Keira Knightley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keira Knightley
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Knightley in 2025
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| Born |
Keira Christina Knightley
26 March 1985 London, England
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1991–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
James Righton
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
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| Awards | Full list |
Keira Christina Knightley (born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. She is famous for starring in both big blockbuster movies and smaller independent films. Knightley is especially well-known for her roles in historical movies, often called period dramas.
She has received many awards and nominations, including two for the Academy Awards. In 2018, she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special honor given by the Queen for her work in acting and for charity.
Knightley became famous worldwide for playing Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. She also gained praise for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (2005).
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Early Life and Family
Keira Christina Knightley was born in Teddington, a part of London, England. Her parents, Will Knightley and Sharman Macdonald, were also actors. Her mother later became a playwright, which is a person who writes plays. Keira has an older brother named Caleb.
Her parents named her after a Soviet ice skater named Kira Ivanova, whom her father admired. However, her mother accidentally misspelled the name as "Keira" on the birth certificate.
At age six, Knightley was diagnosed with dyslexia, which can make reading difficult. With her parents' help, she worked hard to overcome this challenge. She always knew she wanted to be an actress and got her first agent when she was just six years old.
Acting Career
Early Roles and First Big Break
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Knightley started her career with small parts in TV shows and commercials. In 1999, she had a role in the huge movie Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. She played Sabé, the decoy for Padmé Amidala. She looked so much like actress Natalie Portman, who played Padmé, that even their mothers had trouble telling them apart on set.
Her first major role was in the Disney TV movie Princess of Thieves (2001), where she played the daughter of Robin Hood. She had to learn archery, fencing, and horse riding for the part.
Knightley's big breakthrough came in 2002 with the movie Bend It Like Beckham. She played Jules, a girl who loves to play soccer. The movie was a surprise hit in both the U.K. and the U.S. Knightley and her co-star Parminder Nagra became internationally famous.
Worldwide Fame with Pirates of the Caribbean
In 2003, Knightley became a global star when she played Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. She starred alongside Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. The movie was a massive success, earning over $654 million worldwide.
That same year, she also appeared in the popular romantic comedy Love Actually. This movie has become a Christmas classic and helped make Knightley a well-known name.
She continued to star in big films, including King Arthur (2004), where she played the warrior queen Guinevere.
Success in Period Dramas
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Knightley's most successful film of 2005 was Pride & Prejudice. She played the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, from Jane Austen's famous novel. Her performance was highly praised by critics. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for this role when she was only 20 years old.
She returned to the Pirates of the Caribbean series for two more movies: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). These films were also huge box office hits.
In 2007, she starred in another successful period drama, Atonement. Her performance earned her more award nominations, including one for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. The green dress she wore in the movie became very famous.
Stage Work and Independent Films
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In 2008, Knightley starred in The Duchess, playing Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, a fashionable and influential English aristocrat from the 18th century. Critics loved her performance, calling it one of her best.
Knightley also decided to try acting on stage. In 2009, she made her debut in London's West End in a play called The Misanthrope. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award, a top honor in British theatre.
She continued to appear in a variety of films. These included Never Let Me Go (2010) and A Dangerous Method (2011). In 2012, she worked with director Joe Wright again on the film Anna Karenina, playing the title role.
Recent Roles and Biographical Films
In 2014, Knightley starred in The Imitation Game alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. She played Joan Clarke, a real-life codebreaker who helped the British government during World War II. For this role, she received her second Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actress.
She made her Broadway debut in New York City in 2015, starring in the play Thérèse Raquin. In 2017, she made a brief return to the Pirates series in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
In 2018, she played the famous French author Colette in the movie Colette. Her performance was highly praised. The same year, she played the Sugar Plum Fairy in Disney's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
More recently, she played a whistleblower named Katharine Gun in Official Secrets (2019) and a feminist activist in Misbehaviour (2020). In 2023, she starred as reporter Loretta McLaughlin in the film Boston Strangler.
Charity Work and Advocacy
Knightley is known for speaking out on social issues, especially feminism. She has worked with charities like Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief.
In 2004, she traveled to Ethiopia for Comic Relief. She has also supported campaigns for human rights and clean water. The dress she wore to the 2006 Academy Awards was donated to Oxfam and raised over £4,000 for the charity.
In 2014, she traveled to South Sudan with Oxfam to raise awareness about the civil war there. She also supports charities that fund research for the disease spinal muscular atrophy.
Personal Life
Knightley married musician James Righton in 2013. They have two daughters, born in 2015 and 2019. The family lives in London.
Knightley prefers to keep her family life private and does not use social media.
In 2018, she shared that she had a difficult time adjusting to fame when she was younger. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but was able to get help through therapy.
Acting Credits and Awards
Some of Keira Knightley's most praised films include:
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Love Actually (2003)
- Pride & Prejudice (2005)
- Atonement (2007)
- The Duchess (2008)
- The Imitation Game (2014)
- Colette (2018)
She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. She won an Empire Award for Best Actress for Atonement.
See also
In Spanish: Keira Knightley para niños
- List of British Actors
- List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Great Britain
- List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
