Esquire (abbreviated Esq.)^[1] is a term of West European origin. In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it is a title of respect previously accorded to men of higher social rank,^[2] but which has since come to be used, with no precise significance, as a general courtesy title for any man in a formal context.^[3][4] Esquire is cognate with the word squire, which originally meant an apprentice or assistant to a knight. The title "Esquire" has been used continuously since it was created in the distant past in Europe and many uses continue uninterrupted today. For example, in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, "Esquire" is the most junior title. In the United States, the suffix Esq. most commonly designates individuals licensed to practice law, and may be used by both men and women.^[5]

History [link]

Chief Justice Coke (1552-1634) defined "gentlemen" as those who bear coat armour, and are therefore superior to esquires. He followed Sir William Camden (1551-1623, Clarenceux King of Arms), who defined esquires as:

• the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetuity,
• the eldest sons of younger sons of peers and their eldest sons in perpetuity,
• esquires so created by the king,
• esquires by office, such as justices of the peace and those holding an office of trust under the crown.^[6]

Nineteenth century tables of precedences further distinguished between esquires by birth and esquires by office (and likewise for gentlemen).^{[citation needed]} But today the term gentleman is rarely found in official tables of precedence and when it is it invariably means simply a man. One extinct English usage of the term was to distinguish between men of the upper and lower gentry, who were "esquires" and "gentlemen" respectively (between, for example, "Thomas Smith, Esq." and "William Jones, Gent."). Examples of this may be found in the Parish Tithe Map Schedules made under the Tithe Commutation Act 1836.^[7] Later examples appear in the list of subscribers to The History of Elton, by the Rev. Rose Fuller Whistler, published in 1892, which distinguishes between subscribers designated Mr (another way of indicating gentlemen) and those allowed Esquire.

According to one typical definition,^[8] esquires in English law included:

• The eldest sons of knights, and their eldest sons in perpetual succession
• The eldest sons of younger sons of peers, and their eldest sons in perpetual succession (children of peers already had higher precedence)
• Esquires created by letters patent or other investiture, and their eldest sons
• Esquires by virtue of their offices, as Justices of the Peace and others who bear any office of trust under the Crown
• Esquires of knights constituted at their investiture
• Foreign noblemen
• Persons who are so styled under the Royal sign manual (officers of the Armed Forces of or above the rank of Captain in the Army or its equivalent)
• Barristers (but not Solicitors)

A slightly later source^[9] defines the term as

Esquire — A rank next below that of Knight. Besides those Esquires who are personal attendants of Knights of Orders of Knighthood, this title is held by all attendants on the person of the Sovereign, and all persons holding the Sovereign's commission being of military rank not below Captain; also, by general concession, by Barristers at Law, Masters of Arts and Bachelors of Law and Physic.

But formal definitions like these were proposed because there was, in reality, no fixed criterion distinguishing those designated Esquire: it was essentially a matter of impression as to whether a person qualified for this status. William Segar, Garter King of Arms (the senior officer of arms at the College of Arms), wrote in 1602: "And who so can make proofe, that his Ancestors or himselfe, have had Armes, or can procure them by purchase, may be called Armiger or Esquier." Honor military, and civill (1602; lib. 4, cap. 15, p. 228). (By Armes he referred to a coat of arms; it is not clear from this quotation whether Segar made a distinction between esquires and gentlemen.)

Although Esquire is the English translation of the French écuyer, the latter indicated legal membership in the nobilities of ancien régime France and contemporaneous Belgium, whereas an esquire belongs to the British gentry rather than to its nobility, albeit that the term "gentry" in England came to be used to describe what is elsewhere labelled the untitled nobility.^[10] Écuyer in French (11th to 14th century) means "Shield-bearer", a knight in training, age 14 to 21. In the later stages of the Middle Ages, the cost of the adoubement or accolade became too important for many noblemen to bear. They stayed écuyers all their life long, making these title synonymous with nobleman or gentleman.

The most common occurrence of term Esquire today is the conferral as the suffix "Esq." in order to pay an informal compliment to a male recipient by way of implying gentle birth. Today, there remain respected protocols, especially in the United States, for identifying those to whom it is thought most proper that the suffix should be given, especially in very formal or in official circumstances. The social rank of Esquire is that above gentleman.

Modern British usage [link]

The breadth of Esquire (as Esq.) had become universal in the United Kingdom by the late 20th century, for example being applied by some banks to all men who did not have a grander title. Although the College of Arms continues to restrict use of the word Esquire in official grants of arms to a limited set (smaller even than that outlined by the list above), it uses the term Esquire without restriction in addressing correspondence. Many people in the United Kingdom no longer perceive any distinction between "Mr" and "Esquire" at all so that, in everyday usage, a distinction is very rarely intended.

To be used with the name in initial format (e.g., K.S. Smith, Esq.) it is still used by many offices of the Chairman in business and also many traditional carriage trade businesses such as Christie's and Berry Bros. & Rudd. This rather old-fashioned usage is generally employed to imply that the addressee would be of the gentry by the mere fact of the sender's interaction when addressing those without another, higher, rank or title. British men invited to Buckingham Palace receive their invitations in an envelope with the suffix Esq. after their names while men of foreign nationalities instead have the prefix Mr (women are addressed as Miss, Ms, or Mrs).^[11] The same practice applies for other post from the palace (e.g., to employees).

United States [link]

Legal profession[link]

In the United States, the suffix Esq. is most commonly encountered among lawyers.^[5] This usage applies to both male and female lawyers.^[12] Some states also address its ministerial officers (such as justices of the peace, commissioners of deeds, and notaries public) using "Esquire" as a suffix.

The title Esquire is not allocated by any current law in the United States and so is not unlawful to use. Though, because of its common use by attorneys, a person using the term Esquire in a deliberate attempt to engage in the unauthorized practice of law may subject the person to criminal prosecution. All United States court cases questioning the use of the term "Esquire" involve someone who was actually engaged in unauthorized law practice. The concern is that using "Esquire" in certain circumstances might create the impression that someone is claiming to have an active law license.^[13] In some jurisdictions, it is also customary to refer to attorneys who are members of that jurisdiction's bar with the title Hon. because lawyers are officers of the court.

Honorifics are not used with courtesy titles, so Jane Smith, Esq. or Ms. Jane Smith would be correct, but Ms. Jane Smith, Esq. would be incorrect.^[14]

Diplomatic use[link]

Similarly, when addressing social correspondence to a commissioned officer of the United States Foreign Service, Esquire may be used as a complimentary title. While the abbreviated Esq. is correct, Esquire is typically written in full when addressing a diplomat.^[15][16] If any other titles are used on the same line, Esquire is omitted.

