Samantha-Jane Beckinsale (born 23 July 1966), known professionally as Samantha Beckinsale and Sam Beckinsale, is a British actress. She played firefighter Kate Stevens in '' London's Burning''.

Early life

Beckinsale is the only daughter of actor

Richard Beckinsale Richard Arthur Beckinsale (6 July 1947 – 19 March 1979) was an English actor. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC British sitcom, sitcom ''Porridge (1974 TV series), Porridge'' (along with its sequel series ''Going Straight'') and Alan Moore ...

and his first wife, Margaret ( Bradley). They divorced when Beckinsale was a young child and she did not see her father for years. Samantha was unaware that her father was Richard Beckinsale until she was 11the same year he married actress Judy Loe. Beckinsale and her father reconnected and spent time together, before his death in 1979. She is half-sister of

Kate Beckinsale Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress. The only child of actors Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe, she debuted in the series premiere of the 1975 daytime drama ''Couples.'' In 1993, she made her theatrical film deb ...

, her father's daughter with Loe. She studied drama at Clarendon College, Nottingham.

Television

In 1990, Beckinsale was chosen by LWT to play firefighter Kate Stevens in ITV's drama series '' London's Burning'', which ran from 1986 to 2002. In 1989, Beckinsale guest-starred as WPC Martin in an episode of

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

's ''

Never the Twain ''Never the Twain'' is a British sitcom that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991. The series starred Windsor Davies (previously known for ''It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'') and Donald Sinden as rival antique dealers, and al ...

''. Shortly after this, she was given the role of Lesley in the final three series of Thames Television's ''Shelley''. In 1994, she was chosen by LWT to play the role of Gillian in the sitcom '' Time After Time'' which lasted two series. In 1997, Beckinsale starred as Jilly Howell in the short-lived sitcom '' Get Well Soon'' and in 1998 she was chosen by LWT to play the role of Gillian Monroe in the short-lived sitcom '' Duck Patrol'' with Richard Wilson.

Personal life

In 2022, Beckinsale came forward as a survivor of

domestic abuse Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. In a broader sense, abuse including nonphysical abuse in such settings is called domestic abuse. The term "domestic violence" is often use ...

. She is a patron of the Broxtowe Women's Project, which offers support for women suffering from domestic abuse. She wrote and produced a docudrama titled ''Love?'' which deals with coercive control in relationships.

Television and film roles

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beckinsale, Samantha English television actresses British soap opera actresses Actresses from Nottingham 1966 births Living people Actresses from London English people of Burmese descent 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses