Biography | Artist Actors Biography

Kate Beckinsale (born July 26, 1973) is an English actress. She is the daughter of British television actors Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe, and her birth name is Kate Beckinsale Loe. Her father died in 1979, at the age of 31. She is considered to be a sex symbol among her fans, possibly because of her unusual, Eurasian appearance, credited to her father being of 1/4 Burmese descent.

Clearly talented from an early age, she won first prizes in several young writing competitions. After finishing school in London, she gradually began acting, thus following in the footsteps of her parents. In 1991 she played a role in a television film about World War II, through which she became widely known by the British public. The film was also broadcast in America at the end of that year. Beckinsale then began studying German, French and Russian at New College, Oxford University, though she did not complete her studies. In interviews she commented that she felt the university background would be better for her than attending a school of performing arts.

During her first year at Oxford, Beckinsale was offered a part in Kenneth Branagh’s big-screen film, Much Ado About Nothing, adapted from Shakespeare’s famous comedy of the same name. This was her big breakthrough in movies and opened doors to work in several other films, which she did whilst at Oxford. She spent her last year of studies in Paris. There she decided to quit university and concentrate on her acting career. Since then she has played in several major movies, but has also appeared in television films and on the stage.

Beckinsale was selected by Hello Magazine as England’s #1 Beauty in 2002.

Beckinsale and Welsh actor Michael Sheen have a daughter, Lily Sheen, but they are no longer together.

In June 2003, she became engaged to the director of Underworld, Len Wiseman, and the two were wed in May 2004 in Bel-Air, California.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Beckinsale

Kate Moss (born January 16, 1974), is an English model who was once the “Face of Calvin Klein.” She was born in Addiscombe, London Borough of Croydon, England.

Moss was discovered at the age of 14 by Sarah Doukas (the founder of Storm Model Agency) in 1988, at JFK Airport in New York City. Moss then went on to become the anti-supermodel of the 90’s. She ushered in the waif look (while prompting much speculation over her weight) with a highly publicized campaign for Calvin Klein, particularly for posing nude in ads for its perfume brand, Obsession. Storm Model Agency lists Moss as being 5′8″ but it is widely known that she is shorter than that, about 5′6″-5′7″. Twiggy, a famous model during the 1960s who is 5′4″ even wrote in her autobiography that she and Moss are about the same height. Despite this apparent disadvantage, Moss charmed the fashion industry and has walked/campaigned for such elite houses as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Chanel, Missoni, and David Yurman. Now in her 30s, Moss has still been working and has become a “supermodel” in her own right. In September 2005, after she was filmed while allegedly cutting and inhaling cocaine, many of her sponsors disassociated themselves.

Notable Involvements
Moss has a long history of involvement in art and music, especially rock bands. She has appeared in a music video of the White Stripes and has sang tracks with Bobbie Gillespie/Primal Scream and Babyshambles. She has worked with various artists and sculptors including artist and photographer Chuck Close.

In February 2005, a nude portrait by Lucian Freud of Kate Moss while pregnant was sold for £3.93 million. Moss planned and posed for the portrait with Lila as her version of the Madonna - a full frontal nude.

April 2005 saw the launch of the spectacular Rimmel London Mascara Ad featuring a leather clad Kate Moss riding a motorbike through London, to the sound of the underground rock track ‘Another Cold Beer’ by Steven Crayn.

Moss has had campaigns with major Italian, French, New York, and British designers including Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Burberry, Rimmel, Missoni, David Yurman, and Calvin Klein.

She has been featured in fashion spreads in most major fashion magazines including UK, US, French Vogues (as well as other international Vogues), Another Man, the Face, and W. Moss has been on the cover of 17 issues of W, including one issue with nine different covers featuring of the model. W even names Moss its “muse” (September 2003 issue). She has worked with the most well-known photographers in the fashion industry today, such as Mario Testino, Mario Sorrenti, Steven Klein, Juergen Tellerand is a Peter L “trained” model.

In 1997, “Kate: The Kate Moss Book” was published. The book is a compilation of photos Moss herself had selected to represent her career in front of the camera.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Moss