Fraternal groups[link]

Some fraternal groups use the Esquire title. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks uses the title for an appointed office position. Similar to the old position of assistant to a knight, the BPOE Esquire serves as the chief assistant to the Lodge's Exalted Ruler, and is in charge of the ballot box, instructing and initiating new members, and examining visiting Elks members.^[17] One appendant body in Freemasonry also uses Esquire as a degree title.^[18]

Proper use[link]

When addressing a person who has an academic degree or other post-nominal professional designation, such as a Certified Public Accountant, a writer should use either the post-nominal designation OR the Esq. As Esquire is a courtesy title, it should not be used with post-nominals.^[19]

India[link]

Before 1947, the term Esquire was used by most senior government officers, especially the former members of the Indian Civil Service and the rest of the higher services of the Imperial Civil Services. The term was used by members of the anglicised segments of the Indian society who could join the government services. It was mostly used by government officials who could claim to have received their legal education in England, especially in either Oxford or Cambridge University, and had become Barristers in London.

References [link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Esquire

Look up esquire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Kate Beckinsale
Beckinsale at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con
Born	Kathrin Romary Beckinsale (1973-07-26) 26 July 1973 (age 38) Finsbury Park, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse	Len Wiseman (2004–present)
Partner	Michael Sheen (1995–2003)
Children	1
Parents	Richard Beckinsale Judy Loe

Kathrin Romary "Kate" Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress. After some minor television roles, she made her film debut in Much Ado About Nothing (1993) while still a student at Oxford University. She then appeared in British costume dramas such as Prince of Jutland (1994), Cold Comfort Farm (1995), Emma (1996) and The Golden Bowl (2000), in addition to various stage and radio productions. She began to seek film work in the United States in the late 1990s and, after appearing in small-scale dramas The Last Days of Disco (1998) and Brokedown Palace (1999), she had a breakout year in 2001 with starring roles in the war epic Pearl Harbor and the romantic comedy Serendipity. She built on this success with appearances in the bio-pic The Aviator (2004) and the comedy Click (2006).

Beckinsale became known as an action star following an appearance in 2003's Underworld and has since starred in many action films, including Van Helsing (2004), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Whiteout (2009), Contraband (2012), and Underworld: Awakening (2012). She also makes occasional appearances in smaller dramatic projects such as Snow Angels (2007), Winged Creatures (2008), Nothing but the Truth (for which she earned a Critic's Choice Award nomination in 2008) and Everybody's Fine (2009). Her next onscreen appearance will be in the sci-fi action remake Total Recall, due for release in August 2012.

Born and raised in London, Beckinsale is the child of actor Richard Beckinsale (1947–1979) and actress Judy Loe. She had an eight-year relationship with Welsh actor Michael Sheen from 1995 until 2003; they have one daughter. She married American film director Len Wiseman in 2004 and they live in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Publications such as Esquire and People Magazine have repeatedly included Beckinsale in their annual rankings of the world's sexiest and most beautiful women. She has worked occasionally as a model in television and print campaigns to promote Gap denim, Diet Coke, Absolut Vodka and Lux shampoo.

Early life[link]

Kathrin Romary Beckinsale^[1][2] was born in London. She is the only child of actor Richard Beckinsale and actress Judy Loe.^[3] She made her first television appearance at the age of four, in an episode of This is Your Life dedicated to her father.^[4][5] When she was five years old, her 31-year-old father died suddenly of a heart attack. Beckinsale was deeply traumatised by the loss and "started expecting bad things to happen".^[6] While she has seen her father "more on television than I have in life," "there are certainly enough memories for me not to feel that it's somebody I didn't know."^[3] Her widowed mother moved in with director Roy Battersby when Beckinsale was nine and she was brought up alongside his four sons and daughter.^[7] She has a close relationship with her step-father: "I couldn't have knitted a better one ... He wasn't pushy, he let me come to him."^[3] She has a paternal half-sister, actress Samantha Beckinsale, but they have not had regular contact.^[3]

Beckinsale was educated at the fee-paying Godolphin and Latymer School in West London^[8] and was involved with the Orange Tree Youth Theatre.^[9] In her teens, she twice won the W.H. Smith Young Writers' competition—once for short stories and once for poetry^[10]—and was presented with the prize by poet Ted Hughes.^[11] She has described herself as "a late bloomer": "All of my friends were kissing boys and drinking cider way before me. I found it really depressing that we weren't making camp fires and everyone was doing grown-up stuff."^[12] "I loathed being a teenager."^[13] She had a nervous breakdown and developed anorexia at the age of 15 and underwent Freudian psychoanalysis for four years.^[3]

Beckinsale read French and Russian literature at New College, Oxford and was later described by a contemporary, journalist Victoria Coren, as "whip-clever, slightly nuts and very charming".^[14] She was involved with the Oxford University Dramatic Society, most notably being directed by fellow student Tom Hooper in a production of A View from the Bridge at the Oxford Playhouse.^[15] She spent her third year in Paris as required of all Modern Language students at Oxford, after which she decided to leave university to concentrate on her burgeoning acting career: "It was getting to the point where I wasn't enjoying either thing enough because both were very high pressure. I was burning out and I knew I had to make a decision."^[3]

Acting career[link]

Early roles (1991–1997)[link]

Beckinsale decided at a young age that she wanted to be an actress: "I grew up immersed in film. My family were in the business. I quickly realised that my parents seemed to have much more fun in their work than any of my friends’ parents."^[16] She made her television debut in 1991 with a small part in an ITV adaptation of P.D. James’ Devices and Desires.^[17] Also that year, she appeared as a young woman engaging in a forbidden affair with a Nazi officer in the Hallmark film One Against The Wind.^[18] In 1992, she starred alongside Christopher Eccleston in Rachel’s Dream, a 30-minute Channel 4 short,^[19] and in 1993, she appeared in the pilot of the ITV detective series, Anna Lee, starring Imogen Stubbs.^[20]

In 1993, Beckinsale landed the role of Hero in Kenneth Branagh's big-screen adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. It was filmed in Tuscany, Italy during a summer holiday from Oxford University.^[21] She attended the film's Cannes Film Festival premiere and later remembered it as an overwhelming experience. "Nobody even told me I could bring a friend!"^[12] "I had Doc Martens boots on, and I think I put the flower from the breakfast tray in my hair".^[22] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone was won over by her "lovely" performance^[23] while Vincent Canby of The New York Times noted that she and Robert Sean Leonard "look right and behave with a certain naive sincerity, although they often seem numb with surprise at hearing the complex locutions they speak."^[24] The film earned over $22 million at the box office.^[25] She made three other films while at university. In 1994, she appeared as Christian Bale's love interest in Prince of Jutland, a film based on the Danish legend which inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet,^[26] and starred in the murder mystery Uncovered.^[27] In 1995, while studying in Paris, she filmed the French language Marie-Louise Ou La Permission.^[28]

Shortly after leaving Oxford University in 1995, Beckinsale starred in Cold Comfort Farm as Flora Poste, a newly orphaned 1930s socialite sent to live with distant family members in rural England. The John Schlesinger-directed film was an adaptation of Stella Gibbons's novel and also featured Joanna Lumley, Eileen Atkins, Ian McKellen, Rufus Sewell and Stephen Fry. Beckinsale was initially considered too young, but was cast after she wrote a pleading letter to the director.^[29] Emanuel Levy of Variety was reminded of "the strength of a young Glenda Jackson and the charm of a young Julie Christie.^[30] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times classed the actress as "yet another of those effortlessly skilled British beauties who light up the screen."^[31] Janet Maslin of The New York Times felt she played the role "with the perfect snippy aplomb".^[32] The film grossed over $5 million at the US box office.^[33] Also in 1995, she appeared in Haunted, a ghost story in which Derek Elley of Variety felt she "holds the screen, with both physical looks and verbal poise".^[34]

