Kate Winslet broke Tom Cruise's on-set breath holding record filming Avatar

The English actress stayed submerged for more than seven minutes and has video evidence of the feat

Kate Winslet stars in James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, due for UAE release on December 15. Getty Images

Kate Winslet has said she broke Tom Cruise's on-set record for holding her breath underwater while filming Avatar: The Way Of Water.

The English actress, 47, stayed submerged for seven minutes and 15 seconds, while filming a scene for the highly anticipated blockbuster sequel.

She beat Cruise, who held his breath for six minutes during Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation.

Winslet, who plays Metkayina matriarch Ronal in the coming film, said she had video evidence of the achievement, which had been taken by her husband, who had sneaked on to the set during production.

Kate Winslet as Ronal in Avatar: The Way of Water. Photo: Disney

Speaking at a global press conference ahead of the film's launch she said: "I actually have a video of when I surface from that breath-hold.

"And the only reason I have it is because my husband snuck in.

"I said, 'Please don't come because I just don't want you videoing. I'll just feel pressure, just please don't do that' and he snuck in."

She continued: "I have the video of me surfacing saying, 'Am I dead? Have I died?' And then going 'what was it?' — straightaway I wanted to know my time.

"I couldn't believe that it was 7.15 but having been told it's 7.15 you want to know what the next thing I say is? We need to radio set.

"I wanted (Cameron) to know right way, that's the first thing I wanted to do — it definitely wasn't a competition."

From left, Sigourney Weaver, James Cameron, Kate Winslet and Stephen Lang at the photocall for Avatar: The Way of Water at the Corinthia Hotel in London, England. Getty

The Avatar sequel has reunited Winslet and director James Cameron on set for the first time since the 1997 blockbuster Titanic.

Cameron admitted: "I'm still [annoyed] because I've been a free diver for 50 years and you smoked past me and everybody else."

The original sci-fi epic from 2009 became the highest-grossing film of all time and won three Oscars for its stunning visual effects, cinematography and art direction.

It was set in 2154 and followed paraplegic marine Jake Sully, sent to the moon Pandora on a unique mission that becomes challenged when he falls for Zoe Saldana's other-worldly blue princess Neytiri.

The sequel is set more than a decade after the events of the first film and Jake has now settled down with Neytiri and their three children in the Na'vis' rainforest home.

Once a familiar threat returns, Jake, played by Sam Worthington, must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their planet.

On Tuesday, Winslet and her co-stars including Sigourney Weaver and Cameron attended the world premiere in central London for the highly anticipated sequel.

Avatar: The Way Of Water is due for release in UAE cinemas on December 15

See Kate Winslet's style evolution in 44 photos

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  Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, in a lace spaghetti-strap gown, attend the Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on January 18, 1998. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a green Renaissance-inspired dress, and Jim Threapleton attend a 'Vanity Fair' party in Beverly Hills, California, on March 23, 1998. Getty Images

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  Harvey Keitel and Kate Winslet, in a square-necked midi, attend a screening of 'Holy Smoke' at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 1999 in Venice, Italy. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in a sequin-encrusted top, and Jim Threapleton attend the premiere of 'Holy Smoke' in Hollywood, California, on January 12, 2000. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a leather halterneck, attends the 7th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on March 11, 2001 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a white blazer, and her brother arrive for the premiere of 'Iris' on January 13, 2002 in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a gold sequin-trimmed dress, arrives for the Baftas on February 24, 2002 in London, England. Getty Images

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  Sam Mendes and Kate Winslet, in a classic LBD, arrive at the premiere of 'The Road To Perdition' on September 18, 2002 at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Alice Temperley, attends the 'Finding Neverland' premiere at the 61st Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2004, in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Ben de Lisi, arrives at the premiere of 'Finding Neverland' at the Odeon Leicester Square on October 17, 2004, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Badgley Mischka, arrives at the 77th annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 27, 2005. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Ben de Lisi, attends the premiere of 'Little Children' at the Odeon West End on October 25, 2006, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a full-skirted black dress, attends the premiere of 'The Holiday' at Odeon Leicester Square on December 5, 2006, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a strapless black gown, attends the Baftas after-party in London, England, on February 11, 2007. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Valentino, arrives at the 79th annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 25, 2007. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Saint Laurent, attends the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on January 11, 2009. EPA

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  Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, in Narciso Rodriguez, arrive for the premiere of 'Revolutionary Road' at the Odeon Leicester Square on January 18, 2009, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Narciso Rodriguez, arrives at the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 2009. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Zac Posen, attends the Baftas at the Royal Opera House on February 8, 2009, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Saint Laurent, arrives at the 81st Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 22, 2009. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Collette Dinnigan, attends the Bambi Awards at Filmpark Babelsberg on November 26, 2009, in Potsdam, Germany. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Stella McCartney, attends the Baftas at the Royal Opera House on February 21, 2010, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Saint Laurent, arrives at the 82nd annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, on March 7, 2010. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Victoria Beckham, attends the Yo Dona International Awards at the Palacio de Cristal de Arganzuela on June 21, 2011, in Madrid, Spain. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Victoria Beckham, attends the 'Carnage' premiere at the Palazzo del Cinema during the 68th Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2011, in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in a black shorts suit, attends a 'Mildred Pierce' photo call at the Palazzo del Cinema during the 68th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2011, in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Stella McCartney, attends the 'Mildred Pierce' premiere during the 68th Venice Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema on September 2, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, attends the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on January 15, 2012. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, attends the 37th annual Cesar Film Awards at Theatre du Chatelet on February 24, 2012, in Paris, France. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, attends the 'Titanic 3D' premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on March 27, 2012, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Alexander McQueen, holds her CBE, awarded to her by Queen Elizabeth II, during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on November 21, 2012, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, arrives for a screening of 'Labour Day' during the 38th annual Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, on September 7, 2013. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, attends the premiere of 'Labour Day' during the 57th BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on October 14, 2013, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Jenny Packham, attends the premiere of 'Divergent' at Odeon Leicester Square on March 30, 2014, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Narcisco Rodriguez, attends the Prix de Diane Longines horse race in Chantilly, France, on June 15, 2014. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Hanne Laitinen, arrives for a screening of 'A Little Chaos' at the 39th annual Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, on September 13, 2014. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Stella McCartney, arrives at the premiere of 'A Little Chaos' in London, England, on April 13, 2015. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Badgley Mischka, arrives for a screening of 'The Dressmaker' at the 40th annual Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, on September 14, 2015. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Alexander McQueen, attends a screening of 'Steve Jobs' at the Odeon Leicester Square on October 18, 2015, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Ralph Lauren, arrives at the 73rd annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on January 10, 2016. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in an LBD, attends the London Critics' Circle Film Awards at The Mayfair Hotel on January 17, 2016, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Antonio Dorani, attends the Baftas at the Royal Opera House on February 14, 2016, in London, England. Getty Images

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  Kate Winslet, in Ralph Lauren, arrives for the 88th annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 28, 2016. EPA

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  Kate Winslet, in Armani, attends the Giorgio Armani show as part of Paris Haute Couture Week on July 4, 2017, in Paris, France. Getty Images