scott (November 11, 2013). "'Labor Day' Star Kate Winslet on Defying Expectations, Onscreen and Off (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  21. ^ "Kate Winslet and family relocate to New York". People. March 24, 2007.
  22. ^ Hiscok, John (January 23, 2009). "Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes: Hollywood's golden couple". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  23. ^ Dominus, Susan (March 3, 2024). "Kate Winslet Pushes Her Characters, and Herself, to the Edge". The New York Times.
  24. ^ Pells, Rachel (April 2, 2015). "Kate Winslet in Titanic battle over plan to build 600ft seawall to protect her home". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 15, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  25. ^ "1917 - Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Hibbs, James (December 8, 2022). "I Am Ruth cast: Meet the stars of Kate Winslet's Channel 4 drama". Radio Times.
  27. ^ "Joe Anders". United Agents. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  28. ^ "Joe Anders on Bonus Track interview at London Film Festival 2023". YouTube. October 9, 2023.
  29. ^ Billington, Alex (September 23, 2024). "Joe Anders & Samuel Small in Teen Romance Film 'Bonus Track' Trailer". First Showing.
  30. ^ "BIFA 2023 Longlists | Breakthrough Performance". British Independent Film Awards. October 24, 2023.
  31. ^ Jimmy Kimmel Live! (January 15, 2021). Kate Winslet on 7-Year-Old Son’s Career Plans & Husband’s Amazing Last Name (video). 4:05 minutes in – via YouTube.
  32. ^ "Kate Winslet and Anthony Hopkins Pay Tribute to Frontline Workers". FilmInk. September 17, 2020.
  33. ^ Big Cat (video). October 7, 2024. 11:46 minutes in – via Vimeo.
  34. ^ Porter, Rick (October 21, 2024). "Netflix's 'East of Eden' Adds to Cast as Production Gets Underway". The Hollywood Reporter.
  35. ^ Lewis, Hilary (February 16, 2025). "Kate Winslet to Make Directorial Debut With 'Goodbye June' for Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter.
  36. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 12, 2025). "Lily Collias, Joe Anders & Malia Pyles Round Out Main Cast Of Apple's 'Cape Fear' TV Series". Deadline Hollywood.
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