{{Short description|American-British actor (born 2003)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Joe Anders | image = | birth_name = Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|12|22}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | education = National Film and Television School | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Actor * screenwriter * composer }} | years_active = 2019–present | mother = Kate Winslet | father = Sam Mendes | relatives = {{Plainlist| * Mia Threapleton (half-sister) * Valerie Mendes (grandmother) * Alfred Mendes (great-grandfather) }} }}
'''Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes''' (born December 22, 2003),<ref name="birthdate">{{Cite web |date=December 27, 2003 |title=Kate Winslet has son in New York |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3350461.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241201225140/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3350461.stm |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |access-date=December 1, 2024 |website=BBC News}}</ref> known professionally as '''Joe Anders''', is an American-British<ref>{{Cite web |last=Emily |first=Olivia |date=August 27, 2025 |title=Kate Winslet's Directorial Debut Is An A-List Netflix Christmas Film |url=https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/goodbye-june-netflix/ |website=Country and Town House |quote=''Goodbye June'' was written by American-British actor Joe Anders}}</ref> actor, screenwriter and composer. He is the son of actress Kate Winslet and film director Sam Mendes, and the younger half-brother of actress Mia Threapleton. He began his career with a small part in the war drama ''1917'' (2019), the Channel 4 film ''I Am Ruth'' (2022) and the biographical war drama ''Lee'' (2023) before starring in the musical coming-of-age romantic comedy ''Bonus Track'' (2023). He also wrote the screenplay for the film ''Goodbye June'' (2025), his mother's directorial debut.
== Early life == Anders was born Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2010 |title=Profile: Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8569179.stm |website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dowd |first=Maureen |date=May 31, 2021 |title=Kate Winslet Has No Filter |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/style/mare-of-easttown-kate-winslet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241202205701/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/style/mare-of-easttown-kate-winslet.html |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=The New York Times |quote=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.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> in New York City on December 22, 2003,<ref name="birthdate"/><ref name="people">{{Cite web |last=Kershaw |first=Emma |date=October 15, 2024 |title=Kate Winslet's 3 Children: All About Mia, Joe and Bear |url=https://people.com/parents/all-about-kate-winslet-kids/ |website=People}}</ref> to English actress Kate Winslet and film director Sam Mendes.<ref name="screendaily">{{Cite web |last=Baughan |first=Nikki |date=October 6, 2023 |title=‘Bonus Track’: London Review |url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/bonus-track-london-review/5186643.article |website=Screen International |quote=The film is also notable for giving a central role to Joe Anders, son of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradley |first=Faye |date=May 10, 2025 |title=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 |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3309563/meet-kate-winslets-21-year-old-son-joe-anders-who-has-scripted-her-netflix-directorial-debut-titanic |website=South China Morning Post}}</ref> His parents separated in 2010, when he was six years old,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanel |first=Marnie |date=March 16, 2010 |title=Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes to Part Ways |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2010/03/kate-winslet-and-sam-mendes-to-part-ways |website=Vanity Fair}}</ref> and divorced in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Hannah Lyons |date=October 4, 2011 |title=Kate Winslet opens up about her divorce for the first time |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/kate-winslet-opens-up-divorce-sam-mendes-first-time |website=Glamour UK}}</ref> His father identifies as a secular Jew.<ref name="cleveland">{{cite web|last=Bloom|first=Nate|title=Jewish Stars |publisher=Cleveland Jewish News|date=9 January 2009|url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/jewish-stars/article_704906f5-e3a9-55c6-b87f-f7594e884ac8.html}}</ref> He has three half-siblings: an older half-sister from his mother's first marriage to painter-filmmaker Jim Threapleton, actress Mia Threapleton (born 2000);<ref name="people"/> a younger half-brother (born 2013) from his mother's third marriage to English businessman Edward Abel Smith;<ref name="people"/> and a younger half-sister (born 2017) from his father's second marriage to English trumpet player Alison Balsom.<ref name="Lahr">{{Cite web |last=Lahr |first=John |date=September 17, 2018 |title=Sam Mendes’s Directorial Discoveries |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/24/sam-mendes-directorial-discoveries |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210421001224/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/24/sam-mendes-directorial-discoveries |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |access-date=May 21, 2025 |website=The New Yorker}}</ref> His stepfather, Edward Abel Smith, is the former head of marketing promotion and astronaut experience at Virgin Galactic and the nephew of the company's co-founder, English business mogul Richard Branson.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lutkin |first=Aimée |date=October 5, 2024 |title=All About Kate Winslet's Husband, Edward Abel Smith |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a60235503/who-is-kate-winslet-husband-edward-abel-smith/ |website=Elle}}</ref> After marrying Winslet in 2012, Abel Smith became a stay-at-home dad helping her raise her children.