1995 also saw Beckinsale's first professional stage appearance as Nina in The Seagull at Theatre Royal, Bath. She became romantically involved with co-star Michael Sheen after meeting during play rehearsals.^[35] "He was the young lion of the theatre".^[36] "I was all revved up to feel very intimidated. It was my first-ever play and my mother had cut out reviews of him in previous productions. And then he walked in ... It was almost like, 'God, well, I'm finished now. That's it, then.'... He's the most outrageously talented person I've ever met."^[37] Irving Wardle of The Independent felt that "the casting, including Michael Sheen's volcanic Kostya and Kate Beckinsale's steadily freezing Nina, is mainly spot-on."^[38] In early 1996, she starred in two further plays; Sweetheart at the Royal Court Theatre^[39] and Clocks and Whistles at the Bush Theatre.^[40]

Beckinsale next starred in an ITV adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, playing Emma to Mark Strong's Mr Knightley and Samantha Morton's Harriet Smith. "You shouldn't necessarily like Emma," Beckinsale has said of her character. "You do love her, but in the way the family of a teenage girl could be exasperated by her outrageous behaviour and still love her."^[29] The programme was aired in autumn 1996, just months after Gwyneth Paltrow had starred in a film adaptation of the same story.^[29] Caryn James of The New York Times felt that, while "Ms. Beckinsale's Emma is plainer looking than Ms. Paltrow's", she is "altogether more believable and funnier."^[41] Jonathan Brown of The Independent has described Beckinsale's interpretation as "the most enduring modern performance" as Emma.^[42]

In 1997, Beckinsale appeared opposite Stuart Townsend in the comedy Shooting Fish, one of the most commercially successful British films of that year.^[43][44] "I'd just had my wisdom teeth out," Beckinsale later recalled of the initial audition. "I was also on very strong painkillers, so it was not the most conventional of meetings."^[45] Elley wrote of "an incredibly laid-back performance"^[46] while Thomas felt she "just glows as an aristocrat facing disaster with considerable aplomb".^[47] She narrated Austen's Emma for Hodder & Stoughton AudioBooks^[48] and Diana Hendry's The Proposal for BBC Radio 4.^[49] Also in 1997, she played Juliet to Michael Sheen's Romeo in a radio production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Sheen.^[50]

Move to Hollywood (1998–2002)[link]

At this point in her career, Beckinsale began to seek work in the United States, something she has said wasn't "a conscious decision ... My boyfriend was in a play on Broadway so that's why we ended up in New York, and my auditions happened to be for American films".^[51] She starred opposite Chloe Sevigny in 1998's The Last Days of Disco. The Whit Stillman film focused on a group of Ivy League graduates socialising in the Manhattan disco scene of the early 1980s. Beckinsale's attempt at an American accent was widely praised.^[52][53][54] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times felt her role as the bossy Charlotte was "beautifully played".^[55] Todd McCarthy of Variety was unimpressed by the film but noted that "compensations include Beckinsale, looking incredible in a succession of black dresses, whose character can get on your nerves even if the actress doesn't."^[56] Her performance earned her a London Critics' Circle Film Award.^[57] The film grossed $3 million worldwide.^[58] Also that year, she starred as Alice in a Channel 4 production of Through the Looking-Glass.^[59]

In 1999, Beckinsale appeared opposite Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace, a drama about two teenage Americans forced to deal with the Thai justice system on a post-graduation trip abroad. A then-26 year old Beckinsale played a teenager.^[60] Danes had hoped to become friends with Beckinsale during the shoot but found her "complicated" and "prickly".^[61] McCarthy said the leads "confirm their status as two of the young actresses on the scene today most worth watching", finding Beckinsale "very effective at getting across layered character traits and emotions."^[62] "Danes and Beckinsale are exceptionally talented young actresses", said Thomas, but "unfortunately, the script's seriously underdeveloped context defeats their considerable efforts at every turn."^[63] Stephen Holden of The New York Times felt that Beckinsale's character "never comes into focus".^[64] The film was a box office failure.^[65]

2000's The Golden Bowl marked Beckinsale's first role following the birth of her daughter. The Merchant/Ivory production was based on the novel by Henry James and also starred Uma Thurman and Jeremy Northam. Beckinsale's partner, Michael Sheen, hit Northam on the film set after he followed Beckinsale to her trailer to scold her for forgetting a line.^[66] Holden noted that "the most satisfying of the four lead performances belong to the British cast members, Ms. Beckinsale and Mr. Northam, who are better than their American counterparts at layers of emotional concealment", adding that each beat of Beckinsale's performance "registers precisely".^[67] Thomas felt her performance would take her to "a new career level".^[68] Andrew Sarris of The New York Observer asserted that she "comes close to capturing the sublimity of Maggie, despite the obvious fact that no movie can capture the elegant copiousness of James’ prose."^[69] The film grossed over $5 million worldwide.^[70]

Beckinsale rose to fame in 2001 with a leading role in the war epic Pearl Harbour as a nurse torn between two pilots, played by Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. She was drawn to the project by the script: "It's so unusual these days to read a script that has those old-fashioned values to it. Not morals, but movie values. It's a big, sweeping epic ...You just never get the chance to do that."^[71] Director Michael Bay initially had doubts about casting the actress: "I wasn't sure about her at first ... she wore black leather trousers in her screen test and I thought she was a little nasty ... it was easy to think of this woman as a slut".^[72] He eventually decided to hire her because she wasn't "too beautiful. Women feel disturbed when they see someone’s too pretty."^[73] He asked her to lose weight during filming.^[74] In a 2004 interview, the actress noted that his comments were "upsetting"^[75] and said she wore leather trousers because "it was snowing out. It wasn't exactly like I had my nipple rings in."^[76] She felt grateful that she had not had to deal with such criticism at a younger age: "If I had come on to a movie set at [a younger] age and someone had said, 'You're a bit funny-looking, can you go on a diet?' - I might have jumped off a building. I just didn't have the confidence to put that into perspective at the time."^[72] However, speaking in 2011, she said she was "very fond" of Bay.^[77]

Pearl Harbor received negative reviews. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised "the avid eyed, ruby lipped Kate Beckinsale, the rare actress whose intelligence gives her a sensual bloom; she's like Parker Posey without irony."^[78] A.O. Scott of The New York Times noted that "Mr. Affleck and Ms. Beckinsale do what they can with their lines, and glow with the satiny shine of real movie stars."^[79] However, Mike Clark of USA Today felt that the "usually appealing Kate Beckinsale" is "inexplicably submerged — like her hospital colleagues — under heaps of tarty makeup that even actresses of the era didn't wear."^[80] The film was a commercial success, grossing $449 million worldwide.^[81]

