Knightley is known for her outspoken stance on social issues and has worked extensively withAmnesty International,Oxfam, andComic Relief. She is married to musicianJames Righton, with whom she has two daughters.
Keira Christina Knightley was born on 26 March 1985 in the southwestern London suburb ofTeddington, to stage actorWill Knightley and playwrightSharman Macdonald.[2][3] She was born at home in her kitchen with no medical assistance save a midwife.[3] She was meant to be named "Kiera", the anglicised form of "Kira", after the Soviet figure skaterKira Ivanova, whom her father admired; however, Macdonald, who isdyslexic, misspelt the name when she registered her daughter's birth certificate, writing thee before thei.[4][3] Her father isEnglish and her mother is ofScottish andWelsh descent.[5]
Knightley has an older brother, Caleb.[6] Macdonald worked as a playwright after her acting career came to an end. Knightley's parents encountered substantial financial difficulties following the birth of her brother;[7] her father, a "middling" actor, agreed to a second child only if her mother sold a script first. However, her parents' varying degrees of success did not deter Knightley's curiosity about the profession.[8] Macdonald introduced her children to theatre and ballet very early,[9] inspiring Knightley's interest in acting.[10]
Knightley attendedTeddington School.[11] She was diagnosed with dyslexia at six, but by the time she was eleven, with her parents' support, she says, "they deemed me to have got over it sufficiently". She is still a slow reader and cannot read out loud.[12] Due to her hard time reading, the school classified her as having "special educational needs," which made her feel discouraged. Her parents used the promise of acting to encourage her to work harder.[3] Knightley has said she was "single-minded about acting".[13] At age three, she requested to obtain an agent like her parents and secured one at six. This led to her taking a number of small parts in television dramas.[14] She acted in a number of local amateur productions, which includedAfter Juliet, written by her mother, andUnited States, written by her drama teacher. Knightley began studying herA-Levels atEsher College inSurrey but left after a year to pursue an acting career.[15] Her mother's friends encouraged her to go to drama school, which she declined for financial and professional reasons.[16]
After obtaining an agent at age six, Knightley began working in commercials and small television roles. Her first onscreen appearance was in the 1993Screen One television episode titled "Royal Celebration". She then played Natasha Jordan, a young girl whose mother is involved in an extramarital affair, in the romantic dramaA Village Affair (1995). After appearing in a spate of television films through the mid-to-late 1990s, includingInnocent Lies (1995),The Treasure Seekers (1996),Coming Home (1998), andOliver Twist (1999),[17] Knightley landed the role ofSabé,Padmé Amidala'shandmaiden anddecoy, in the 1999 science fiction blockbusterStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Her dialogue was dubbed over byNatalie Portman, who played Padmé. Knightley was cast in the role because of her close resemblance to Portman; even the two actresses' mothers had difficulty telling their daughters apart when they were in full make-up.[18]
In her first major role, the 2001Walt Disney Productions television filmPrincess of Thieves, Knightley played the daughter ofRobin Hood. In preparation for the part, she trained for several weeks in archery, fencing, and riding.[19] Concurrently, she appeared inThe Hole, a thriller that received a direct-to-video release in the US. The film's directorNick Hamm described her as "a young version ofJulie Christie".[20] Knightley also took on the role of Lara Antipova in the 2002 miniseries adaptation ofDoctor Zhivago, to positive reviews and high ratings.[21] In the same year, Knightley starred as a pregnant drug addict inGillies MacKinnon's drama filmPure. Co-starringMolly Parker andHarry Eden, the film had its world premiere at the2002 Toronto International Film Festival.[22] In a retrospect review for AboutFilm.com, Carlo Cavagna noted Knightley's screen presence and wrote that "[although Knightley] doesn't have half of Parker's ability [...] she has spunk and grit [and] shines brightly inPure".[23]
