Kate Beckinsale was the daughter of actress, Judy Loe, and comedy actor, Richard Beckinsale. As a child, however, Kate attended private school, receiving her grade and primary education at London's Godolphin and Latymer and Flexlands Private School where she studied ballet throughout her primary education. She developed a deep love for literature and took to reading Russian, German, and French novels upon completing her A-levels for each. Furthermore, Miss Beckinsale was twice the recipient of the W.H. Smith Young Writer's Award, having multiple poems and short stories published during her youth.

In 1991, Beckinsale had a breakthrough with her WWII television movie "One Against the Wind". That same year Beckinsale would enroll in New College Oxford to study French and Russian literature. However she would leave school to pursue an acting career after her role in Kenneth Branagh's "Much Ado About Nothing "(1993) prompted Beckinsale to catch the “acting bug”. She would work on three more films and study abroad in Paris, France before finally leaving Oxford in the Spring of 1994. Having never completed her degree Beckinsale has stated, "I dropped out of Oxford, and now I only speak Russian with the woman who gives me a bikini-wax. See what Hollywood does to you?"

In 1995, she appeared in the BBC satire “Cold Comfort Farm” which received solid reviews overseas in America. Meanwhile Beckinsale joined the Thelma Holts Theatre Company and toured England while performing in Anton Checkov's "The Seagull" (1995). Her film breakthrough however, came from her role in 1995's HAUNTED where Beckinsale switched from innocent maiden to tempting siren. In 1996 she landed a role in the British production of EMMA and starred as Georgie in “Shooting Fish”.

In 1999, she had a daughter, Lily, with actor Michael Sheen (she would later marry Len Wiseman in 2004). After the birth of her daughter however, Beckinsale gradually made a transition to American film. She landed the role in the 2001 romantic comedy SERENDIPITY starring opposite John Cusack. The same year she also landed the lead female role in the WWII blockbuster PEARL HARBOR, after originally cast Charlize Theron opted for another film. In 2003 she appeared in UNDERWORLD and in 2004 she landed the role of a vampire slayer in VAN HELSING and as Ava Gardner for THE AVIATOR.

Undeniably attractive, Beckinsale was selected by Hello Magazine as England's #1 Beauty and as #63/100 for Stuff’s "100 Sexiest Women in the World" in 2002. It’s obvious that with Beckinsale you get the complete package of brains and beauty.

She’s perfect even in her flaws, and rather philosophic having once stated "No one is more enslaved than a slave who doesn't think they're enslaved". Now what do you think about that?