Beckinsale's second film appearance of 2001 was in the romantic comedy Serendipity as the love interest of John Cusack. It was filmed directly after Pearl Harbour and Beckinsale found it "a real relief to return to something slightly more familiar."^[51] Turan praised the "appealing and believable" leads, adding that Beckinsale "reinforces the strong impression she made in Cold Comfort Farm, The Golden Bowl and The Last Days of Disco" after "recovering nicely" from her appearance in the much-maligned Pearl Harbor.^[82] Claudia Puig of USA Today felt that "Beckinsale's talents haven't been mined as effectively in any other film since Cold Comfort Farm".^[83] McCarthy found her "energetic and appealing"^[84] while Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times described her as "luminous but determined".^[85] In an uncomplimentary review of the film, Ebert described her as "a good actress, but not good enough to play this dumb".^[86] The film has grossed over $77 million at the worldwide box office.^[87]

In 2002, Beckinsale starred in Lisa Cholodenko's Laurel Canyon as a strait-laced academic who finds herself increasingly attracted to her free-spirited future mother-in-law. The independent film was another opportunity for Beckinsale to work with Christian Bale, her Prince of Jutland co-star. She found their sex scene awkward because she knew Bale well: "If it was a stranger, it would have been easier."^[88] While Frances MacDormand's performance as Bale's mother was widely praised, Beckinsale received negative reviews. Holden found the film "superbly acted, with the exception of Ms. Beckinsale, whose tense, colourless Alex conveys no inner life".^[89] Schwarzbaum was unimpressed by the "tedious" characters and criticised "the fussy performances of Bale and Beckinsale" in particular.^[90] The film has grossed over $4 million worldwide.^[91]

Action heroine roles (2003–2006)[link]

Beckinsale became known as an action star following an appearance as a vampire in 2003's Underworld. It was markedly different from her previous work and Beckinsale has said she was grateful for the change of pace after appearing in "a bunch of period stuff and then a bunch of romantic comedies."^[92] "It was quite a challenge for me to play an action heroine and pull off all that training when [in real life] I can’t catch a ball if it’s coming my way."^[93] The film received negative to mixed reviews but was a surprise box office hit and has gained a cult following.^[94] Also that year, she starred in the little-seen Tiptoes with Gary Oldman and Matthew McConaughey.^[95]

Beckinsale at the San Sebastián Film Festival in 2006

In 2004, Beckinsale starred in the action horror film Van Helsing. She was "so surprised" to be appearing in her second action film in two years. "It just seemed like a very good role."^[96] Beckinsale had just separated from her long-term partner Michael Sheen at the time of filming and appreciated the warm atmosphere created on set by director Stephen Sommers and co-star Hugh Jackman: "I really did find that working with people like Stephen and Hugh made it possible to get through what I was going through."^[97] The film grossed over $120 million at the United States box office and over $300 million worldwide, but it was not well-reviewed.^[98][99] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle described her as "a pretty actress doing her best to maintain dignity, vainly trying to craft a feminist statement from a filmmaker's whimsy"^[100] while Rex Reed of The New York Observer felt she was "desperately in need of a new agent".^[101]

Also in 2004, Beckinsale portrayed Ava Gardner in Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator. Scorsese decided to cast Beckinsale because, "I’ve always liked her. I’ve seen all her work, and I was glad that she agreed to audition."^[102] Beckinsale's performance received mixed reviews. Ken Tucker of New York Magazine said she played the part "in full va-va-voom blossom"^[103] while LaSalle felt that she manages "to convince us that Ava was one of the great broads of all time."^[104] However, Clark described it as "the one performance that doesn't come off (though Beckinsale has the requisite beauty)"^[105] while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian stated that "Gardner's rich, voluptuous sexiness is completely absent as Beckinsale sleepwalks through the role as if she was advertising perfume."^[106] The film grossed over $213 million worldwide.^[107]

In 2006, Beckinsale reprised her role as Selene in the successful vampire sequel Underworld: Evolution, directed by her husband.^[108] It was the first time she had "been involved with a movie from the moment it’s a germ of an idea right through the whole editing process."^[109] Her daughter had a small role as the younger Selene.^[109] The film was a box office success, grossing $111 million worldwide.^[110] Beckinsale's second film appearance of 2006 was opposite Adam Sandler in Click, a comedy about an overworked family man who discovers a magical remote control that allows him to control time. The opportunity to play a mother "was one of the things that was attractive to me" about the part.^[111] The film was also a chance to work with Christopher Walken.^[112] The film was highly profitable, grossing $237 million worldwide from a production budget of $82.5 million.^[113]

Focus on small-scale drama (2007–2011)[link]

Beckinsale then made a return to smaller-scale projects: "My experience is that I sort of stepped away from the independent movies and did a couple of big movies. But that's not necessarily how it's perceived by everybody else, which I do understand."^[114] "I enjoy an action movie as much as the next person [but] it’s not something that I would like to do solely."^[115] She explained that she had originally decided to appear in Underworld because she felt typecast in classical roles — it was "assumed that I use a chamber pot and wear bloomers"^[116] - but that her action career "kind of took off a little too much".^[117]

In 2007, Beckinsale starred opposite Sam Rockwell in the independent drama Snow Angels, based on the novel by Stewart O'Nan. The harrowing film, in which she played an overwhelmed single mother, put Beckinsale "in kind of a tough place". "I did have my kid, my husband and, in fact, my ex was around a lot, so it was very nice to come home to my people whom I love."^[115] Puig felt "Beckinsale gives her best performance in years"^[118] while Richard Corliss of Time described it as "her sharpest work yet".^[119] However, Scott felt that "her skill and discipline cannot overcome the sense that she is an exotic species transplanted into this grim ecosystem. Hard as she works to convince us otherwise, it’s a stretch to believe that a woman with the kind of poised confidence in her own beauty she manifests would wind up with an underachieving mouth breather like Glenn."^[120] The film grossed just $414,404 worldwide.^[121]

Beckinsale at the Live Free or Die Hard London premiere in 2007

Also in 2007, Beckinsale appeared alongside Luke Wilson in Vacancy, a thriller set in an isolated motel. Sarah Jessica Parker was originally cast in the part, but dropped out before filming began.^[122] Bradshaw felt that "Wilson and Beckinsale have the chops for scary movies"^[123] while Gleiberman noted that "Luke Wilson, with his hangdog defensive mopiness, and Kate Beckinsale, all sexy severity, are ideally matched as a couple who hate each other."^[124] However, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times was unimpressed, referring to Beckinsale as "the reigning queen of the bland B's".^[125] The film was profitable, grossing $35 million worldwide from a production budget of $19 million.^[126]

In 2008, Beckinsale appeared in Winged Creatures, a film about how six different witnesses cope with the aftermath of a shooting. Beckinsale played a waitressing single mother in an ensemble cast which included Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker. "It was a really, really nice experience but it was quick," said Beckinsale of the filming process. "I just felt a bit like I was shot through a cannon."^[115] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times felt she played the role "with a white-trash verve" and found that her character's "raw ache for that someone with money and respectability is palpable."^[127] However, Dargis felt that Beckinsale and her cast mates have "a tough time filling out characters that are at best abstractions of grief and often just clichés".^[128] The film received a very limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles only. It was released simultaneously on DVD.^[129]

