NEED TO KNOW
Kate Beckinsale is honoring her late dad.
On Wednesday, June 4, the English actress, 51, shared a video on Instagram of her getting a new tattoo as an homage to her father Richard Beckinsale, who died when she was just 5 years old.
In the black-and-white clip, Beckinsale sits on a chair as she gets the tattoo on her upper arm. As the camera zooms in, it’s revealed that the ink reads “Fatherless scum,” a reference to a lyric from David Bowie’s song “Fantastic Voyage.” The actress also added the track to the post.
“Gearing up for Father’s Day with @endrystymest and @davidbowie 🖤,” Beckinsale wrote in the caption, tagging Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Endry Stymest.
Richard was 31 when he died of a massive heart attack in 1979. In March 2024, the actress marked the 45th anniversary of her father’s passing with a carousel of photos featuring her dad along with her mother, Judy Loe, and a younger version of herself.
“The day you died comes round so suddenly even when I’m expecting it,” Kate began the post. “This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you.”
katebeckinsale/Instagram
She also reflected on the recent loss of her stepfather, Roy Battersby, who died in January 2024.
“How familiar this falling through an abyss,” Kate continued in the caption. “How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels. I hope your energies have met.”
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
The actress added of Richard, “I’m so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X.”
Later that month, Kate unveiled a new arm tattoo featuring a bird and a message addressed to “My KB.” The ink was also done by Stymest.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The art sits above her forearm tribute to her late cat Clive. In August 2024, she shared an image of the tattoo she had done featuring her beloved pet’s name with a series of stars around it.
“This has really helped,” the Underworld star wrote in the post’s caption at the time, seemingly implying that the new ink had eased her grief.
“Thanks so much @_dr_woo,” she added, tagging Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Docta Woo, known for his detailed animal designs.
Beckinsale announced Clive’s death in June 2023 with an emotional post.