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campione |first=Katie |date=May 31, 2021 |title=Kate Winslet Says Husband Edward Abel Smith Is a 'Superhot, Superhuman, Stay-at-Home Dad' |url=https://people.com/parents/kate-winslet-says-husband-edward-abel-smith-is-a-superhot-superhuman-stay-at-home-dad/ |website=People}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10528659/Kate-Winslet-I-dont-do-theatre-because-Im-not-prepared-to-miss-my-childrens-bedtime.html |title=Kate Winslet: 'I don't do theatre because I'm not prepared to miss my children's bedtime' |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=3 January 2013 |access-date=29 October 2017 |first=Chloe |last=Fox |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728070142/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10528659/Kate-Winslet-I-dont-do-theatre-because-Im-not-prepared-to-miss-my-childrens-bedtime.html |archive-date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Benson |title=Kate Winslet: girl interrupted |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/3723192/Kate-Winslet-girl-interrupted.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=12 December 2008 |access-date=14 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304174628/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/3723192/Kate-Winslet-girl-interrupted.html |archive-date=4 March 2011}}</ref> His maternal great-grandparents were both actors and ran the Reading Repertory Theatre Company.<ref>{{cite news |last=Feinberg |first=Scott |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/labor-day-star-kate-winslet-653268 |title='Labor Day' Star Kate Winslet on Defying Expectations, Onscreen and Off (Q&A) |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=11 November 2013}}</ref> His paternal grandfather, Jameson Peter Mendes, was a Roman Catholic University professor<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Matthew |date=August 7, 2019 |title=Sam Mendes’s film 1917 is a personal battle |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/sam-mendes-s-film-1917-is-a-personal-battle-k2tttqwn7 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241202220745/https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/sam-mendes-s-film-1917-is-a-personal-battle-k2tttqwn7 |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |url-status=live |website=The Times |quote=Jameson Peter Mendes, a university professor, was the director’s father.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> of Portuguese descent from Trinidad and Tobago,<ref name=bokref1>''The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes 1897-1991'', p. 112-114</ref><ref name="cleveland"/> and his paternal grandmother, novelist Valerie Mendes, is an English Jew.<ref name="ObserverWood">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/dec/14/sam-mendes-interview|title=How Sam became The Man |date=14 December 2008|work=The Observer|access-date=16 March 2010 |location=London |first=Gaby |last=Wood}}</ref> His paternal great-grandfather was the Trinidadian writer Alfred Mendes.<ref name=bokref1/> He also has Irish and Swedish ancestry through his mother.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/kate-winslet-irish-roots | title=Kate Winslet discovers her Irish roots |website=Irish Central |date=6 August 2019 |quote=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}}</ref><ref name="thetimes">{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Matthew |date=July 16, 2019 |title=Kate Winslet weeps as Who Do You Think You Are? uncovers ‘slave’ ancestor |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/kate-winslet-weeps-as-who-do-you-think-you-are-uncovers-slave-ancestor-zlp82hhzt |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250521235255/https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/kate-winslet-weeps-as-who-do-you-think-you-are-uncovers-slave-ancestor-zlp82hhzt |archive-date=21 May 2025 |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Times}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 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.<ref name="thetimes"/>
Anders grew up between New York City and England.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 24, 2007 |title=Kate Winslet and family relocate to New York |url=https://people.com/parents/kate_winslet_an_1/ |website=People}}</ref><ref name="golden couple">{{cite news |last=Hiscok |first=John |title=Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes: Hollywood's golden couple |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/4324607/Kate-Winslet-and-Sam-Mendes-Hollywoods-golden-couple.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=23 January 2009 |access-date=31 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617114254/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/4324607/Kate-Winslet-and-Sam-Mendes-Hollywoods-golden-couple.html |archive-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> In 2010, he relocated with his mother and half-sister from New York to England to avoid paparazzi,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dominus |first=Susan |date=March 3, 2024 |title=Kate Winslet Pushes Her Characters, and Herself, to the Edge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/03/magazine/kate-winslet-the-regime.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref> and since 2013 they have lived in West Wittering, Sussex.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pells |first=Rachel |title=Kate Winslet in Titanic battle over plan to build 600ft seawall to protect her home |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/kate-winslet-in-titanic-battle-over-plan-to-build-600ft-seawall-to-protect-her-home-10153213.html |access-date=30 October 2017 |date=2 April 2015 |work=The Independent |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215124303/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/kate-winslet-in-titanic-battle-over-plan-to-build-600ft-seawall-to-protect-her-home-10153213.html |archive-date=15 December 2015}}</ref>