Also in 2008, Beckinsale starred in Nothing but the Truth as a journalist who refuses to reveal her source. The film, co-starring Vera Farmiga and Matt Dillon, was inspired by the case of Judith Miller. As part of her research for the role, "I spent some time at The L.A. Times with some female reporters, and I spoke to Judith Miller about her experience ... I really researched the hell out of that one and it was an amazingly fulfilling, brilliant experience."^[115] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post asserted that Beckinsale and Farmiga played "two of the most fascinating female movie characters to hit screens in a long while, and they've been brought to life by two gifted actresses, each working at the top of her game".^[130] Beckinsale received a Critic's Choice Award nomination for her performance.^[131] The film never received a full theatrical release after the distributor filed for bankruptcy^[132] and the film has grossed just $186,702 worldwide.^[133] "I have prayed - prayed - for film companies to go bankrupt on films I've made, and then this happens on the one I love," said Beckinsale. "Usually it's the ones you're most embarrassed about that are on the side of every bus."^[134]

In 2009, Beckinsale starred in the comic-book adaption Whiteout as a US Marshal tasked with investigating a murder in Antarctica. It was filmed in Manitoba, Canada.^[117] She found the action scenes less physically demanding than those in Underworld because "three pairs of trousers and a parka gives you a bit more protection than the latex suit."^[117] The film was critically panned and a box office failure, failing to recoup its budget.^[135] She also made a brief cameo in the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans; she appeared in flashforwards composed of footage from 2003's Underworld.^[136] Also in 2009, Beckinsale starred in the family drama Everybody's Fine alongside Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore and Rockwell, her Snow Angels co-star. Beckinsale was excited for the opportunity to work with De Niro whom she had first encountered "years and years ago when I just had Lily and he was putting together a reading of The Good Shepherd. I was in New York because Michael [Sheen] was doing Amadeus".^[114] Everybody's Fine was a box office failure, failing to recoup its production budget.^[137] In May 2010, Beckinsale sat on the nine-member 2010 Cannes Film Festival jury, chaired by director Tim Burton.^[138] Unable to find a script she felt passionate about, Beckinsale otherwise kept a low profile in 2010 and 2011, opting to spend time with her daughter.^[11]

Return to action films (2012)[link]

Beckinsale returned to work in 2012 with appearances in three action films. Beckinsale first appeared in the action thriller Contraband. She had a supporting role as the wife of Mark Wahlberg's character, a former criminal who gets forced back into a life of crime after his family are threatened. The film was directed by Baltasar Kormákur, who also starred in the Icelandic language version of the film, Reykjavík-Rotterdam.^[139] The San Francisco Chronicle felt Beckinsale was "stuck in a bit of a thankless role as the victimised wife, but she does try to infuse a harder edge to the character".^[140] The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Beckinsale, her innate classiness calibrated down a few notches, has little to do but be supportive, worried and, eventually, besieged".^[141] Entertainment Weekly felt that the "woman-in-peril stuff is second-rate, giving off a whiff of exploitation"^[142] while Variety found the repeated violence towards Beckinsale's character disturbing.^[143] The film had a production budget of $25 million and has grossed over $94 million worldwide.^[144]

Beckinsale next reprised her role as Selene in the fourth installment of the vampire franchise Underworld: Awakening.^[136] The franchise was initially conceived of as a trilogy and Beckinsale was not "intending to do another one" but was convinced by the quality of the script.^[145] The Hollywood Reporter noted that "when she’s not actually fighting, her performance consists of little more than striding purposefully toward or away from the camera".^[146] The Los Angeles Times remarked that she "finally manages to perfect the monotone delivery she'd been honing for the series' first two entries".^[147] The film had a production budget of $70 million and has grossed over $160 million worldwide.^[148] With adjustments for inflation, Underworld:Awakening is the lowest grossing Beckinsale-led film in the franchise.^[149]

In August 2012, Beckinsale will appear in the sci-fi action remake Total Recall, directed by her husband Len Wiseman. She will star as Lori, a villain played by Sharon Stone in the original film.^[150] Beckinsale has said that Wiseman joined the project because he was unable to receive studio financing for an original sci-fi idea: "You’re constantly finding yourself having to defend doing a remake when you didn’t really want to make one in the first place."^[11] Beckinsale is currently filming The Trials of McCall opposite Nick Nolte and James Cromwell.^[151] She will play a recovering alcoholic lawyer who becomes convinced that a woman was framed for murder.^[152]

Modelling career[link]

Beckinsale has worked occasionally as a model. In 1997, she appeared in the music video for George Michael's Waltz Away Dreaming.^[57] She starred opposite Orlando Bloom in a 2002 Gap television advert, directed by Cameron Crowe.^[153] She appeared in a Diet Coke television advert in 2004, directed by Michael Gondry.^[154][155] She advertised Absolut Vodka in a 2009 print campaign photographed by Ellen von Unwerth.^[156][157] She has also promoted Lux shampoo in a Japanese television advert.^[158]

Beckinsale was named "England's Number One Beauty" by Hello! in 2002^[159] and appeared at number 41 in People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People list in 2008.^[160] Many publications have included her in their rankings of the world's sexiest women. Esquire named her the Sexiest Woman Alive in 2009.^[161] She was at number 22 in Maxim's Hot 100 2009 list.^[162] She came in at number 41 on FHM's Sexiest Women of 2010 list,^[163] having previously appeared at number 15 in their 2009 list^[164] and at number 12 in their 2008 list.^[165] She has frequently appeared in AskMen.com's annual list of the 99 Most Desired Women: she was at number 22 in 2012,^[166] at number 14 in 2011,^[167] at number 3 in 2010,^[168] at number 10 in 2009^[168] and at number 3 in 2008.^[169]

Personal life[link]

Relationships[link]

Beckinsale had an eight-year relationship with actor Michael Sheen from 1995 until 2003. They met when cast in a touring production of The Seagull in early 1995 and moved in together shortly afterwards.^[170] She has said it was "love at first sight"^[171] and that he saved her from "a hospital for the criminally insane".^[172] In 1997, they appeared in a radio production of Romeo and Juliet.^[50] Their daughter, Lily Mo Sheen, was born in London in 1999. The actress has said she was "embarrassed" that Sheen never proposed^[37][173] but remarked, "If you keep a library book out long enough, you feel it's yours."^[174]

Their relationship ended in early 2003, after the filming of Underworld.^[175] Beckinsale had persuaded director Len Wiseman to cast Sheen in the film^[176] but, while on set, she and Wiseman (who was married) fell in love. All parties, aside from Wiseman's first wife,^[177] have maintained that there was no infidelity.^[176] Beckinsale and Wiseman both remain friends with Sheen.^[178] "We were very lucky in that we didn't have an acrimonious split," Beckinsale has said. "We are still very close and [our daughter] sees us around each other."^[179] "He's absolutely one of my most favourite people ever."^[180] "I love him dearly – I would miss him dreadfully if he wasn't in my life."^[181] Sheen has said that Beckinsale "will always be one of the most important people in my life. I have real love for her and a lot of affection for Len."^[182]

