Beckinsale great-grandfather was a native of Burma, and Kate says that as a child she had a "very Asian appearance". Beckinsale’s stepfather, who came from a working-class family, thought it was pretty funny to hear the curses of the smart girl and he encouraged her for that.

As a child I hated my name, it seemed very arrogant. I never wanted to be a celebrity; all I wanted is to be an actress. I never played in the school theater. Parents did not allow me to play until I graduated from college.