The English actress Kate Beckinsale (full name Katherine Bailey Beckinsale) was born in London on July 26, 1973, into a family of professional actors: her father is a famous film actor Richard Beckinsale, her mother is a theater actress Judy Law. Richard Beckinsale died in 1979 of a heart attack at the age of 31, and the girl was left with her mother and older sister Samantha. They lived together, Judy took her daughters to rehearsals and to performances in which she participated. Perhaps the theatrical atmosphere influenced the girls. Returning home, they staged their own impromptu performances and stage scenes. Mother sometimes directed her daughters, and sometimes she took part in their undertakings.
Choice of profession
The girl grew up smart and in childhood surprised others with her artistry. And when she grew up, she began to win one contest after another, competing with her peers in writing short stories, literary sketches and all kinds of essays on a free theme. The gifted Kate Beckinsale, whose biography has already opened her first page, matured early, was a serious and thoughtful girl beyond her years. After graduating from school in London, she decided to continue family traditions and become an actress. The future movie star Kate Beckinsale, whose height, weight and figure parameters could serve as a model of female beauty, visited several actors selection agencies and left her portfolio there.
Film debut
Beautiful appearance and a chiseled figure did their job, and soon the girl made a film debut. She played the young Alice Mayr in the film directed by John Davis "Devices and Desires." It was a mini-series, but for Kate, her first test was a real event. The film was released in 1991, and the young actress Beckinsale went to the nearest movie theater several times to see for herself. The girl was happy, the boundless world of American cinema was opening before her, and she was preparing to conquer it.
TV serials
Then Kate Beckinsale, whose filmography already contained one picture, starred in the television film "One Against the Wind" directed by Larry Eliakanne, where she played Barbara Lindell, a small supporting role. Then came the role of Rachel, a social activist in the short film directed by Vivian Albertin, titled "Rachel's Dream." The following year, 1993, the actress played in the next television movie, it was a picture of the director of Colin Bucks “Anna Lee”. The character of the girl, Tie Han, was simple, and the actress easily coped with the task. Then, for Kate, the streak of big-cinema films began. She liked the specifics of filming real feature films, the friendly atmosphere prevailing on the set, the friendliness of the partners and the director. Filming, usually continued until late, but the young and tireless Beckinsale was in no hurry to go home, she wanted to star in all the episodes that were only in the script.
Shakespeare
At the end of 1992, Beckinsale began to learn the role of Hero, the character of the movie "Much Ado About Nothing," based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. The director of the production was Kenneth Branagh, he also played the main role - the inveterate bachelor Benedict. The picture was released in May 1993 and did not make a splash. Kate, in addition to film projects, participated in television series and various shows, in a word, did not sit idle. She also occasionally appeared on the stage to observe the traditions of the family and enjoy communicating with the lively audience sitting in the hall.
Failure
After Shakespeare’s play, actress Kate Beckinsale starred in several more film projects, but she only got a serious role in 1999, in the dramatic film The Ruined Palace, directed by Jonathan Kaplan. Kate played Darlene Davis, who went to prison because of drugs. The whole picture, from beginning to end, is riddled with deep emotions, but the rental was modest in terms of attendance, which means that the box office was also mediocre. The next film with Beckinsale in the title role called "The Golden Cup" directed by James Ivory and completely failed. With a budget of $ 15 million, only about 6 million were collected at the box office. The financial crash always hits the main performers and the director. So it happened this time.
Film and awards
But then the following films with Kate Beckinsale completely rehabilitated the actress for the failure of the Golden Bowl. First of all, it was the movie “Pearl Harbor” directed by Michael Bey, where Kate played Evelyn, a nurse who had two military pilots in love. The picture was waiting for success and record box office. The film received 15 prizes and nominations, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. However, anything was included in the nomination, except for the filmmakers themselves. Neither the director nor the actors received any nominations, all the prizes were distributed between sound and visual effects and other technical achievements.
Christian bale
In 2001, the production of the film "Intuition" directed by Peter Chelsom began at the Miramax Films film studio. Beckinsale was played by Sarah Thomas, the main character, and her partner was John Cusack. In the center of the plot is a chance acquaintance of two young people, which could not be continued. Sarah and Jonathan spent several hours together and broke up. Then Kate Beckinsale, whose filmography was quickly replenished, played a major role in the film “Laurel Canyon” directed by Peter Chelsom. Her partner was Christian Bale, a Hollywood star, an American actor of English descent, known for the Batman super movie.
