kate beckinsale

Kathryn Bailey "Kate" Beckinsale born 26 July 1973 is an English actress.
She initially came to prominence in the 1990s for her roles in costume dramas such as Cold Comfort Farm, Much Ado About Nothing and Emma. Following a breakout performance in 2001's Pearl Harbor, she has appeared in big-budget Hollywood movies like The Aviator, the Underworld films and Van Helsing as well as smaller independent movies such as Everybody's Fine and Winged Creatures. She earned a Critic's Choice Award nomination for her performance in 2008's Nothing But the Truth.
She has three films set for release in 2012: Underworld: Awakening, Contraband and Total Recall.
She became known as an action star following staring roles in Underworld and Van Helsing. In 2004, she portrayed Ava Gardner in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, a role for which she gained almost 1½ stones 21 lbs. Other roles included Click with Adam Sandler and Tiptoes with Gary Oldman.
In 2006, Beckinsale reprised her role as a vampire in the successful sequel Underworld: Evolution and, in 2007, she appeared in thriller Vacancy and independent film Snow Angels. In 2008, she appeared in Winged Creatures and Nothing But the Truth, receiving a Critic's Choice Award nomination for her performance in the latter.
Despite strong award buzz for both Beckinsale and co-star Vera Farmiga, the film never received a full theatrical release after the distributor filed for bankruptcy. In 2009, she starred in the comic-book adaption Whiteout and Everybody's Fine opposite Robert De Niro.
Beckinsale has three films set for release in 2012: Underworld: Awakening, Contraband and Total Recall.