Keira Knightley

Keira Christina Knightley is an English actress known for her work in independent films, blockbusters, and period dramas. Born on March 26, 1985, in Teddington, London, she has earned numerous accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, four Golden Globes, and a Laurence Olivier Award. In 2018, she was appointed an OBE for services to drama and charity.

Knightley was raised by her father, actor Will Knightley, and her mother, playwright Sharman Macdonald. Interested in acting from an early age, she requested an agent at age three and secured one at six. Diagnosed with dyslexia at six, she used acting as motivation for her studies. Though intended to be named "Kiera" after skater Kira Ivanova, her mother misspelled the name on her birth certificate. Knightley attended Teddington School and Esher College before leaving to pursue her career full-time.

She began working in commercials and television films in the 1990s, debuting onscreen in a 1993 episode of Screen One. Early screen appearances included A Village Affair, Innocent Lies, The Treasure Seekers, and Oliver Twist. In 1999, she played Sabé in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. She subsequently appeared in the 2001 film Princess of Thieves, the thriller The Hole, the 2002 miniseries Doctor Zhivago, and the drama Pure.

Knightley achieved a major breakthrough in 2002 playing tomboy footballer Jules in Bend It Like Beckham, an international box office success that required months of football training. In 2003, she appeared in the romantic comedy Love Actually. The following year, she starred as warrior queen Guinevere in King Arthur, learning boxing, archery, and riding for the role.

Global recognition came with her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). She reprised the role in two box-office sequels, Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007), learning sword-fighting and performing stunt work for the franchise.

In 2005, Knightley starred in The Jacket, Domino, and Pride & Prejudice. Her role as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She followed this with roles in period dramas such as Silk and Joe Wright's Atonement (2007). Her later filmography includes The Duchess, A Dangerous Method, Anna Karenina, Begin Again, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Imitation Game, Colette, Boston Strangler, and the series Black Doves. On stage, she has appeared in West End productions of The Misanthrope and The Children's Hour, as well as Broadway's Thérèse Raquin.

Knightley is also recognized for her work with charities, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief. She is married to musician James Righton, with whom she has two daughters.