Knightley landed a breakthrough role when she starred inGurinder Chadha's sports comedy filmBend It Like Beckham, which was a box office hit in the U.K and U.S.[24] Knightley portrayed Jules, atomboy football player struggling against social norms who convinces her friend to pursue the sport.[25] The film surprised critics who were laudatory of its "charming" and "inspiring" nature, social context and the cast's performances.[26] Knightley and her co-starParminder Nagra attracted international attention for their performances;[27] criticJames Berardinelli, who was largely laudatory of the film and the "energetic and likable" cast, noted that Knightley and Nagra brought "a lot of spirit to their instantly likable characters".[28] To prepare for their roles, they underwent three months of extensive football training under the English football coachSimon Clifford. Knightley was initially sceptical of the project: in an interview withTracy Smith she said, "I remember telling friends I was doing this girls' soccer movie [...] And nobody thought that it was gonna be any good."[29]
2003–2007:Pirates of the Caribbean and worldwide recognition
Knightley was cast asElizabeth Swann in the 2003 American fantasyswashbuckler filmPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.[30] The film, based on theDisney theme park attraction, revolves around infamous buccaneerJack Sparrow and blacksmithWill Turner rescuing Swann, in possession of a cursed golden medallion, from 18th-century pirates.[31] The producersJerry Bruckheimer andGore Verbinski cast Knightley for her "indescribable quality [...] reminiscent of motion picture stars from Hollywood's heyday."[32] Knightley underestimated the stunt work required and believed she would primarily be sitting in carriages; at one point during filming, she stood for two days on a plank and rejected a stunt double's offer to jump off the platform for the scene.[32][33] Despite boasting the names of stars likeJohnny Depp andOrlando Bloom and a $135 million budget,Pirates was expected to fail at the box office.[34] Knightley herself was not optimistic about its prospects.[35] The film opened at number one on the box office, and became one of the highest-grossing releases of the year, with worldwide revenues of $654 million.[36]Elvis Mitchell ofThe New York Times likened Knightley's "strident and confident" physical assurance to that ofNicole Kidman, while Keith Phipps ofThe A.V. Club described her and Bloom as appealing leads.[37][38]
Also in 2003, Knightley appeared inRichard Curtis's Christmas-themed romantic comedyLove Actually, featuring an ensemble cast, which included her childhood idolEmma Thompson.[39][40] Knightley played Juliet, a woman whose fiancé's best man is secretly in love with her.[41] Peter Travers ofRolling Stone criticised the waste of Knightley's talent in a "nothing" role,[42] while Megan Conner ofThe Guardian remarked that the film turned Knightley into a household name.[16]Love Actually has been referred to as a modern-day Christmas classic.[43] Knightley believes the film's trajectory to be "extraordinary", given that its popularity resurfaced a few years after the film's release.[44] Knightley's only release of 2004 was the historical filmKing Arthur, where she playedGuinevere, a warrior queen and the wife of thetitular character.[45] The part required her to learn boxing, archery, and riding.[39][46] The criticA. O. Scott praised Knightley for "throw[ing] herself bodily into every scene".[47] Although the film received unfavourable reviews, Knightley's stature as a performer grew; she was voted by the readers ofHello magazine as the industry's most promising teen star,[48] and featured inTime magazine's article, which stated that she seemed dedicated to develop herself as a serious actor rather than a film star.[49]
Knightley appeared in three films in 2005, the first of which was the psychological thrillerThe Jacket, co-starringAdrien Brody.[50] In a mixed review forEmpire, Kim Newman wrote that the role was unlike the ones she had previously taken up : "getting out of period gear and talking American, tries to broaden her range and is arguably well-cast".[51] Knightley next played the titular character inTony Scott's French-American action filmDomino, based on the life ofDomino Harvey. The film's release was delayed on several occasions and, on its eventual release in November, it received negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.[52]
