Kate Beckinsale says her high IQ is a ‘handicap’ in Hollywood

Beckinsale studied French and Russian literature at Oxford University

Kate Beckinsale has said that her “very high IQ” of 152 is a “handicap” in Hollywood.

The actor, best known for her role in Underworld, made the claim to Howard Stern on his radio show.

Beckinsale told the shock jock: “Every single doctor, every single person I’ve ever come across has said, ‘You’d be so much happier if you were 30 percent less smart.’”

She continued: “It’s no good to me, though. It’s really not helpful to me in my career. I just think it might have been a handicap actually.”

She then joked that since taking the test she had probably “burned a few brain cells”.

Beckinsale, who is also the child of actors, studied French and Russian literature at Oxford University but dropped out before graduating to fully pursue acting.

She attended the university at the same time as journalist and TV presenter, Victoria Coren Mitchell. Beckinsale also speaks fluent Russian.

The average person has an IQ between 85 and 115. Beckinsale’s score of 152 places her in the top one per cent of the population.

Beckinsale recently revealed to James Corden the reason for her recent hospitalisation. She told the chat show host that she injured herself while putting on a pair of leggings and that it was so bad she had to phone an ambulance.

She said to Corden: “I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t lie down, I couldn’t sit down. I couldn’t do anything.”

Kate Beckinsale defends Chrissy Teigen while opening up about own pregnancy loss (Getty Images)

Beckinsale can currently be seen in dark comedy, Guilty Party, which airs on Paramount Plus.