Kate Beckinsale’s odd family

Kate Beckinsale has a “family with two dads”.

The actress, who is married to director Len Wiseman, says her nine-year-old daughter Lily – her child with former boyfriend Michael Sheen - is comfortable with their unconventional arrangements and describes it as “a modern dream come true”.

She explained: "We're a family with two dads. Somehow it all works out. Lily walks around the house going, 'Daddy!' and several people say, 'Yes?' It's kind of funny. 'No, not you, the other one!'"

Kate, who split from actor Michael in 2003, also revealed her daughter doesn’t feel as though her parents are separated -

because she remains so close to the ‘Frost/Nixon’ star.

Kate, 35, added to Self magazine: “Last week, Lily was talking about a friend whose parents are divorced, saying, ‘Oh it’s so sad!’ And I said ‘Do you never feel like you’re from divorced parents? Because you are, even though Michael and I weren’t technically married.’ And she goes, ‘No! Divorced parents wait in the car outside and everyone is mean to each other, and it’s not like that with us.

“Michael had a huge beard recently and I decided it would be fun if Lily got to shave it off. So we got Len’s clippers and shaved Michael. I’m sure that’s why Lily doesn’t feel like she has split parents. Your stepfather helping to shave your dad isn’t something that necessarily happens in every household.”