Beckinsale moved with her daughter from London to Brentwood, Los Angeles, in 2003 to live with Wiseman. She has said she is "a fish out of water" in Los Angeles^[183] but that residing in London would be impractical for Wiseman's career.^[172] They married in 2004 at the Hotel Bel-Air in California,^[184] choosing a passage from Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass as their first reading.^[185] While she is not religious, she has said it was "very nice to be asked [to get married], which I wasn't in my previous relationship".^[186] Since their marriage, Wiseman has directed her in two further films: an Underworld sequel and Total Recall. She has no plans for more children: "Maybe I will at some point but I feel I have everything I want. Lily is the perfect child ... I am my mum and dad’s only child so I don’t really have the mindset for more children."^[187]

Legal actions[link]

In July 2003, the Press Complaints Commission dismissed a complaint filed by Beckinsale. Beckinsale had claimed that the Daily Mail invaded her and her daughter's privacy by publishing photographs of the actress embracing and kissing her new partner Len Wiseman.^[188] The article was headlined "Mummy's latest love scene leaves Lily unimpressed" and included a picture in which her four-year-old daughter appeared to be ignoring her mother's romantic actions.^[188] The Commission found that "the photographs had been taken in a public place and did not reveal any private details about Lily — such as her health or schooling — but were restricted to general observations about her apparent reaction to her surroundings".^[188]

In August 2003, Beckinsale received a published apology from the Daily Mail after the newspaper reported that she had "spent time in a clinic" following her split from partner Michael Sheen.^[189] The apology was issued after the actress filed a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.^[189] In 2009, Beckinsale was awarded £20,000 in damages by the British High Court after taking legal action against Express Newspapers.^[190] The Daily Express had falsely reported that the actress was "facing heartbreak" after losing out on a part in a remake of Barbarella.^[190]

Health[link]

In 2004, Beckinsale underwent emergency surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to remove a burst appendix.^[191] In 2007, she was treated for exhaustion at a Memphis hospital after experiencing numbness in her left arm and leg.^[192] Beckinsale does not drink alcohol, "not because I’m an alcoholic, I just don’t really like it": "If I drank a whole glass of red wine I would have Chekhovian despair the next day."^[193][194] She has smoked since the age of 16,^[195] but stopped for three years after becoming pregnant with her daughter.^[196] She has since said, "I’d be insufferable if I didn’t smoke. You’d have to push me off a balcony I’d be so boring.”^[197]

Charity work[link]

The British Heart Foundation has been Beckinsale's charity of choice "ever since I was six years old".^[198] She has also donated film memorabilia to the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation,^[199][200] MediCinema,^[201] Habitat For Humanity^[202] and the Entertainment Industry Foundation.^[203] In 2008, she hosted the 4th Annual Pink Party to raise funds for the Women’s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center^[204] and organised a screening of All About Eve for FilmAid International.^[205] In 2012, Beckinsale joined Nestlé's Share the Joy of Reading Programme to raise awareness about the importance of children's literacy.^[206]

Filmography[link]

Stage

• The Seagull (as Nina), Theatre Royal, Bath and Tour, 1995
• Sweetheart (as Toni), Royal Court Theatre, 1996
• Clocks and Whistles (as Anne), The Bush, 1996

Radio

• Narrated Emma (1997) for Hodder & Stoughton AudioBooks
• Narrated Diana Hendry's The Proposal (1997) for BBC Radio 4
• Appeared as Juliet in the Naxos AudioBooks's production of Romeo and Juliet (1997)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kate Beckinsale

• Quotations related to Kate Beckinsale at Wikiquote
• Kate Beckinsale at the Internet Movie Database
• Kate Beckinsale at People.com

Mila Kunis
Kunis on a Family Guy panel at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2009
Born	Milena Markovna Kunis/Milena Markivna Kunis[1][2] (1983-08-14) August 14, 1983 (age 28) Chernivtsi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Alma mater	Loyola Marymount University
Occupation	Actress, voice artist
Years active	1994–present
Home town	Los Angeles, California
Partner	Macaulay Culkin (2002–2010)

Milena "Mila" Kunis (Russian: Милена "Mилa" Кунис; Ukrainian: Мілена "Miлa" Куніс;^[1] born August 14, 1983;  /ˈmiːlə ˈkuːnɪs/) is an American actress. At the age of seven, she moved from Ukraine to Los Angeles, California with her family. After being enrolled in acting classes to help learn English, she was soon discovered by an agent. She appeared in TV shows and commercials, before her first significant role, playing Jackie Burkhart on the TV series That '70s Show. A year later, she was cast as the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy.

Her breakout film role came in 2008, playing Rachel Jansen in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Subsequent film roles included Mona Sax in Max Payne, Solara in The Book of Eli, and Jamie in Friends with Benefits. Her performance as Lily in Black Swan gained her worldwide accolades, including receiving the Premio Marcello Mastroianni for Best Young Actor or Actress at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, and nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.

She has received substantial media attention for her beauty, including often landing on the "Hot 100" lists for publications such as Maxim or FHM and routinely appearing on the cover of national magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and GQ magazine. Her star status was further enhanced when she signed on to be the face of the Christian Dior Spring fashion campaign. At the age of 18, she began a relationship with actor Macaulay Culkin that lasted eight years.^[3]

Early life[link]

Kunis was born in Chernivtsi in the Ukrainian SSR.^[4][5] She is the daughter of Elvira, a physics teacher and drug store manager, and Mark, a mechanical engineer and cab company executive. Kunis has an older brother, Michael.^[6] In 1991, when she was seven years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. Kunis is Jewish and has cited antisemitism in the former Soviet Union as one of several reasons for her family's move to the U.S.^[5][7][8] She has stated that her parents "raised [her] Jewish as much as they could", though religion was suppressed in the Soviet Union.^[5]

On her second day in Los Angeles, Kunis was enrolled at Rosewood Elementary School not knowing a word of English. "I blocked out second grade completely. I have no recollection of it. I always talk to my mom and my grandma about it. It was because I cried every day. I didn't understand the culture. I didn't understand the people. I didn't understand the language. My first sentence of my essay to get into college was like, 'Imagine being blind and deaf at age seven.' And that's kind of what it felt like moving to the States."^[9]

Education[link]

In Los Angeles, she attended Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School.^[10] She was mostly taught by an on-set tutor for her high school years while filming That '70s Show.^[11] When not on the set, she attended Fairfax High School, where she graduated in 2001.^[7] She briefly attended UCLA and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.^[6][12]

Career[link]

Television[link]

At age nine, Kunis' father enrolled her in acting classes after school at the Beverly Hills Studios, where she met Susan Curtis, who would become her manager.^[13][14] Her first TV role was in 1994 as the young Hope Williams on an episode of the popular soap opera Days of our Lives.^[15] She had a minor role on 7th Heaven^[11] and supporting roles in Santa with Muscles, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, and the Angelina Jolie film Gia, as the young Gia Carangi.^[6]

In 1998, Kunis was cast as Jackie Burkhart in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show. All who auditioned were required to be at least 18 years old; Kunis, who was 14 at the time, told the casting directors she would be 18 but did not say when. Though they eventually figured it out, the producers still thought Kunis was the best fit for the role.^[5][14] That '70s Show ran for eight seasons.^[16]

