Name: Kathrin Romary Beckinsale
Birthdate: July 26, 1973
Birthplace: Finsbury Park, London, England
Claim to fame: She became a star in US films in 2001 when she appeared in Pearl Harbour and Serendipity.
What we can see her in next: Her new movie is a thriller called Stonehearst Asylum, and it opens in theatres on October 24.
Interesting fact: Both beauty and brains, Beckinsale attended Oxford University for three years, studying French and Russian literature.
Best quote: “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?” — on how she puts her Oxford education to good use.
Why we love her: The year was 2001 when American audiences saw this sultry brunette come between blockbuster stars Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett in the war epic Pearl Harbour. Regardless of the catastrophic reviews the film received, Kate Beckinsale was an absolute screen stunner who turned into a big-time star after the movie’s release. Later that year, she pounded our hearts again when she starred alongside John Cusack in the classic romantic hit, Serendipity. Kate Beckinsale is our WCW this week because she has the type of sweet smile that can drop you at the knees.
Like most successful British actresses, Beckinsale started off her career in her native UK, appearing in all sorts of stage, film, and television roles. She attended Oxford University as a French and Russian literature major (talk about a double threat, beauty and brains) but ended up dropping out during her third year to further pursue her acting career. She broke into US films in the late 90’s when she appeared in Brokedown Palace, which ended up being a commercial failure — but adopted quite a cult following — as well as nudged her along as hot young actress on the rise. Then in 2001 we all know what happened, she broke Hartnett and Affleck’s hearts, but she sure won ours.
Beckinsale is also a frequent in action films, most recently appearing in Total Recall in 2012, which only adds to her crush-worthy qualities, the fact she knows how to handle a weapon, “Apparently, I’m very good at firing a gun without blinking, which is unusual. That’s why so many action characters have to wear sunglasses during shoot-out scenes. That’s my party trick.”
Kate Beckinsale is a classic British beauty; therefore, knighting her as our WCW this week was a long-time coming.
Her latest film Stonehearst Asylum hits theatres on October 24th.
