Washington, Feb 12: Hollywood actress Kate Winslet feared that she was not capable enough to pull off her Oscar nominated role in The Reader.

The 33-year-old actress won over critics with her role of a Nazi concentration camp guard who has an affair with a 15-year-old boy.

Her efforts have already been recognised by BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, and the actress is tipped to win the Best actress gong at the Academy Awards.

Winslet admits she feared the prospect of playing a character so complex.

"At first it was absolutely terrifying, I had nothing from my own life that I could compare with her. I thought, ''Do I have the chops?'' Then I was like, ''Kate, stop fannying (messing) around''," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

"Even if I didn''t like her, I had to understand her," she added.

The Titanic star, who struggled with weight issues during childhood, admits that she loves to dress up for award functions as she gets the chance to wear nice gowns on the red carpets.

"My mother would get me to wear a pink puffball hand-me-down skirt that had to be let out because I was considerably stockier than my sister. So I never felt great dressing up. Now I just want to enjoy it," she said. (ANI)