Knightley's most successful release of the year wasPride & Prejudice, a period drama based onJane Austen's novelPride and Prejudice.[53] The directorJoe Wright cast Knightley for her tomboyish nature combined with a "lively mind" and sense of humour.[54] Knightley, who had admired the book from a young age,[55] said of her character, "The beauty ofElizabeth is that every woman who ever reads the book seems to recognise herself, with all her faults and imperfections."[55] On release, the film became a huge commercial success, with total collections of around US$120million worldwide, and received positive reviews from critics.[56] Writing forThe Guardian, Peter Bradshaw labelled her performance of "beauty, delicacy, spirit and wit; in her growing lustre and confidence" and Derek Elley ofVariety found her "luminous strength" to be reminiscent of a youngAudrey Hepburn.[57][58] Knightley earned "Best Actress in a Leading Role" nominations at theGolden Globes and theAcademy Awards for her performance at age 20, becoming thethird-youngest nominee for the latter.[59] Knightley's consecutive successes came with increased media scrutiny, and she later admitted to experiencing struggles with her mental health during this period.[60]
Knightley was invited to join theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, among other artists in 2006.[61] In 2004, the second and third films of thePirates of the Caribbean series were conceived, with screenwritersTed Elliott andTerry Rossio developing a story arc that would span both sequels, in which Knightley reprised her role as Elizabeth Swann. The plot of the films see Swann buck convention to seek adventure and become fierce pirate and fighter to match the skills of Sparrow and her love interest, Turner.[62] The sequel installments allowed Knightley to study sword-fighting, which she had sought to do since the first film.[32] Filming for the projects took place in 2005;Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest released in July 2006, with the worldwide collections of $1.066 billion, becoming the biggest financial hit of Knightley's career.[63] The third installment in the series,Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, was released in May, the following year.[64] A. O Scott termed her performance "a vision of imperial British pluckiness, with an intriguing dash of romantic recklessness that surfaces toward the end".[65] In November 2006, it was reported that Knightley didn't want to participate in any further sequels.[66] By 2010, both Knightley and Orlando Bloom had repeatedly been quoted in saying they wanted to move on.[67][68][69]
Knightley's continued association with period dramas yielded varying results, as seen with two of her 2007 releases,François Girard'sSilk, andJoe Wright'sAtonement, the feature film adaptations of the novels byAlessandro Baricco andIan McEwan respectively.[70] The former project failed at the box office, while the latter became a critical and commercial success. Knightley played Cecilia Tallis, the elder of the twoTallis sisters, who struggles with a wartime romance with her love interest, played byJames McAvoy.[71] She admitted that the pacing on the smaller, more intimate film was an adjustment compared to thePirates franchise.[72] In preparing for the film, Knightley studiedthe novel as well as the "naturalism" of the performance as seen in films from the 1930s and 1940s, such asIn Which We Serve (1942) andBrief Encounter (1945).[73][72] She admired the multi-layered and "fascinating" nature of her character's behaviour.[74] Knightley's performance won theEmpire Award for Best Actress,[75] and earned her nominations for theBAFTA and theGolden Globes awards, also in the leading actress categories.[76] The criticRichard Roeper, who thought the lead duo were "superb" in their respective roles, was puzzled by their failure to receive Academy Award nominations.[77] Thegreen dress worn by Knightley during the film's climactic scene garnered substantive press attention, and was subsequently regarded as one of the greatest costumes in film history.[78][79][80]
Knightley appeared alongsideSienna Miller,Cillian Murphy, andMatthew Rhys inJohn Maybury's 2008 wartime dramaThe Edge of Love. The film had her play the role of Vera Phillips, a childhood friend of Welsh poetDylan Thomas and his wifeCaitlin Macnamara. Knightley wrote the script with her mother,Sharman Macdonald, with Macnamara in mind.[81] After Knightley signed on, her character's role was increased with the film focusing on her romance with a British soldier.[81] Knightley connected to Vera's quietness, and described her as "tragic and beautiful".[81] She based her performance onMarlene Dietrich, and was to mime to her prerecorded voice, before being told by Maybury to sing live. Knightley initially felt embarrassed to do so, saying she "[shook] like a leaf" but eventually went through with the plan.[81] The film became a moderate critical and commercial success.[82] Knightley's performance and singing abilities were praised;The Independent noted that Knightley "gives Vera an independence and complexity that's aeons ahead", while theLos Angeles Times wrote "the film belongs to the women, with Knightley going from strength to strength (and showing she can sing!)".[83]
