Kate Winslet to write book for autism awareness

The ‘Revolutionary Road’ actress asked over two dozen celebrities – including Jude Law, Meryl Streep, Marion Cottillard, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts and Ben Stiller – to take a self-portrait wearing a special hat which was then passed along to another star, with the resulting images being chronicled in the tome, entitled ‘The Golden Hat’, China Daily mediates.

Other celebrities who have agreed to be pictured for the book are Ricky Gervais – whose British sitcom ‘Extras’ Kate previously appeared in – Christina Aguilera, Demi Moore, Elijah Wood, Javier Bardem, Kevin Bacon and Julianne Moore.
 
Alongside the images, the stars were also asked to write down what their first words would be had they suddenly been able to communicate after years of silence.
 
Kate was inspired to compile the book following ‘A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back To Autism’, a documentary she narrated last year.
 
The film followed Icelandic Keli Ericsdottir, who suffers from severe non-verbal autism and his battle to communicate.
 
He now writes poems, and one piece of his work describes a magical hat that enables an autistic boy to interact with others – the inspiration behind the book’s title.
 
The book – which will be published by Simon & Schuster – will be released in November, with all proceeds going towards Kate’s autism charity The Golden Hat Foundation.