Kate Beckinsale posted two unexplained messages on Instagram early Sunday before deleting them hours later.
The actress first shared a black image containing only the word “bye.” She separately posted an Instagram Story showing a rainbow over a road with the message, “Congratulations you won. I give up,” according to PEOPLE.
By later Sunday morning, the messages had been removed. TMZ reported in a 10:29 a.m. update that Beckinsale’s Instagram appeared to have been completely scrubbed. Her representative had not responded to the outlet’s request for comment.
Beckinsale has not publicly explained who or what the messages referred to. She has spoken openly in recent months about grief, health issues, online criticism and PTSD, but none of those subjects has been publicly connected to Sunday’s posts by Beckinsale herself.
Beckinsale Removed the Messages Within Hours
The “bye” image appeared on Beckinsale’s main Instagram feed without a caption, while comments on the post were disabled. The second message appeared through her Stories.
TMZ also noted that Beckinsale’s Instagram bio contained a link to a BBC article published after the 2020 death of British television presenter Caroline Flack examining media treatment and online behavior toward public figures.
Beckinsale did not explain why the article was linked in her bio, and there is no confirmed connection between that link and the messages she posted Sunday.
The actress had also cleared her account earlier in the year. TMZ reported that she scrubbed her Instagram in February and briefly left an image reading “You Win.”
She Wiped Her Instagram Again After Body-Shaming Comments in August
Beckinsale removed her Instagram posts again in August after publicly responding to comments about her appearance and weight.
She shared examples of hostile messages before explaining that her body had changed while she was coping with the death of her mother, actress Judy Loe, and living with mast cell activation syndrome.
PEOPLE reported that Beckinsale said she had been dealing with the condition for years and objected to commenters making assumptions about her health, including claims about drug use and eating habits.
After one person wrote, “I liked you better when I didn’t hear you speak,” Beckinsale responded that she planned to delete her Instagram material apart from books she had recommended.
Loe died in July 2025 after having stage 4 cancer. Beckinsale’s stepfather, director Roy Battersby, died in January 2024.
Beckinsale Spoke About Living With PTSD Earlier This Month
Earlier in September, Beckinsale posted videos discussing her experience with post-traumatic stress disorder and how difficult it can be for other people to recognize what someone is dealing with privately.
She described navigating PTSD as “actually like hell” and said people can continue working, looking after others and appearing functional while experiencing nightmares, triggers and other symptoms that are not visible publicly.
Beckinsale also asked people to be more considerate toward those dealing with trauma. “Please be gentler with people,” she said, according to PEOPLE.
Her comments addressed her own experience with trauma and bereavement, including the deaths of her mother and stepfather. Beckinsale had not issued a public explanation for Sunday’s deleted Instagram messages as of the latest reports on September 20.