Knightley received critical acclaim for her portrayal of 18th-century aristocratGeorgiana Cavendish inThe Duchess (2008)
Knightley then starred as the 18th-centuryEnglish aristocratGeorgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire inSaul Dibb's period dramaThe Duchess (2008), based on the best-selling biographical novel,Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire byAmanda Foreman.[84] The film tells the story of Georgiana's rise in society as a sociopolitical tastemaker after her marriage disintegrates.[85] The script Knightley was sent was covered in "huge white ostrich feathers" and a gold ribbon.[86]Gabrielle Tana, the film's producer, stated Knightley "brought an instinctive understanding" of such aspects of Georgiana's life as a celebrity from her own experiences.[87] Knightley was attracted to her character's strength and status as a political influence and fashion prowess, while being inwardly vulnerable and isolated.[86] Simon Crooke ofEmpire described her performance as "an enigmatic, free-spirited turn and a role she'll be remembered for, probably her best role to date in a film not directed byJoe Wright."[88] The following year, she was nominated for aBritish Independent Film Award for Best Actress.[89] A film adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare's tragedyKing Lear set to star Knightley andAnthony Hopkins was cancelled due torecession.[90]
Knightley made herWest End debut withMartin Crimp's version ofMolière's comedyThe Misanthrope. Starring Knightley,Damian Lewis,Tara Fitzgerald, andDominic Rowan, the play was staged at theComedy Theatre in December 2009. She portrayed Jennifer, a shallow, amorous, and vulnerable American film star who is courted by an analytical and veracious playwright.[91] Knightley chose the role as she felt that "if I don't do theatre right now, I think I'm going to start being too terrified to do it" and described the production as an "extraordinary and incredibly fulfilling" experience, she was sceptical of her performance.[92] Paul Taylor ofThe Independent remarked that Knightley was "not only strikingly convincing, but, at times, rather thrilling in its satiric aplomb".[93] However,The Guardian's Michael Billington noted that due to the nature of the role, "one could say that she is not unduly stretched".[94] In recognition of her theatre debut, Knightley was nominated for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and anEvening Standard Award.[95]
Knightley began the new decade with three films; she remarked that her work during this period helped her "empathise with people or with situations that I don't necessarily find it easy to empathise with".[96] Two of the productions,Massy Tadjedin's romantic dramaLast Night andWilliam Monahan's crime noir filmLondon Boulevard opened to mixed responses from critics and rank among the lowest-grossing films in Knightley's career.[97][63] Knightley's other release,Never Let Me Go, an adaptation ofKazuo Ishiguro'snovel of the same name fared better at the box office and received positive reviews. Knightley described the script as unique, one that made the reader think.[96] Co-starringAndrew Garfield andCarey Mulligan, Knightley played Ruth, one of three graduates of an autocratic boarding school that discovers their fates in adystopia.[98][99] She appeared in avideo installation by artistStuart Pearson Wright titledMaze.[100]
Knightley starred in a 2011 revival ofThe Children's Hour byLillian Hellman at theComedy Theatre in London.[101] She portrayed Karen Wright, an engaged schoolteacher accused of lesbianism in 1934.[102] Ben Brantley ofThe New York Times commented that her performance showed an "intensity" and "credible fierceness" within the outdated material.[102] Knightley's sole film release of 2011 wasDavid Cronenberg's historical dramaA Dangerous Method, co-starringViggo Mortensen,Michael Fassbender, andVincent Cassel. Based on writerChristopher Hampton's 2002 stage playThe Talking Cure and set on the eve of World War I, the film depicts the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatristCarl Jung, his mentorSigmund Freud andSabina Spielrein. Knightley portrayed Spielrein, the troubled but beautiful youngpsychoanalyst who comes between Jung and Freud.[103] Knightley spent four months reading and discussing her character's behaviour with psychologists to prepare for the role.[104][105] She appreciated the depth and variety of her character arc, which she viewed as rare for female roles.[106] The film premiered at the68th Venice International Film Festival to a positive reception, while Knightley earned generally favourable reviews by critics, with Andrew O'Hehir ofSalon hailing her as "the real star of this film".[107]