In 1999, Kunis replaced Lacey Chabert in the role of Meg Griffin on the animated sitcom Family Guy,^[17] created by Seth MacFarlane for Fox. Kunis won the role after auditions and a slight rewrite of the character, in part due to her performance on That '70s Show.^[18] MacFarlane called Kunis back after her first audition, instructing her to speak slower, and then told her to come back another time and enunciate more. Once she claimed that she had it under control, MacFarlane hired her.^[18] MacFarlane added: "What Mila Kunis brought to it was in a lot of ways, I thought, almost more right for the character. I say that Lacey did a phenomenal job, but there was something about Mila – something very natural about Mila. She was 15 when she started, so you were listening to a 15-year-old. Which oftentimes with animation they'll have adult actors doing the voices of teenagers and they always sound like Saturday morning voices. They sound, oftentimes, very forced. She had a very natural quality to Meg that really made what we did with that character kind of really work."^[19] Kunis was nominated for an Annie Award in the category of Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production in 2007.^[20] She also voiced Meg in the Family Guy Video Game!. Kunis described her character as "the scapegoat."^[21]

Film work, 2001–2008[link]

In 2001, she appeared in Get Over It opposite Kirsten Dunst. She followed that up in 2002, by starring in the straight-to-DVD horror film American Psycho 2 alongside William Shatner, a sequel to the 2000 film American Psycho. American Psycho 2 was panned by critics,^[22] and later, Kunis herself expressed embarrassment over the film.^[23] In 2004, Kunis starred in the film adaptation Tony n' Tina's Wedding. Although the film was shot in 2004, it did not have a theatrical release until 2007.^[24] Most critics did not like the film, which mustered a 25% approval from Rotten Tomatoes.^[25] DVD talk concluded that "fans would be much better off pretending the movie never happened in the first place".^[26]

In 2005, Kunis co-starred with Jon Heder in Moving McAllister, which was not released theatrically until 2007.^[27] The film received generally poor reviews and had a limited two week run in theaters.^[28][29] She followed up with After Sex starring alongside Zoe Saldana, who had also appeared in Get Over It.^[30] In October 2006, she began filming Boot Camp (originally titled Straight Edge).^[31] Although the film did not have a theatrical release in the United States, it was released on DVD on August 25, 2009.^[32]

Kunis at the premiere of Max Payne in 2008

Kunis starred as Rachel Jansen in the 2008 comedy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, co-produced by Judd Apatow. The role, which she got after unsuccessfully auditioning for Knocked Up,^[33] entailed improvisation on her part.^[34] The film garnered positive reviews,^[35] and was a commercial success, grossing $105 million worldwide.^[36] Kunis' performance was well-received; Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal praised her "fresh beauty and focused energy",^[37] while James Berardinelli wrote that she is "adept with her performance and understands the concept of comic timing".^[38] She was nominated for a Teen Choice Award.^[39] In an interview, Kunis credited Apatow with helping her to expand her career from That '70s Show.^[33]

Also in 2008, she portrayed Mona Sax, an assassin, alongside Mark Wahlberg in the action movie Max Payne, based on the video game of the same name. Kunis underwent training in guns, boxing, and martial arts for her role.^[40] Max Payne was relatively successful at the box office, grossing $85 million worldwide^[41] but was panned by critics,^[42] with several reviewers calling Kunis miscast.^[43][44] Travis Estvold of Boise Weekly wrote that she's "horribly miscast as some sort of undersized, warble-voiced crime boss".^[45] Director John Moore defended his choice of Kunis saying, "Mila just bowled us over...She wasn't an obvious choice, but she just wears Mona so well. We needed someone who would not be just a fop or foil to Max; we needed somebody who had to be that character and convey her own agenda. I think Mila just knocked it out of the park.".^[40] She was nominated for another Teen Choice Award for her role in the film.^[46]

2009–present[link]

In 2009, she appeared in the comedy Extract with Ben Affleck and Jason Bateman. The film received mostly positive reviews,^[47] and grossed $10.8 million at the box office.^[48] Roger Ebert, while critical of the film itself, wrote that Kunis "brings her role to within shouting distance of credibility."^[49] Director Mike Judge commented that part of what was surprising to learn about Kunis was her ability to make references to the cult animation film Rejected. Judge said: "As beautiful as Mila is, you could believe that maybe she would cross paths with you in the real world."^[50] After seeing Kunis perform in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Judge wanted to cast her in the role of Cindy in Extract: "I just thought, 'Wow, this girl's perfect.' And she really wanted to do it, which was fantastic." Said Kunis, "I'm a huge fan of Mike Judge's from Office Space, so I was, like, 'Okay, this is a very easy decision.' I told them I would do anything needed to be in this production – like craft service, or, say, acting."^[51]

In 2010, she starred alongside Denzel Washington in the action film The Book of Eli. Although the film received mixed reviews,^[52] it performed well at the box office, grossing over $157 million worldwide.^[53] Film critic Richard Roeper praised Kunis' performance, calling it a "particularly strong piece of work".^[54] Several other reviews were equally positive of her performance, including Pete Hammond of Boxoffice magazine, who wrote that she is "ideally cast in the key female role"^[55] Even reviewers who did not necessarily like the film complimented her performance, such as James Berardinelli, who stated that "the demands of the role prove to be within her range, which is perhaps surprising considering she has been thus far pigeonholed into more lightweight parts",^[56] and Colin Covert of the Star Tribune, who wrote that she "generated a spark and brought a degree of determination to her character, developing an independent female character who's not always in need of rescuing."^[57] Other critics, such as Claudia Puig of USA Today felt she was miscast, stating "she looked as if she dropped in from a Ray-Ban commercial".^[58][59][60] Kunis received another Teen Choice Award nomination for her performance.^[61][62] Kunis was also cast in a minor role in the 2010 comedy Date Night, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell.^[63] She garnered several positive reviews for her performance.^[64][65][66] Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune concluded her performance with James Franco helped save the film and gave it "a shot in the arm".^[67]

She and Natalie Portman played rival ballet dancers in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. Kunis, who was cast in the film based on her performance in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and on the recommendation of costar Natalie Portman,^[68] underwent a training regimen that included cardiovascular exercise, a 1,200-calorie a day diet (she lost 20 pounds that she regained after filming ended), and ballet classes for four hours a day, seven days a week.^[69][70][71] During the demanding production, she suffered injuries including a torn ligament and a dislocated shoulder.^[72] Black Swan has received widespread acclaim from critics^[73] and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.^[74] The film grossed over $100 million (106.9 million) in the US and Canada^[75] while grossing over $329 million worldwide.^[76] Reviews of Kunis' performance have been positive,^[77][78][79] with Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter stating, "Kunis makes a perfect alternate to Portman, equally as lithe and dark but a smirk of self-assurance in place of Portman's wide-eyed fearfulness."^[80] Guy Lodge of In Contention also praised Kunis, saying, "it's the cool, throaty-voiced Kunis who is the surprise package here, intelligently watching and reflecting her co-star in such a manner that we're as uncertain as Nina of her ingenuousness."^[81] Kunis' performance won her the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress at the 67th Venice International Film Festival,^[82] and earned her Golden Globe Award ^[83]and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress.^[84] At the 37th annual Saturn Awards she was also honored with the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance.^[85]