Another vampire saga
The year 2003 was the beginning of the grandiose film project "Another World", which includes a number of horror films about vampires and werewolves. The multi-part film directed by Len Wiseman has something in common with the acclaimed Twilight, and it has about the same production scheme. Beckinsale was in the lead throughout the series, she played Celine, the main character. Celine brought death, and moreover, she cultivated death in every possible way, did it, as some production does, systematically and inevitably. “Another World” consists of four parts: “Another World” (2003), “Another World. Evolution” (2006), “Another World. Rise of the Lycans” (2009) and “Another World. Awakening” (2012).
"Aviator"
The following year, Beckinsale played a major female role in the fantasy film "Van Helsing," directed by Stephen Sommers. Her character, Anna Valerius, is a gypsy princess called upon to destroy Count Dracula. And finally, in 2004, Kate Beckinsale, whose growth (170 cm) almost became an obstacle to getting the desired role, starred in the wonderful biographical film "Aviator" directed by Martin Scorsese. The character of Kate is Hollywood megastar Ava Gardner, a woman "with the face of an angel and the body of a goddess." The protagonist, the millionaire Howard Hughes, was played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Kate Beckinsale, whose weight did not significantly reach the complexion of Ava Gardner, had to gain about ten kilograms to get the coveted role. She coped with this task, as well as with the role itself. The film was a resounding success and was awarded a record number of prizes and nominations: 5 Oscars, 3 Golden Globe awards, 4 BAFTA awards - and this is not a complete list.
Filmography
Kate Beckinsale, whose filmography already contains about 40 films, expects to appear in many more film projects. This list includes movies featuring the actress from 1995 to 2012:
- Year 1995 - Cold Farm, directed by John Schleesinger, role - Flora Proust. "Marie-Louise", directed by Manuel Flash, role - Marie-Louise. Ghost House, directed by Lewis Gilbert, starring Christina Marielle.
- Year 1996 - Emma, director Douglas McGrath, role - Emma Woodhouse.
- Year 1997 - "Sell", directed by Stefan Schwartz, role - Georgie.
- Year 1998 - "Alice Through the Looking Glass", directed by John Henderson, Kate - Alice. "The Last Days of Disco," directed by Whit Stillman, Kate - Charlotte Pingress.
- Year 1999 - "The Ruined Palace", directed by Jonathan Kaplan, Kate - Darlene Davis.
- Year 2000 - The Golden Cup, directed by James Ivory, Kate - Maggie Wverver.
- Year 2001 - "Pearl Harbor", directed by Michael Bay, Kate - Evelyn. "Intuition", directed by Peter Chelsom, Kate - Sarah Thomas.
- Year 2002 - Laurel Canyon, directed by Peter Chelsom, role - Alex.
- Year 2003 - "Little Fingers", directed by Matthew Bright, Kate - Carol. "Another World", directed by Len Wiseman, role - Celine.
- Year 2004 - Van Helsing, directed by Stephen Sommers, Kate - Anna Valerius. Aviator, directed by Martin Scorsese, Kate - Ava Gardner.
- Year 2006 - "Click. With the remote control for life", directed by Frank Korachi, role - Donna Newman.
- Year 2007 - "Snow Angels", directed by David Gordon Green, Kate - Annie Marchan. “Vacancy for a Sacrifice,” directed by Nimrod Antal ,. Kate - Amy Fox.
- Year 2008 - "Flight of a Lifetime", directed by Rowan Woods, Kate - Carla Davenport. “Nothing But The Truth,” directed by Rod Lurie, starring Rachel Armstrong.
- Year 2009 - "Whiteout", directed by Dominic Sena, Kate - Carrie Stetko. "All the Way," directed by Kirk Jones, Kate - Amy.
- Year 2012 - "Smuggling", directed by Balthazar Cormacour, role - Kate Farradei.
Personal life
The personal life of the popular actress Kate Beckinsale can not be called stormy. The only man the actress met was an English actor Michael Sheen, who has a rare role - he plays political figures, in particular, played Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of Great Britain of past years, in the films "Special Relations", "Deal" and "Queen" . In the film Frost vs. Nixon, Michael played David Frost and Brian Clough in the movie Damned United.
The meetings of Kate and Michael were temporary, although they continued for a long time. It is not known what prospect awaited the young people, what plans they made, but on January 31, 1999, Kate Beckinsale gave birth to a daughter very similar to Michael Sheen. The girl was named Lily Mo Shin. The baby even played her mother in childhood, when Kate starred in the role of Celine in the movie “Another World,” since vampires also have childhood.
Beckinsale broke up with Michael in 2003 and immediately became engaged to the director Len Wiseman, the director of The Other World. A year later, the couple registered a marriage in Los Angeles.