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Kate Beckinsale Profile |
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Birth Date: July 26, 1973
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Birth Place: London, England, UK
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Birth Name: Kate Beckinsale
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Height: 5'8"
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Biography |
Kate Beckinsale was born on July 26, 1973, to two seasoned
British television actors, and spent most of her life in
London. Her half-sister Samantha is also an actress; they
met briefly when Kate was very young and didn't cross paths
again until 1995.
Kate made her acting debut in a television WWII drama called
One Against the Wind, and was soon cast in a short corporate
film about industrial accidents.
In 1991, Kate left for Oxford University's New College,
where she majored in French and Russian literature. She
already knew that she was going to be an actress, but in
order to broaden her horizons, she decided to attend a
regular university rather than drama school.
In 1993, she starred as "Hero" in the film adaptation of
Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Thanks to her role,
she had the chance to travel to Tuscany, Italy, where the
film was being shot. She eventually dropped out of her
studies after winning the role in three other European
productions.
Up next for Kate was a role in the 1995 BBC television
satire, Cold Comfort Farm, which opened to rave reviews in
American art house theaters and was a hit by indie
standards. She continued performing in British theater for
the next few years, and added some more forgettable films to
her resume.
After the indie films Shooting Fish (1997) and The Last Days
of Disco (1998), Kate costarred with Claire Danes in 1999's
Brokedown Palace.
After starring in James Ivory's The Golden Bowl (2000), Kate
joined Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett for the 2001
Bruckheimer bloated epic, Pearl Harbor.
She made her bid to become the next Meg Ryan in the romantic
comedy Serendipity, in the fall of 2001.
After 2002's Laurel Canyon, Beckinsale starred as Selene in
Underworld (2003), joined Hugh Jackman in the fight against
monsters in Van Helsing (2004), and portrayed Ava Gardner in
the Oscar-winning The Aviator (2004).
The talented actress also juggles motherhood as she has a
daughter, Lily Sheen (born January 31, 1999), whose father
is actor Michael Sheen. She married Underworld director Len
Wiseman on May 9, 2004.
After 2005's Underworld: Evolution, she can be seen in
2006's Click, starring Adam Sandler. |
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Other
Information |
Studied French and Russian literature while a student at
Oxford.
Studied at New College Oxford, but left to pursue her acting
career before completing her degree course.
Her mother, Judy Loe is an actress, and her father, Richard
Beckinsale, was famous as a comedy actor.
Attended grade/primary school at Flexlands Private School in
London, England, she took ballet there and it was at this
young age that her father died of a heart attack.
Half-sister of Samantha Beckinsale.
Got the lead female role in Pearl Harbor (2001) after
Charlize Theron pulled out to do Sweet November (2001).
Lost out to Juliette Binoche for a part in Wuthering Heights
(1992).
Has a daughter, Lily Sheen (b. 31 January 1999), with Welsh
actor Michael Sheen.
Suffers from stomach ulcers.
According to an interview she gave on the UK show "The Big
Breakfast" (1992) (December 2001), she hates wearing
knickers.
Selected by Hello Magazine as England's Number #1
Beauty.(2002)
Her maternal grandfather was Burmese.
June 2003: Engaged to director Len Wiseman.
Married Len Wiseman on 9th May 2004 at the Bel-Air Hotel.
Her daughter, Lily, received her own "wedding ring" from
Wiseman.
Half sister-in-law of Richard Trinder.
Spent her teens reading French, Russian and German novels
because of her studies, and completed A-levels in Russian,
German and French, which resulted in her admission to Oxford
University.
Won the prestigious WH Smith's Young Writers' competition
two years running, once for her short stories, once for
poetry.
Ranked #63 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The
World" (2002)
Shares a birthday with Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey and
Jeremy Piven.
Was in close competition for the role of Rachel Keller in
The Ring (2002), but lost out because producers felt she
looked too young.
Normally slender, she gained twenty pounds for roles in 2004
- ten pounds for Van Helsing (2004) and another ten pounds
to portray the voluptuous Ava Gardner in The Aviator (2004).
Has played a vampire (Underworld (2003/I)) and a vampire
hunter (Van Helsing (2004)).
Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2005 Razzie Award
nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Actress
category for her performance in the film Van Helsing (2004),
she failed to receive a nomination however.
Named #23 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.
Met Len Wiseman when he directed her in Underworld (2003/I) |
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