Keira Knightley
Keira Christina Knightley (born March 26, 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). Knightley had a break-through role portraying a tomboy footballer in the sports film Bend It Like Beckham (2002). She 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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Black Doves as Helen Webb
- 2023 · The Sound Collector as The Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Boston Strangler as Loretta McLaughlin
- 2021 · Silent Night as Nell
- 2021 · Charlotte as Charlotte Salomon (voice)
- 2020 · Misbehaviour as Sally Alexander
- 2019 · Berlin, I Love You as Jane
- 2019 · My Grandparents' War as Self
- 2019 · Greed as Self
- 2019 · Official Secrets as Katharine Gun
- 2019 · The Aftermath as Rachael Morgan
- 2018 · The Nutcracker and the Four Realms as Sugar Plum Fairy
- 2018 · Colette as Colette
- 2017 · Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales as Elizabeth Swann
- 2017 · Red Nose Day Actually as Juliet
- 2016 · Collateral Beauty as Amy Moore
- 2016 · Discovering Fashion as Self (archive footage)
- 2015 · Everest as Jan Arnold
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · The Imitation Game as Joan Clarke
- 2014 · Laggies as Megan Burch
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit as Cathy Muller
- 2013 · Begin Again as Gretta James
- 2013 · Once Upon a Time... as Gabrielle Chanel
- 2012 · Wide-Awake as The Witch
- 2012 · Stars In Shorts as Woman
- 2012 · Anna Karenina as Anna Karenina
- 2012 · Seeking a Friend for the End of the World as Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
- 2011 · Neverland as Tinker Bell (voice)
- 2011 · A Dangerous Method as Sabina Spielrein
- 2010 · London Boulevard as Charlotte
- 2010 · Last Night as Joanna Reed
- 2010 · Never Let Me Go as Ruth C.
- 2010 · Steve as Woman
- 2009 · The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers as The Fairy
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2008 · The Duchess as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
- 2008 · The Edge of Love as Vera Phillips
- 2007 · Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind as Em (voice)
- 2007 · Silk as Hélène Joncour
- 2007 · O2 Wireless Festival Presents: Daft Punk Live as Self (Patron)
- 2007 · Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End as Elizabeth Swann
- 2007 · Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens as Self
- 2007 · Atonement as Cecilia Tallis
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self - Guest
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · According to Plan: The Making of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' as Self
- 2006 · Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest as Elizabeth Swann
- 2005 · The Reichen Show as Self
- 2005 · Domino as Domino Harvey
- 2005 · Pride & Prejudice as Elizabeth Bennet
- 2005 · My Shot With as
- 2005 · The Jacket as Jackie Price
- 2004 · Stories of Lost Souls as Leah
- 2004 · The Making of King Arthur as Self
- 2004 · King Arthur as Guinevere
- 2003 · An Epic At Sea: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl as Self
- 2003 · Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates as
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2003 · Love Actually as Juliet
- 2003 · Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl as Elizabeth Swann
- 2002 · The Seasons Alter as Helena
- 2002 · Doctor Zhivago as Lara Antipova
- 2002 · New Year's Eve as Leah
- 2002 · Pure as Louise
- 2002 · American Idol as Self
- 2002 · Thunderpants as Music School Student
- 2002 · Bend It Like Beckham as Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
- 2001 · Richard & Judy as Self
- 2001 · Friday Night with Jonathan Ross as Self - Guest
- 2001 · The Hole as Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
- 2001 · Princess of Thieves as Gwyn
- 2001 · Deflation as Jogger
- 1999 · Oliver Twist as Rose Fleming
- 1999 · Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as Sabé
- 1998 · Coming Home as Young Judith
- 1998 · Coming Home as Young Judith
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Gwyn
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1996 · The Treasure Seekers as The Princess
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1995 · Innocent Lies as Young Celia
- 1995 · A Village Affair as Natasha Jordan
- 1993 · Royal Celebration as Angela
- 1993 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as
- 1989 · Screen One as Angela
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as
- 1984 · The Bill as Sheena Rose
- 1981 · Entertainment Tonight as Self
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- Future · The Woman in Cabin 10 as
- Future · Conception as