BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- "Titanic" director James Cameron denied a popular rumor at an ongoing film festival in Beijing in saying that Kate Winslet, the lead actress of the epic romance, did not send him letters to win the part of Rose.
Reports appeared after the blockbuster was firstly released in 1997, suggesting that the British actress flooded Cameron with letters and roses, vying for the part, until he accepted.
The Canadian director quashed the story at the second Beijing International Film Festival but said that Winslet did send him a note when she was awarded the part.
"She sent me -- I can't remember -- a bouquet of roses or just one rose, and a note that said 'From your Rose'," according to Cameron.
The director said that Winslet was chosen after he auditioned many young actresses.
"She was outstanding, simply outstanding. There was no question in our minds that she was going to be amazing in the movie," he told an audience.
"She had to have the beauty, the inner strength, and also the vulnerability, because she is playing a girl who is at a point of a great turmoil in her life, and emotional and psychological jeopardy, and she had to play all of the things. It's a very complex character."
The 58-year-old director's two masterpieces -- "Avatar" and "Titanic" -- are the highest-grossing films of all time, at 2.03 billion U.S.dollars and 2.78 billion dollars, respectively.
As of Monday, the 3D-enhanced re-release of "Titanic" had grossed over 600 million yuan (95 million U.S. dollars) in the Chinese mainland since its debut on April 10, which coincides with this month's 100th anniversary of the liner's sinking.
The film festival kicked off Monday evening and closes on Saturday. More than 260 films from across the globe will be screened at the event.