A Taste:

The Beatles, Janis Joplin, David Bowie

For Whiteout, Kate Beckinsale got cold—really cold.

Delving into her icy heroine Marshall Carrie Stetko, Kate smiles and says, “The ice is a metaphor for Carrie’s emotional wall. I thought she made a really interesting journey in the movie. There was a lot going on—snow, ice, etc—but I wanted to make sure her situation was really rooted and that she didn’t come across as someone who could definitely handle that situation that came up. I needed to make sure she was vulnerable.”

Kate definitely gives the character a sense of vulnerability as she attempts to solve a grisly murder at the South Pole. Even though the actress had to go to some deep and dark places to make Carrie so complex, it was all worth it.

Whiteout is one of the most faithful and intriguing graphic novel adaptations to come out in the past decade, and it’s because Kate and Co. preserve the darkness inherent in the original work.

“I really did like the fact that she started the movie fairly depressed and bored,” says Kate. “She’s really in retreat, and she’s not a typical hero. She’s more interesting. Having to solve a murder is an awful way to fix your life situation, but I think it makes her get herself together. She’s taken a timeout in her life, and she’s about to get back in it.”

In order to get into characters, Kate typically listens to music. She continues, “I’m extremely sensitive to music. The more I work, the less I listen to certain things recreationally because I know that they can zip me into a certain mood.”

Kate shared her current playlist with ARTISTdirect.com in this exclusive feature, and she’s got quite classy tastes!

Check out Kate’s playlist below and in the video and be sure to see Whiteout on September 11 when it hits theaters everywhere!

Kate Beckinsale’s Playlist:

1. The Beatles

2. James Taylor

3. Janis Joplin

4. David Bowie

“What’s on my playlist? [Laughs] I’m really kind of an old fart about this. Basically, I like anything that happened around Woodstock. I have got a daughter who’s nine now, so I know who Lady GaGa is and I know who Kanye West is [Laughs]. I can identify them. I’m all retro though. I love The Beatles, James Taylor and Janis Joplin. I’m really an old lady like that. David Bowie is another big one for me.”

—Rick Florino
09.08.09