Kate Beckinsale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kate Beckinsale
Beckinsale in 2016
Born	Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (1973-07-26) 26 July 1973 (age 52) London, England
Alma mater	New College, Oxford
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Len Wiseman ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2019)​
Partner(s)	Michael Sheen (1995–2003)
Children	1
Parents	Richard Beckinsale (father) Judy Loe (mother)
Relatives	Samantha Beckinsale (half-sister) Roy Battersby (stepfather)

Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (born July 26, 1973) is an English actress known for her roles in action films and dramas. She is the daughter of actors Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe.

Beckinsale began her acting career while studying at the University of Oxford. She appeared in the 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing. She then starred in several British period dramas, including Prince of Jutland (1994), Cold Comfort Farm (1995), and Emma (1996).

After moving to the United States, she gained more fame in films like Pearl Harbor (2001) and the romantic comedy Serendipity (2001). She became a major action star playing the vampire Selene in the Underworld film series (2003–2016). Her other action movies include Van Helsing (2004) and Total Recall (2012). She has also been praised for her work in smaller dramas like Love & Friendship (2016).

Early Life and Education

Kathrin Romany Beckinsale was born in Chiswick, London. Her parents, Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe, were both actors. She has an older half-sister, Samantha Beckinsale. Her father had some Burmese family history.

At age four, she appeared on a TV show called This Is Your Life that honored her father. When she was five years old, her father sadly died from a heart attack. This loss affected her deeply. When she was nine, her mother moved in with director Roy Battersby, and Kate grew up with his children.

Beckinsale attended the Godolphin and Latymer School, an all-girls school in London. She was a talented writer and won awards for her stories and poems. As a teenager, she faced health challenges, including an eating disorder, and received professional help for several years.

She studied French and Russian literature at New College, part of the University of Oxford. At Oxford, she joined the drama society and acted in plays. One of her directors was Tom Hooper, who later became a famous film director. As part of her studies, she spent a year in Paris. She decided to leave the university to focus on her acting career but has said she would like to finish her degree someday.

Career

1991–1997: First Acting Roles

Beckinsale knew she wanted to be an actress from a young age because her parents seemed to have so much fun at their jobs. She made her TV debut in 1991 in an adaptation of Devices and Desires.

In 1993, while still at Oxford, she got her first major film role as Hero in Kenneth Branagh's movie version of Much Ado About Nothing. The movie was filmed in Italy and was a success. After this, she acted in a few other films while finishing her studies.

In 1995, she starred as Flora Poste in Cold Comfort Farm. The film was a hit with critics, who praised her performance. That same year, she also began acting on stage. She appeared in the play The Seagull, where she met her future partner, actor Michael Sheen.

In 1996, she played the main character in a TV version of Jane Austen's Emma. In 1997, she starred in the popular British comedy Shooting Fish.

1998–2002: Moving to Hollywood

Beckinsale started looking for roles in the United States. In 1998, she starred in The Last Days of Disco with Chloë Sevigny. Critics praised her performance and her American accent.

In 1999, she appeared with Claire Danes in the drama Brokedown Palace. In 2000, she starred in The Golden Bowl, her first movie after her daughter was born.

Her big break came in 2001 with the war movie Pearl Harbor. She played a nurse caught in a love triangle with two pilots, played by Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. The film was a huge box office success and made her famous around the world. That same year, she starred in the romantic comedy Serendipity with John Cusack, which was also a success.

2003–2006: Becoming an Action Star

Beckinsale at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in 2005

In 2003, Beckinsale became an action star when she played the vampire warrior Selene in Underworld. The movie was very different from her earlier work. It was a box office hit and developed a large fan following.

In 2004, she starred in another action-horror film, Van Helsing, alongside Hugh Jackman. That same year, she played the famous actress Ava Gardner in Martin Scorsese's movie The Aviator.

In 2006, she returned as Selene in the sequel Underworld: Evolution, which was directed by her husband, Len Wiseman. The movie was another box office success. She also starred in the comedy Click with Adam Sandler, which was a big hit.

2007–2015: Dramas and More Action

Beckinsale at a movie premiere in London, June 2007

After her action roles, Beckinsale wanted to work on smaller films again. In 2007, she starred in the drama Snow Angels and the thriller Vacancy.

In 2008, she appeared in Nothing but the Truth, playing a journalist. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Critics' Choice Award.

She returned to action films in 2009 with Whiteout, where she played a U.S. Marshal in Antarctica. In 2012, she starred in three action movies: Contraband, Underworld: Awakening, and the remake of Total Recall.

In the following years, she appeared in smaller films like the thriller Stonehearst Asylum (2014) and the comedy Absolutely Anything (2015).

2016–Present: Love & Friendship and Recent Work

Beckinsale at Comicpalooza in 2016

In 2016, Beckinsale received great reviews for her role in the comedy Love & Friendship. The film was based on a Jane Austen story, and critics said it was one of the best performances of her career.

Later that year, she returned to her famous role as Selene in Underworld: Blood Wars. In 2017, she starred in the drama The Only Living Boy in New York.

In 2019, she returned to television for the first time in over 20 years, starring in the drama series The Widow. In 2021, she starred in the action-comedy film Jolt and the TV series Guilty Party. Her recent films include Prisoner's Daughter (2022) and Fool's Paradise (2023).

Personal Life

From 1995 to 2003, Beckinsale was in a relationship with Welsh actor Michael Sheen. They met while working on a play together. Their daughter, Lily, was born in 1999. Beckinsale and Sheen have remained close friends since their breakup.

In 2003, while filming Underworld, Beckinsale met American director Len Wiseman. They got married in 2004 in Bel-Air, California. They separated in 2015, and their divorce was finalized in 2019.

Beckinsale has supported several charities, including the British Heart Foundation. This cause is important to her because her father died of a heart condition. She has also supported groups that help children and cancer research.

Filmography

Beckinsale in 2006

This is a list of some of her most well-known movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Kate Beckinsale para niños