Kate Beckinsale is paying a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Richard Beckinsale, with a meaningful new tattoo. On Wednesday, June 4, the 51-year-old actress shared a moving video on Instagram, revealing the tattoo she had inked in honor of her father, who tragically passed away when she was just five years old.
In the black-and-white video, Beckinsale can be seen sitting in a chair as Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Endry Stymest works on her upper arm. The camera zooms in to show the tattoo, which features the words “Fatherless scum”—a poignant reference to a lyric from David Bowie’s song Fantastic Voyage. Beckinsale also included the track in the post, sharing her connection to the song as she prepares for Father’s Day.
Richard Beckinsale, an English actor, was just 31 when he died of a heart attack in 1979. This past March, Kate marked the 45th anniversary of his passing with a carousel of family photos, including pictures of her father, her mother Judy Loe, and a young Kate. In the emotional post, she wrote:
“The day you died comes round so suddenly even when I’m expecting it. This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you.”
Beckinsale also reflected on the recent loss of her stepfather, Roy Battersby, who passed away in January 2024. She shared her grief, writing:
“How familiar this falling through an abyss. How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels. I hope your energies have met.”
She concluded the post with a loving tribute to her father, saying, “I’m so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X.”
Later in March, Kate debuted another new tattoo—a bird accompanied by the message “My KB”—which was also done by Stymest. This piece sits above an earlier tattoo dedicated to her late cat, Clive, who passed away in 2023. In August 2024, Beckinsale shared a photo of a new tattoo featuring her beloved pet’s name surrounded by stars, captioning the post, “This has really helped,” hinting that the ink had helped ease her grief.
“Thanks so much @_dr_woo,” she added, tagging tattoo artist Dr. Woo, who specializes in intricate animal designs.
Beckinsale’s tattoos are a deeply personal way for her to memorialize those she’s lost, with each piece marking a chapter in her journey of remembrance and healing.
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