Which actress plays Iris Simpkins in the 2006 romantic comedy "The Holiday"?

The story behind the answer

Kate Winslet plays Iris Simpkins in the 2006 romantic comedy "The Holiday." Iris is an English society columnist who is heartbroken after discovering that the man she loves is engaged to someone else.

To escape the situation, Iris exchanges homes with Amanda Woods, an American film-trailer producer played by Cameron Diaz. Iris travels from Surrey to Los Angeles, where the change of scenery introduces her to Miles, played by Jack Black, and to Arthur Abbott, an elderly Hollywood screenwriter played by Eli Wallach. Her story focuses on recovering confidence and recognizing a healthier kind of love.

Written and directed by Nancy Meyers, the film alternates between Iris's English storyline and Amanda's American one. Winslet was widely known for dramatic and period-film roles before this project, so playing a contemporary romantic-comedy heroine showed a different side of her range. A frequent mix-up is assigning Iris to Cameron Diaz: Diaz plays Amanda, while Winslet plays Iris. Jude Law plays Graham, Amanda's brother.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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