Actress Kate Winslet at the premiere of Labour Day, which was shown as part of the BFI London Film Festival in central London. Photo: Olivia Harris/Reuters

Kate Winslet’s labour day came early as the heavily pregnant star lit up the red carpet at the premiere of her new film.

She was promoting tense drama Labour Day at the London Film Festival and walked the carpet greeting fans despite being weeks away from her due date.

She said: “I haven’t had many cravings. I’ve been wanting to drink a lot of orange juice but I don’t know if that is part of it.”

Asked whether she would be taking a long maternity leave, she replied: “Err... Ask me that on a different red carpet, I’ve got pregnancy brain!”

The film sees the 38-year-old actress playing a depressed single mother who, with her teenage son, takes in an escaped convict played by Josh Brolin and gradually learns more of his story as police close in.

On Brolin, Winslet said: “We were just really fortunate to be two actors who wanted to do a good job and also have a good time.

“Working on films can be really exhausting because the hours are really long. It isn’t glamorous at all – you’re up at 4.30am and you don’t get home until nine at night.

I haven’t had many cravings. I’ve been wanting to drink a lot of orange juice but I don’t know if that is part of it

“That’s one of the reasons I don’t do it that often because it does take a lot out of you.

“I certainly give it my all when I’m there and Josh really does the same thing.”

Brolin and the film’s director, Jason Reitman, were also at the premiere in Leicester Square. Winslet is pregnant with her third child, the first with husband Ned Rocknroll who is Richard Branson’s nephew, and is thought to be due to give birth in December.