Studied French and Russian literature while a student at Oxford.

Studied at New College Oxford, but left to pursue her acting career before completing her degree course.

Her mother, Judy Loe is an actress, and her father, Richard Beckinsale, was famous as a comedy actor.

Attended grade/primary school at Flexlands Private School in London, England, she took ballet there and it was at this young age that her father died of a heart attack.

Half-sister of Samantha Beckinsale.

Got the lead female role in Pearl Harbor (2001) after Charlize Theron pulled out to do Sweet November (2001).

Lost out to Juliette Binoche for a part in Wuthering Heights (1992).

Has a daughter, Lily Sheen (b. 31 January 1999), with Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

Suffers from stomach ulcers.

According to an interview she gave on the UK show "Big Breakfast, The" (1992) (December 2001), she hates wearing knickers.

Selected by Hello Magazine as England's Number #1 Beauty.(2002)

Richard Beckinsale's maternal grandfather - her great-grandfather - was Burmese.

June 2003: Engaged to director Len Wiseman.

Married Len Wiseman on 9th May 2004 at the Bel-Air Hotel. Her daughter, Lily, received her own "wedding ring" from Wiseman.

Half sister-in-law of Richard Trinder.

Spent her teens reading French, Russian and German novels because of her studies, and completed A-levels in Russian, German and French, which resulted in her admission to Oxford University.

Won the prestigious WH Smith's Young Writers' competition two years running, once for her short stories, once for poetry.

Ranked #63 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002)

Shares a birthday with Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Piven.

Was in close competition for the role of Rachel Keller in The Ring (2002), but lost out because producers felt she looked too young.

Normally slender, she gained twenty pounds for roles in 2004 - ten pounds for Van Helsing (2004) and another ten pounds to portray the voluptuous Ava Gardner in The Aviator (2004).

Has played a vampire (Underworld (2003)) and a vampire hunter (Van Helsing (2004)).

Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2005 and 2007 Razzie Award nominating ballots. She was listed as a suggestion in the Worst Actress category on the 2005 ballot for her performance in the film Van Helsing (2004) and again two years later in the same category for her roles in the films Click (2006/I) and Underworld: Evolution (2006). She failed to receive either nomination.

Named #23 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.

Met Len Wiseman when he directed her in Underworld (2003).

Ranked as #71 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

She did not like Physical Education at school. It was also her worst subject.

Was anorexic as a teenager

Lives in Venice, California because it reminds her of London.

Named #78 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Replaced Sarah Jessica Parker after she dropped out from the film Vacancy (2007).

Ranked #21 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.