Knightley co-starred withSteve Carell in the 2012 comedy-dramaSeeking a Friend for the End of the World, which was critically panned.[108][109] Later that year, she reunited with directorJoe Wright to film their third production,Anna Karenina, in which she starred as the title character.[110] She deemed this collaboration the most important of her career.[111][112] Knightley viewed that her character's complex "moral culpability" was in question, but attracted compassion.[112] Knightley received positive reviews for her performance, prompting early Oscar buzz.[113] Batsy Sharky of theLos Angeles Times wrote that Knightley "puts hearts and anguish on the line in trying to bring an emotional reality".[114] The2013 Toronto International Film Festival saw the premiere of Knightley's first musical filmBegin Again withMark Ruffalo. Directed byJohn Carney, the film had its theatrical release in 2014.The Guardian found Knightley and Ruffalo to be "nicely natural as the increasingly idealistic musos".[115] Carney later repeatedly criticised Knightley's performance in the film, saying she was not convincing enough in portraying a singer-songwriter and derogatorily referred to her as a "model".[116] He later apologised to her via Twitter for his comments.[117] Knightley later remarked that music "never sinks in" for her, and she is more interested in books and drama.[118] Later that year, she appeared inKarl Lagerfeld's short period filmOnce Upon a Time...[119]
In July 2014, Knightley stated that she had reached the end of the first stage of her career, and wished to depart from "neurotic" roles.[118] 2014 began for Knightley with the spy thrillerJack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the fifth instalment in thefilm series, alongsideChris Pine.[120] She portrayed Dr. Cathy Muller, Ryan's eventual wife. Knightley sought to do a lighter film than her previous work, looked forward to working with directorKenneth Branagh.[121] The film received mixed critical reviews nonetheless strong box-office response.[122] Knightley's next filmLaggies, premiered at the2014 Sundance Film Festival.[123] A romantic comedy also starringChloë Grace Moretz andSam Rockwell, the film follows the life of Megan, played by Knightley, a 28-year-old overeducated underachiever going through aquarter-life crisis. Knightley empathised with her character's delayed maturity and appreciated the film's telling from a female perspective.[124]Laggies opened to mostly positive reviews from critics, with Knightley's performance praised by critics.[125] Inkoo Kaang ofTheWrap referred to her as a "loose-limbed revelation" and lauded her "delightfully uncouth" performance.[126]
The film was followed by her appearance inMorten Tyldum's historical dramaThe Imitation Game, a film based on the life of British mathematicianAlan Turing, played byBenedict Cumberbatch. Knightley portrayedcryptanalyst andnumismatistJoan Clarke, who decrypted German intelligence codes for the British government during World War II with Turing.[127] Knightley researched interviews with Clarke, and sought to keep her "upper-class quality", drawing on the depth of her emotions and protectiveness of Turing from the script.[128]The Imitation Game became a critical and commercial success grossing over $233.6 million.[129] For her performance, Knightley received her secondAcademy Award andBAFTA Award nominations, and thirdGolden Globe Award nomination, all for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.[127] Conversely, Lady Jean Forde, who worked with Clarke and Turing, felt Knightley was "nothing like" Clarke and was "too beautiful" to play her.[130]
Knightley's sole release in 2015 was as part of the ensemble cast in the biographical disaster filmEverest. The film was based on the1996 Mount Everest disaster with Knightley portrayingmountaineerRob Hall's wife.[131]Everest opened to generally positive reviews from critics.[132]Variety wrote that Knightley gave a "deeply felt performance" as a woman "haunted by the possibility" of losing her spouse.[133] In October 2015, Knightley made her Broadway debut playing the title role inHelen Edmundson's adaptation ofÉmile Zola'sThérèse Raquin atStudio 54.[134] Knightley took the role after turning down the project twice, as she thought herself incapable of playing the part. She found interest in her character's "caged" circumstance, as well as her dark, active role in the play, as she sought to depart from passive supporting roles.[135] Of her performance, Alexandra Villarreal ofThe Huffington Post wrote: "She fumes, and rages, and withdraws, and you can watch her psychological evolution from stifled wife to impassioned mistress to haunted murderer".[136]
