She’s currently in cinemas starring in her fourth Underworld adventure as feisty vampire warrioress Selene. But there’s no doubt that Kate Beckinsale herself has a far softer side than her leather-clad alter-ego. The 38-year-old opened up to Women’s Health magazine about her forthcoming role in her director husband Les Wiseman’s film Total Recall.
The actress revealed that there was some awkwardness when it came to filming sex scenes, admitting: ‘I think it was worse for Colin [Farrell]. It’s awkward if you have to fondle the director’s wife. Especially with Len saying, “all right that’s it, you’re fired.”’
Kate plays the wife of Colin Farrell’s character, a factory worker who suffers from strange violent dreams. The film, based on the 1990 movie of the same name, is set in the far future as nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai vie for supremacy. She is clearly fond of her co-star however, as she added: ‘He’s lovely. He’s such a good actor, really professional and a brilliant dad. There’s nothing bad you can say about Colin – and he’s funny as well. I hate him!’
Kate’s return to the big screen in this year’s Underworld: Awakening and Contraband single the end of a three-year hiatus.
Explaining the break, Kate said: ’I didn’t plan on a sabbatical, there just wasn’t anything I was dying to do and I have to really make the decision – is it worth me being away from my kid [her daughter Lily].’ Kate certainly jumped back into the swing of things wholeheartedly, as she threw herself into the tough training required for crime drama Contraband. The actress has been fortunate when it comes to leading men.
Deeply private, Kate refuses to become involved with social networking, and explained: ’I don’t do Twitter or Facebook. I like to be able to reserve the right to complain about people bothering me in my private life.’She said of her Van Helsing so-star Hugh Jackman: ‘His reputation is as the nicest person in show business and it’s sort of true. And he’s not shy of skipping and stuff. He knows a lot of show tunes.’
On paparazzi attention she added: ’It’s a good thing we [she and husband Len Wiseman] weren’t in Europe or I’d be topless. And thank God we’ve been married as long as we have, and the pants stayed on, that’s all I can say!’
Not always so shy, Kate chatted about her favourite body part, cheekily confessing: ’I once said, ‘my beaver’, and everyone was shocked. So I’m going to say my ears.’
Lucky Kate is a natural beauty, and emphasised that she has never resorted to plastic surgery, saying: ‘I haven’t even done Botox. Look, I can move my face.’ Total Recall is due to be released in the US on August 3.
The full interview with Kate appears in the new UK launch issue of Women’s Health, on sale Wednesday 8 February 2012.
