Keira Knightley: English Actress
Keira Knightley, an English actress renowned for her roles in films like Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean, also excels at commercials and television films.
Keira was born on 26 March 1985 in London, England. From her third birthday onward, she expressed an ambition to become an actress; thus prompting her parents to find an agent for her!
Keira Knightley’s Biography
Keira Knightley made her mark as an actress in period pieces and blockbusters alike, earning international renown with her nuanced performances. Her breakout role as Juliet in 2002’s Bend It Like Beckham earned her a London Film Critics Circle Award; later that same year, her role as Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl earned an Academy Award nomination.
Knightley has become a familiar sight on the red carpet, dazzled audiences with designer gowns, and inspired them with her choice of hairstyles. Additionally, she is widely recognized for her stand on social issues, working closely with charities such as Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief.
Knightley was born in Teddington, Middlesex, England to Sharman Macdonald (a Scottish actress and playwright) and Will Knightley (an English theatre and television actor). She attended Stanley Junior School, Teddington School, and then Esher College before taking A-levels despite dyslexia; her grades pleased both sets of parents so much that Knightley was granted permission to obtain an agent and pursue acting.
Knightley began appearing in television and film roles before her breakthrough; one notable role being Padme Amidala’s decoy for Natalie Portman’s Queen Amidala in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999). Her next significant appearance came two years later in 2002 sports drama Bend It Like Beckham which proved hugely successful and launched her career.
In 2006 and 2007 she starred in two enormously successful movies: Love Actually (2006) and Atonement (2007), for which she received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations as Best Actress.
Knightley returned to director Joe Wright for Anna Karenina in 2012, winning another BAFTA and being nominated for an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Over 2013 and 2014 she appeared in various film and TV productions before returning to Broadway’s stage with The Misanthrope which earned her an Olivier Award nomination.
Keira Knightley’s Filmography
Keira Knightley is an English actress best known for her roles in films like Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. She started off her acting career appearing on television programs like Royal Celebration and After Juliet before making her big-screen debut with the 1999 film ‘Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace’ where Natalie Portman portrayed Sabe – her physical appearance was instantly recognized thanks to this role!
Knightley quickly expanded her horizons, taking on roles in independent movies as well as large-budget action-adventure flicks. Her stunning performances in period pieces and contemporary dramas propelled her into one of Hollywood’s rising stars.
Knightley enjoyed an exceptional year, appearing in two blockbuster sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean and A Dangerous Method as well as critically acclaimed movies Atonement and The Edge of Love; she co-starred alongside Carey Mulligan for Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel adaptation in which they co-starred; she also made a biopic about model/bounty hunter Domino Harvey while taking part in thriller ‘The Jacket’ as well.
Knightley earned an Oscar nomination in 2009 for her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice; later that same year, Knightley was recognized with another nomination for Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement film adaptation and earned a Golden Globe Award nomination as well.
Her work can also be seen in acclaimed historical dramas The Edge of Love and The Count of Monte Cristo as well as Anna Karenina: the film. Additionally, she has made appearances in Everest (2015), Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), Colette (2018), and Berlin, I Love You (2021).
Knightley has not only made her mark on screen but has also shown great talent in stage productions. She stars as Therese Raquin in the Broadway musical and appeared in 2015’s production of ‘The Misanthrope’ (for which she received an Olivier Award nomination). Additionally, Knightley actively advocates for various charities like Amnesty International and Oxfam.
Keira Knightley’s Personal Life
Keira Knightley has been acting since she was eight. Beginning with amateur theatre productions and then feature films, her career quickly progressed into blockbusters as well as independent releases; known for her historical, period drama roles she has garnered several awards and nominations over time for both movies and theater performances.
Keira first made an impactful statement as an actress with her debut performance in 2002’s Bend It Like Beckham, which became an instant classic and made her a household name. Since then she has gone on to star in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Pride and Prejudice, and Atonement films among many others.
She also appeared in a mini-series version of Doctor Zhivago which began filming during Spring 2002.
Her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice garnered her numerous awards and nominations; at this time, she began being recognized as one of Hollywood’s most promising young actresses.
In 2004, Knightley made her film debut in King Arthur. Though met with mixed reviews upon its release in July, due to her physical resemblance with Natalie Portman she found herself on producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s list for Guinevere in his planned accurate telling of King Arthur legend.
She has been nominated for two Academy Awards and received multiple BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards for her acting. Along with period dramas, she can also be found playing more modern roles like Love Actually (2003) or Never Let Me Go (2010) with Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan.
Keira Knightley has long been an animal rights activist. In 2009, she received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama and charity. Additionally, Knightley is an accomplished pianist with an eye for fashion; Topshop even offers her line of clothing, while she acts as an Ambassador for British Red Cross.
Keira Knightley’s Awards
Keira Knightley has become renowned for her versatility as an actress of period pieces over her illustrious career, from small roles in TV dramas to blockbuster hits. In 2005 she won Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for playing Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen’s classic novel adapted as a film by Bryan Forbes; since then, she has appeared in Love Actually (2003), The Jacket (2005), Biographical Action Domino (2004) King Arthur 2004 as well as contemporary fairytale Princess Alice 2008.
Knightley began acting with small parts in local amateur productions after she was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled academically; nonetheless, her grades remained good to satisfy her parents who allowed her to obtain an agent and pursue acting.
Bend It Like Beckham marked her breakthrough performance, winning her the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer and being followed by several high-profile movies such as Love Actually (2003) and Atonement (2007), where she earned a BAFTA nomination.
Keira spent most of 2007 filming the thriller Silk (2007) opposite Michael Pitt and promoting her role as Cecilia Tallis in James McAvoy’s historical epic Atonement (2007), both while making brief cameo appearances in major Hollywood blockbusters Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean 5 & 6.
Keira used her celebrity to support WomensAid by spearheading an awareness campaign calling for an end to violence against women. Additionally, she shot a short film for director Col Spector’s The Edge of Love (2008) as well as appearing in the noir film London Boulevard (2010) and sci-fi thriller Never Let Me Go (2010) alongside Mark Rylance.
