Not holding back! Kate Beckinsale opened up about the criticism she’s faced for dating younger men — and had some strong words about the double standards she’s seen.
“I witness men constantly doing whatever they like, whether that’s in relationships, or deciding to buy a motorbike, or getting a tattoo,” the 46-year-old actress said during a candid interview for the May issue of Women’s Health. “It hasn’t 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?'”
Beckinsale has had a history of being linked to younger men since her marriage to Len Wiseman ended in October 2016. The following year, the Underworld star dated Matt Rife, who is more than 20 years her junior. When the pair split in 2018, the Serendipity star later moved on with Saturday Night Live‘s Pete Davidson. She dated the 26-year-old four months before calling it quits in May 2019.
Earlier this year, the British actress was spotted holding hands with Canadian musician Goody Grace in Brentwood, California. Despite widespread criticism about her love life, Beckinsale doesn’t see an issue with the age difference between her and Grace, 22.
“It can feel like a little bit of a political act to be a woman over 32 who’s having any fun at all,” she told the publication. “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, ‘Oh my god, 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 ridiculous to me.”
Shortly after she sparked relationship rumors with the “Judas” singer, Beckinsale clapped back at hateful comments about her new “boy toy” on social media. Though fans have their own opinions about the Van Helsing star’s dating life, her 21-year-old daughter, Lily, doesn’t object.
“Kate’s daughter isn’t bothered by the fact that Kate likes younger guys and she is just used to it at this point,” a source told Us Weekly exclusively in April. “Kate and her daughter are still very close and have a great mother/daughter relationship.”
While her daughter, who she shares with ex Michael Sheen, might be her biggest fan, Beckinsale admitted that it’s sometimes difficult to put the critics all the way out of her mind.
“If everyone’s s–tting on you, it can make you feel kind of ugh for a minute,” she told Women’s Health. “Especially if there’s really nothing wrong.”
