actress. She is the
daughter of the late
Richard Beckinsale and
Judy Loe, both British
television actors. Her
father died in 1979, at
the age of 32 years.
Beckinsale won first
prizes in several young
writing competitions.
After finishing school
in London, she followed
in the footsteps of her
parents and began her
acting career.
After finishing
school in London, she
began to act in a
gradual way, thus
following her parent's
profession. In 1991 she
played a role in a
television film about
World War II, which
made her become widely
known by the public in
England. The film was
also broadcast in
America at the end of
that year. Beckinsale
then began studies of
French and of Russian
literature at
Oxford University,
in interviews she
commented that she felt
that the university
background would be
better for her than
attending a school of
performing arts.
During her first year
at Oxford, Beckinsale
was offered a part in
Kenneth Branagh's
big-screen film,
Much Ado About Nothing,
adapted from
Shakespeare's famous
comedy. This was her
breakthrough in movies
and opened her the doors
to work in several other
films, what she did
while studying in
Oxford.
She spent her last
year of studies in
Paris, where she was
acquainted with the
French culture. There
she decided to leave the
university after three
years and to concentrate
on her acting career.
Since then she has
played in several major
movies, but has worked
also in television films
and on the stage.
Beckinsale's current
partner is actor
Michael Sheen. They
have a daughter, Lily.
Filmography
- Underworld
(2003)
- Laurel
Canyon (2002)
-
Pearl Harbor
(2001)
-
Serendipity
(2001)
- Brokedown
Palace (1999)
- Shooting
Fish (1998)
- The Last
Days Of Disco (1998)
-
Emma (1997)
-
Cold Comfort Farm
(1996)
-
Haunted (1996)
- Prince of
Jutland (1994)
- Much Ado
About Nothing (1993)