Kunis was cast alongside Justin Timberlake in the romantic comedy Friends with Benefits.^[86] Director Will Gluck stated that he wrote the story with Kunis and Timberlake in mind.^[87] Friends with Benefits achieved success at the box office, grossing over $149 million worldwide,^[88] and received mostly positive reviews with critics praising the chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake.^[89] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times wrote that "Ms. Kunis is fast proving that she's a gift that keeps giving to mainstream romantic comedy" and "her energy is so invigorating and expansive and her presence so vibrant that she fills the screen".^[90]

In July, 2012 will be the release of her next film Ted, co-starring Mark Wahlberg, and directed and co-written by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.^[91] Ted will be followed in March, 2013 by the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures' prequel, Oz: The Great and Powerful, where she will play Theodora, the youngest of three witches, opposite James Franco.^[92] Also set for a 2013 release will be Blood Ties with Kunis co-starring with Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, and Marion Cotillard.^[93]

Media publicity[link]

Kunis has attracted notable media attention for her physical appearance by various media outlets. Praise has ranged from GQ magazine naming her the Knockout of the Year for 2011 ^[94] to Men's Health naming her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time". ^[95] The Spike Guys' Choice Awards have honored her twice, naming her the "Hottest Mila" at the 2009 awards ceremony^[96] and in 2011 presenting her with the Holy Grail of Hot award.^[97] AskMen.com has also lauded Kunis ranking her the second most desirable woman in 2011^[98] and following that up with a number thirteen ranking in 2012.^[99] FHM magazine ranked her number 9 on their 2012 Hot 100 list^[100] but Kunis has kept this type of media attention in perspective, saying, “You’ve got to base your career on something other than being FHM’s top 100 number one girl. Your looks are going to die out, and then what’s going to be left?”^[9] In recent years, Maxim has consistently ranked Kunis on their Hot 100 list, reaching a ranking of number 5 in both 2009 and 2011^[101]and number 3 in 2012.^[102]

In 2007, Kunis participated in a video for the website Funny or Die appearing alongside James Franco. The video was a parody of the MTV show The Hills and was a huge success for the website, with well over one million views.^[103] Shawn Levy, director of Date Night, stated that part of what made him decide to cast Kunis with James Franco in the film was the chemistry he felt they had in the Funny or Die video.^[104] In December 2008, Kunis was featured in Gap's "Shine Your Own Star" Christmas campaign.^[105] Kunis was described as one of the "most attractive geeks" by Wired.com in 2008, due to her much-publicized affinity for World of Warcraft.^[106] That same year, she was featured and on the cover of the October issue of Complex Magazine.^[107]

In 2010, she was featured in the "Women We Love" segment in Esquire with an accompanied video.^[108] For the October 2010 Elle magazine 25th anniversary special edition, Kunis was one of the women chosen to be featured for their success at a young age. The honor included a photo and video presentation on the magazine's website.^[109] Kunis was among several female stars photographed by Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams in conjunction with the Calvin Klein Collections for a feature titled American Women 2010, with the proceeds from the photographs donated to the NYC AIDS foundation.^[110] Also in 2010, Kunis was featured and on the cover of the December issue of Nylon.^[111] During the summer of 2010 Kunis served with Randy Jackson as the Master of Ceremonies for the 9th Annual Chrysalis Foundation Benefit. The Chrysalis Foundation is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization formed to help economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals to become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.^[112]

In 2011, Kunis graced the cover of the February issue of Cosmopolitan^[113] and the March issue of W magazine.^[72] For the 17th Annual Hollywood Issue of Vanity Fair, Kunis was among the actors to be chosen to appear on the cover.^[114] In support of her film Friends with Benefits she landed on the cover of Elle magazine and GQ magazine.^[115][116]

Christian Dior signed Kunis in 2012 to be the face of its Spring fashion campaign^[117] and she made the cover of the April issue of Harper's Bazaar.^[118]

Personal life[link]

Kunis began dating actor Macaulay Culkin in 2002.^[119] At one time there were rumors of the couple getting married, but Kunis denied them, saying:

I've been engaged. I think I've already been married. And I'm sure I have a child somewhere. I'm waiting to have something else happen. No, I'm not married. And no, I'm not engaged. And no, I do not have a child. No one seems to listen. And next week I'll be engaged again. I think, at one point, they were like, 'Seen shopping in Beverly Hills for engagement rings.' We were in Japan working. What is wrong with these people? Half the time you can say they misconstrued facts. But, more often than not, they just make stuff up.^[120]

In an interview with BlackBook Magazine Kunis stated that marriage is "not something that's important to me".^[121] Kunis said she tried her best to protect her and Culkin's privacy, noting that "We don't talk about it to the press. It's already more high profile than I want it to be."^[122] When questioned if it was difficult to stay out of the tabloids and press, Kunis responded: "I keep my personal life as personal as I physically, mentally, possibly can." Asked if that is difficult she said, "I don't care. I will go to my grave trying. It is hard, but I'll end up going to a bar that's a hole in the wall. I won't go to the "it's-happening" place."^[123] On January 3, 2011, Kunis' publicist confirmed reports that Kunis and Culkin had ended their relationship, saying "The split was amicable, and they remain close friends". ^[3]

Kunis attending the Marine Corps Ball in 2011

She has identified herself in interviews as a fan of the online computer game World of Warcraft and has received a certain amount of attention from the game's fan community as a result. She has not released what server she is in but says she is with her close friends in the Alliance.^[124] In a 2008 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, she stated she had not used voice chat in the game since another player recognized her voice.^[125] Although Kunis has described herself as a "computer nerd", she does not have a Myspace, Facebook or Twitter account.^[126] Kunis discussed her desire for privacy: "Why would I want to share my life with the world when it's being shared already, without my consent? The only problem with not having an account is that there are fake accounts, pretending to quote me. But what am I going to tweet about?"^[127]

Kunis enjoys traveling, and often goes on trips with her older brother, Michael. She and Michael have explored countries such as Fiji and Korea. "I like the way he travels," she explains. "He grabs a map, says, 'Let's walk,' and makes you explore."^[6] In an interview Kunis elaborated on how she likes to relax during her personal time: "I love to hang out with my friends....I love to sit home in my pajamas and watch TiVo. That brings me so much happiness. That's it. It's quiet and calm."^[128]

In January 2011, she revealed her struggle with an eye condition called chronic iritis that had caused blindness in one eye. However, a couple of months earlier she had surgery that corrected the problem.^[129] Kunis also has the condition heterochromia iridum, where the irises have different colors. One eye is brown, and the other is green.^[130]

In November 2011, Kunis was escorted by Sgt. Scott Moore to a United States Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, North Carolina. Kunis had accepted Moore's invitation in July after he posted it as a YouTube video while serving with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The event celebrated the Marine Corps' 236th anniversary.^[131]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]