== Career == ===Acting=== 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1917 - Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/1917/cast/2000232898/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=TV Guide}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hibbs |first=James |date=December 8, 2022 |title=I Am Ruth cast: Meet the stars of Kate Winslet's Channel 4 drama |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/i-am-ruth-cast/ |website=Radio Times}}</ref>
In 2023, Anders had a small part as an American soldier in the biographical war drama ''Lee'', directed by Ellen Kuras,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Anders |url=https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/cv/15720/acting |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=United Agents}}</ref> and had his first leading role in the musical coming-of-age romantic comedy ''Bonus Track'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 9, 2023 |title=Joe Anders on Bonus Track interview at London Film Festival 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk3kzuEAJjc |website=YouTube}}</ref> directed by Julia Jackman.<ref name="screendaily"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Billington |first=Alex |date=September 23, 2024 |title=Joe Anders & Samuel Small in Teen Romance Film 'Bonus Track' Trailer |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2024/teen-romance-film-bonus-track-trailer-with-joe-anders-samuel-small/ |website=First Showing}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 24, 2023 |title=BIFA 2023 Longlists {{!}} Breakthrough Performance |url=https://www.bifa.film/news/bifa-2023-longlists-breakthrough-performance/ |website=British Independent Film Awards}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|first=Rick|last=Porter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-east-of-eden-martha-plimpton-ciaran-hinds-1236040448/|title=Netflix's 'East of Eden' Adds to Cast as Production Gets Underway|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=October 21, 2024}}</ref> In May 2025, Anders joined the cast of Apple TV+'s series ''Cape Fear''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=May 12, 2025 |title=Lily Collias, Joe Anders & Malia Pyles Round Out Main Cast Of Apple’s 'Cape Fear' TV Series |url=https://deadline.com/2025/05/cape-fear-tv-series-adds-lily-collias-joe-anders-malia-pyles-1236394084/ |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>
===Writing and music=== Anders is also a musician<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck8nc2eO0MU&t=245s |title=Kate Winslet on 7-Year-Old Son’s Career Plans & Husband’s Amazing Last Name |date=January 15, 2021 |author=Jimmy Kimmel Live! |author-link=Jimmy Kimmel Live! |type=video |minutes=4:05 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and learned how to play the piano in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 17, 2020 |title=Kate Winslet and Anthony Hopkins Pay Tribute to Frontline Workers |url=https://www.filmink.com.au/kate-winslet-and-anthony-hopkins-pay-tribute-to-frontline-workers/ |website=FilmInk}}</ref> In 2024, he composed the score for Mike Gilbert's short film ''Big Cat''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://vimeo.com/1017163694 |title=Big Cat |date=October 7, 2024 |minutes=11:46 |format=video |via=Vimeo}}</ref>
At the age of 19, Anders attended a screenwriting course at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England, where he wrote the screenplay for the British family drama film ''Goodbye June'' (2025), inspired by the death of his maternal grandmother when he was 13 years old.<ref name="June">{{Cite web |date=December 4, 2025 |title=Kate Winslet's 'extraordinary' new Netflix film was written by her son, 21 |url=https://metro.co.uk/2025/12/04/kate-winslet-looks-proud-mum-screenwriter-son-21-towers-25134845/ |website=Metro}}</ref> The film marks both Anders' screenwriting debut and Winslet's directorial debut, and was released by Netflix on 24 December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Hilary |date=February 16, 2025 |title=Kate Winslet to Make Directorial Debut With 'Goodbye June' for Netflix |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kate-winslet-directorial-debut-goodbye-june-netflix-1236138420/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref name="June"/>
== Filmography== {{pending films key}} === As actor === ==== Film ==== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2019 | ''1917'' | Private Willock | as Joe Mendes |- | rowspan="2"|2023 | ''Lee'' | Frank Kleeman, American GI | |- | ''Bonus Track'' | George Bobbin | |- |}
==== Television ==== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2022 | ''I Am Ruth'' | Billy | Television film |- | rowspan=2|2026 | {{Pending series|Cape Fear}} | Zack Bowden | Miniseries |- | {{Pending series|East of Eden}} | Aron Trask | Miniseries |}
=== As screenwriter === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! Year ! Title |- | 2025 | ''Goodbye June'' |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes person}} * {{Metacritic person}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Film|Television}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anders, Joe}} Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American male actors Category:21st-century English male actors Category:Actors from Chichester District Category:Alumni of the National Film and Television School Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Portuguese descent Category:American people of Swedish descent Category:American people of Trinidad and Tobago descent Category:English male film actors Category:English male film score composers Category:English male pianists Category:English male screenwriters Category:English male television actors Category:English people of Jewish descent Category:English people of Irish descent Category:English people of Portuguese descent Category:English people of Swedish descent Category:English people of Trinidad and Tobago descent Category:Male actors from New York City Category:Male actors from West Sussex Category:Musicians from West Sussex Category:People from Chichester District Category:Writers from Sussex Category:English film score composers Category:21st-century English screenwriters Category:American people of English descent