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 "The Big Breakfast" (1992) (December 2001), she hates wearing knickers.

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

Her maternal 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.