British actress Kate Beckinsale was once seen as one of the most-promising stars in Hollywood. She first gained recognition for her supporting role in Kenneth Branagh‘s BAFTA-nominated romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. However, it took another decade for her prowess to be recognised worldwide with the success of the Underworld film series.
Beckinsale went on to share the screen with the likes of Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Adam Sandler, traversing many genres. However, by the 2010s, she slipped off the mainstream radar and was no longer considered an A-Lister. On top of this, she has been the subject of invasive media scrutiny following personal issues. So, whatever happened to Kate Beckinsale? Here’s everything we know.
Breaking Down the Rise of Kate Beckinsale
Kate Beckinsale was born on July 26, 1973 in Isleworth, Middlesex, England. She was exposed to the entertainment world early on, with both of her parents being actors. Her mother, Judy Loe, has been a familiar face on British television sets for decades, starring in popular shows like Peak Practice, Revelations, and Space Island One. Her father, Richard Beckinsale, played Lennie Godber in the iconic BBC sitcom Porridge, along with its sequel series Going Straight. So, with both of her parents being big names in British television, it comes as no surprise that Kate Beckinsale‘s first time on screen came at a very young age when she appeared as a baby alongside her mother in 1975.
Beckinsale acted steadily from the early 90s, mostly starring in smaller supporting roles. However, her big break came in 2003 with the action-packed fantasy flick, Underworld, showcasing herself as a solid leading lady. The next year, she starred in Martin Scorsese‘s The Aviator, and shared the screen with Hugh Jackman in Van Helsing. Although these were once again supporting roles, she would return to the forefront in four Underworld sequels. However, as these sequels kept coming, they declined in box office performance and critical approval, leading Beckinsale to return to the supporting actress realm. While she did star in some big movies like Click, with Adam Sander, and the 2012 remake of Total Recall, recent years have seen her parts become fewer and far between. However, her troubled personal life may be a factor here.
Kate Beckinsale Has Faced A Lot of Turmoil in Her Life
The untimely death of Richard Beckinsale sent shockwaves through Britain as he was just 31 years of age at his time of passing. Kate Beckinsale was just 5 years old at the time. When speaking on The Off Camera Show with Sam Jones, Beckinsale likened it to the death of John Lennon, stating that her father was “universally beloved”, and people were openly weeping in the streets. She also explained how it reverberated throughout her entire life. However, she explained how due to re-runs of Porridge constantly featuring on British TV, she has always felt close to him as she has aged.
As with any celebrity in Hollywood, Beckinsale has faced her fair share of media intrusion and scrutiny. After divorcing Michael Sheen in 2003, Beckinsale moved to Los Angeles with her daughter. However, she was constantly bombarded and often berated by press for a long period of time after. More recently, she has suffered some serious health issues. In 2024, she spent 6 weeks in hospital, and upon returning to the spotlight, she was the subject of some unsavoury comments about her appearance on her official Instagram account. Commenting on her weight loss, one user wrote: “Go do some squats @katebeckinsale”. Beckinsale quickly clapped back, writing: “No, actually, I watched my stepfather die quite shockingly, my mother has stage 4 cancer, and I lost a lot of weight from stress and grief. The grief had burned a hole in my oesophagus, which made me vomit blood.”
Is Beckinsale Still Acting?
As of writing, Kate Beckinsale is caring for her mother as she battles cancer. However, Beckinsale described her as a “warrior” and posts regular updates on her Instagram page. Although her career slowed down for a while, Beckinsale currently has three movies in post-production: action thriller Stolen Girl, special ops flick Lioness, and mystery thriller, The Patient. The latter will see her take the lead alongside Ryan Phillippe. However, many would say that she is far from her days as a box office star, as these films are all lower budget, B-movies of sorts.
As reported by Rolling Stone, Beckinsale has also been unafraid to speak out about sexual harassment and threats of blacklisting early in her career. To that, she has become a powerful figure to raise awareness for such issues, which has pushed her back into the mainstream consciousness. In June 2025, it was also reported that the British actress will be suing the producers of Prime Video Original thriller Canary Black over “unsafe conditions“. According to Beckinsale, she was made to work 15-hour days without the necessary assistance and sustained a serious knee injury after being slammed against a wall during a scene.
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