PHOTOSHot Take? Kate Beckinsale Doesn't Think Married Couples Should Live Together
Dec. 18 2019, Published 6:34 p.m. ET
Kate Beckinsale has a hot take on married life. The Underworld star revealed that she believes spouses may be better off living separately. Kate, 46, also spoke about her dating life, and how she handles criticism for dating younger men.
“I think more people would do well married if they didn’t have to live in the same house,” the Serendipity actress told Women's Health. “Being married is kind of easy, but the living-with-the-person thing is a lot.”
Kate was previously married to director Len Wiseman from 2004 to 2016. They met in 2003 on the set of his Underworld film, which she starred in. The former couple finalized their divorce in November 2019. Kate also shares 20-year-old daughter Lily with ex, Michael Sheen, who she dated from 1995 to 2003.
Kate added that there could be less arbitrary negotiations by living separately from your spouse. “I also think that for women especially — and this is generalizing — but I think it’s common for us to mentally subjugate our needs to whoever else is in the room,” she explained. “So if you’ve got a husband, a boyfriend, kids or parents, it’s so easy to come in with an idea of what you’d like to do, and then end up going, ‘Oh no, no, no, it’s fine.’ And it’s quite nice to not always have to negotiate that.”
The Pearl Harbor star also spoke about what it’s like dating as a celebrity. In the past few years, Kate dated comedian Matt Rife and Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson — who are both 20 years younger than her.
“If everyone’s s**tting on you, it can make you kind of ugh for a minute – especially if there’s really nothing wrong,” she confessed. “If you’re strangling a squirrel or hurting someone, I get it, but living one’s life in a reasonably respectful manner shouldn’t invite anyone to get too excited.”
Regardless of any backlash, Kate isn’t letting the limelight or her age keep her from living her best life. “It can feel like a little bit of a political act to be a woman over 32 who is having any fun at all,” she said. “And by that, I don’t mean doing drugs and drinking and partying – because I never am – but being goofy, and going out, and not going ‘Omigod I’m going to sit home and anticipate menopause while crocheting.’ Unless you’re doing that, it somehow seems to be risqué, which is just kind of ridiculous to me.”
Kate is known for her outspokenness on social media. She slammed a troll who said they were disappointed in her for dating Pete, 27, and others who implied that she could do better. Kate also called out a commenter who asked if a younger friend of hers was her son.
The Aviator actress addressed the double standard for older men who go out and party, “whether that’s in relationships, or deciding to buy a motorbike and getting a tattoo,” Kate noted. “It has not been interpreted as ‘Why hasn’t he had more children?’ or ‘Is he ever going to decide to become a parent?’ or ‘Why has he had so many girlfriends?'”
