Keira Christina Righton Knightley, born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. She has starred in both independent films and big-budget blockbusters, and is particularly noted for her roles in period dramas. Her accolades include two Empire Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award and one Laurence Olivier Award. Knightley was appointed an OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.
Born in London to actors Will Knightley and Sharman Macdonald, Knightley obtained an agent at age six, and initially worked commercials and television films. She appeared as Sabé, Padmé Amidala’s handmaiden, in science fiction blockbuster Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). Despite her work, she struggled to break through until portraying a tomboy footballer in sports film Bend It Like Beckham (2001). Knightley achieved global stardom with her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in fantasy swashbuckler series Pirates of the Caribbean. In the same year, she appeared in the Christmas romantic comedy Love Actually (2003) and was labelled a promising teen star.
For her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the period romance Pride & Prejudice (2005), Knightley was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. At age 20, she became the third-youngest Best Actress nominee at the time. Knightley starred in a series of further period pieces, portraying a complex love interest in Atonement (2007), tastemaker Georgiana Cavendish in The Duchess (2008), and the titular socialite in Anna Karenina (2012). She then forayed into contemporary dramas, appearing as an aspiring musician in Begin Again (2013) and a medical student in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). Knightley returned to historical films by playing cryptoanalyst Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game (2014), earning her a second round of Academy Award and BAFTA nominations, and starred as the eponymous belle époque writer in Colette (2018) to critical acclaim.
On stage, Knightley has appeared in two West End productions: The Misanthrope in 2009, which earned her an Olivier Award nomination, and The Children’s Hour in 2011. She also starred as the eponymous heroine in the 2015 Broadway production of Thérèse Raquin. Knightley is known for her outspoken stance on social issues, and has worked extensively with Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief. She is married to musician James Righton, with whom she has two daughters.
“I probably am more comfortable with myself.”—Keira Knightley
“Nice is the worst word.”—Keira Knightley
“I made a conscious decision to live my life the best way I could and that meant to publicise myself as little as possible.”—Keira Knightley
“My upbringing is why I am the person I am today.”—Keira Knightley
“I see the world through my eyes. It’s sometimes a strange world.”—Keira Knightley
“It’s all about perfection.”—Keira Knightley
“It’s good to know that other people think differently, and that’s what makes the characters interesting.”—Keira Knightley
“I don’t have a problem with my body.”—Keira Knightley
“I really believe that women have to be very true to themselves about what they’re comfortable with.”—Keira Knightley
“It does feel important to say it really doesn’t matter what shape you are.”—Keira Knightley
“I think everybody has the right to a private life.”—Keira Knightley
“It’s good to know that other people think differently, and that’s what makes the characters interesting.”—Keira Knightley
“The thing I love about acting is getting to change and look at different people in different lives and do different projects.”—Keira Knightley
“The most important thing in playing any character is not judging.”—Keira Knightley
“Envy is the last thing that my parents feel.”—Keira Knightley
“I’m incredibly open with my mates. Or even people I just meet.”—Keira Knightley
“I think it doesn’t matter where you’re from, we all need a bit of romance.”—Keira Knightley
Beauty is everywhere.”—Keira Knightley
“I think fashion is like putting on armor. I like that aspect of it, but it’s not something I want to think about every day.”—Keira Knightley
“Empathy is the main thing, putting yourself in somebody else’s shoes and trying not to judge.”—Keira Knightley
“I always feel like I’m the one with everything to prove.”—Keira Knightley
“I always find it much easier when there’s one person whose vision you’re following, as opposed to many people.”—Keira Knightley
“We’re fortunate if we have parents who are great and loving and inspiring.”—Keira Knightley
“I see the world through my eyes. It’s sometimes a strange world.”—Keira Knightley
“I like watching films when I don’t know anything about the people.”—Keira Knightley
“You have to learn the rules to be able to know how to break them.”—Keira Knightley
“It’s an interesting thing when you discover something about yourself.”—Keira Knightley
“All through my life what I’ve loved doing is watching movies.”—Keira Knightley
“I always loved words, which is a strange thing given that I couldn’t actually read them.”—Keira Knightley
“Be happy in your body. It’s the only one you’ve got, so you might as well like it.”—Keira Knightley
