Get to know Kate Beckinsale's parents.
Born on July 26, 1973, the English actress is the only child of Judy Loe and Richard Beckinsale. The couple, who married in 1977, raised Beckinsale in the Chiswick district of London.
Judy and Richard were no strangers to the screen as acclaimed actors in their own right. With both parents working in the entertainment industry, Beckinsale appeared on television at a very young age.
In 1977, the Van Helsing actress made her TV debut at age 4 on This Is Your Life. 'I was a guest. Nobody was excited about me!' she joked when recalling her experience on Live with Kelly and Mark in March 2019.
'My dad was a very well-known English actor mainly in comedies,' added Beckinsale of her late father, who died in March 1979 at age 31.
The Underworld star maintains a close relationship with her mom, Judy. On March 11, the actress posted a lengthy tribute to her on Instagram in celebration of her birthday and Mother's Day in the U.K.
'Thank you to those that love us and support us when it’s s— and try to make sure there are some bits that aren’t,' Beckinsale wrote in part. 'Happy everything mama. Your fight for joy despite also welcoming tears is the experience of watching a warrior up close. I love you x.'
Read on to learn more about Kate Beckinsale's parents, Judy Loe and the late Richard Beckinsale.
Richard was an English actor who built a successful career in TV and film since his debut role as a police officer in 1969's British soap Coronation Street. He went on to star in BBC's sitcom Porridge and Rising Damp, to name a few.
'I can not stress to you enough how famous he was,' Beckinsale told Howard Stern of her dad's celebrity status, particularly in reference to the 1970s when there were three TV channels at the time. 'He was in two or three of the most iconic comedies of the period and everybody loved him.'
Judy is a successful English actress known for her roles on television, though she first turned heads in the original British cast of the rock musical Hair. She made her TV debut on Ace of Wands in 1970.
Since then, Judy has racked up a number of credits over the course of her career. She's held minor roles in titles such as 1975's Edward the Seventh, 1978-79's General Hospital and 1983's Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
In 1988, Judy landed her first starring role on the Yorkshire Television sitcom Singles opposite Roger Rees. When her stint on the show wrapped in 1991, she nabbed a recurring role in The Chief from 1990 to 1993.
Prior to marrying Judy, Richard wed a local Nottingham woman named Margaret Bradley in 1965. At the time of their nuptials, she was pregnant with their daughter Samantha Beckinsale who was born in July 1966.
Richard and Bradley separated in 1968 and divorced in 1971. Richard met Judy in 1968, had Beckinsale in 1973 and tied the knot in 1977. They were married until his death in 1979.
Beckinsale recalled her dad's fame during a U.K. interview, describing him as 'a national treasure' in England. 'He's very much loved here and he's kind of a national treasure and that's so nice for me.'
Even after his death, Beckinsale said 'he's around all the time' due to his appearances on British TV reruns. 'He does tend to kind of pop up on significant occasions,' Beckinsale said, recalling that one of his shows 'happened to come on the same time' she had her daughter Lily Sheen, whom she shares with ex Michael Sheen.
Richard died tragically of a heart attack on March 19, 1979. He was 31 years old.
'I remember confusing when John Lennon died and when my dad died because people were standing in the street with the evening paper sobbing on both occasions and I can't remember which version of that is which because they were very similar,' Beckinsale told Howard Stern in October 2021.
'It was really really intense... but only in England,' she continued. 'Obviously John Lennon impacted absolutely every country in the world. My dad was very much England.'
Years after Richard died in 1979, Judy married TV director Roy Battersby in March 1997.
'She met my stepdad when I was nine. He was a director and moved in with my mom and brought his enormous amount of children, which I was kind of shocked by,' Beckinsale said on the Howard Stern Show in October 2021. 'It's great and they're still together.'
'I really lucked out with him. He's the best,' the actress continued of her stepdad. 'We had some rough years getting adjusted, but no one's been a bigger champion. I really do feel lucky.'
In January 2024, Beckinsale announced Battersby's death on her Instagram Story, revealing that he died after 'a brief period of illness.' He was 87 years old.
Beckinsale also shared a video and photo carousel of Battersby alongside a heartfelt caption.
'I have no words yet,' the actress captioned the post. 'Thank you @katebeckinsale_slovakia2 for making this beautiful thing. I fought for you with everything I had. Oh Roy I am so sorry I lost.'
Beckinsale shares a close bond with her mom and often posts photos of her on Instagram.
In July 2023, the actress shared a fun birthday post of Judy shamelessly dancing and singing karaoke in celebration of her daughter's special day. In March 2023, she posted a lengthy tribute to her mom on U.K.'s Mother's Day.
'Ever since I was five you have been the centre of my universe. Loving you fiercely and in terror that I’d lose you too. We have had as many laughs as we have had really rough seas and I truly believe that that and your extraordinary grace and courage is what has helped me to survive,' Beckinsale wrote in part.
One year later, Beckinsale shared another tribute to her mom in celebration of Mother's Day in the U.K. and her birthday on Instagram. The post prompted fans to question the health of the actress, who uploaded teary-eyed images in a hospital bed alongside the caption that mentioned being 'sick' (without further explanation).