Knightley starred in thebiographical dramaColette as thetitular French author. The film sees Colette's social ascent inbelle époque society through her provocative novels, but she is exploited by her husband, who plagiarises her work.[142] Knightley believed the film connected strongly to modern-day feminism, and depicted cultural change in gender politics. To prepare for the part, Knightley read Colette's novels, among themThe Vagabond andChéri, and initially planned to visit her birthplace ofBurgundy, France. She found the author "inspiring", and admired her imperfections as well as her courage.[143] The film, released at theSundance Film Festival, was critically successful, with Knightley's performance receiving acclaim.[144] Manohla Dargis ofThe New York Times praised her vibrance and "expressive physicality", and Jordan Hoffman ofThe Guardian wrote that the film saw Knightley in "top form: luminous, clever, sexy and sympathetic."[145][146] Knightley was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.[147]
The same year, she played theSugar Plum Fairy in Disney's adaptation ofThe Nutcracker, titledThe Nutcracker and the Four Realms, which was critically panned.[148][149] In 2019, Knightley co-starred inThe Aftermath, a film adaptation of the novel byRhidian Brook, alongsideAlexander Skarsgård.[150][151] Knightley played Rachel, a "cold and complex" British army wife traumatised by her son's death by a German bomb. The film sees her and her husband move to Germany while dealing with grief.[152] The film received mixed reviews.[151][153][154]The Boston Globe's Ty Burr credited Knightley for adding "conviction, grace, heart, and nerve" to the film,[153] while Katie Walsh of theLos Angeles Times felt Knightley and Skarsgård were too reserved.[154] Knightley portrayedwhistleblowerKatharine Gun inOfficial Secrets (2019),[155] which was premiered at theSundance Film Festival on 28 January 2019 to positive reviews.[156] Knightley believed the film's depiction ofIraq War and government accountability connected with modern politics.[157] Writing forThe Guardian, Peter Bradshaw praised Knightley's "focused, plausible and sympathetic performance".[158] Gun also expressed her contentment with the film.[159]
In 2025, she performed the role of Dolores Umbridge in theAudibleHarry Potter audiobook. This was met with controversy due to an ongoing boycott of Harry Potter overthe author's views on transgender people, to which Knightley laughed and claimed she was not aware,[174][175] before saying that "We’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect."[176][177][178]
Off-screen, Geoffrey Macnab ofThe Independent describes Knightley as "sensible and self-deprecating"[12] and Elizabeth Day ofHarper's Bazaar says of Knightley's persona: "She is extremely nice, swears more than you might think and – yes – ... effortlessly beautiful".[179] Writing forThe New York Times,Jesse McKinley stated that Knightley is "known for her ability to sparkle and charm in several accents", while herThérèse Raquin co-star,Judith Light, praised her "down-to-earth demeanor, intelligence and sense of humor".[134]
Knightley has been described as "famously open with media",[180] though she has asserted the contrary.[181] During the 2000s, Knightley faced an "extraordinary amount of vitriol" from the press.[16]The Guardian wrote that "if she is not too pretty to be worthy of her success, she is too posh, too thin. If there is a more valid reason why [...] they often struggle to articulate it."[16] Despite multiple successful films and award nominations, the criticism affected her, and Knightley felt that she "didn't know [her] trade".[182] Media scrutiny decreased as her career progressed, and she spaces out her public appearances to maintain attention on her films.[128] Beginning in the 2010s, Knightley regained confidence in her abilities, and by the release ofColette (2018), she felt she had learned her craft and mentally occupied a "good place where I feel pretty confident about what I can do".[182]
Several publications have described Knightley as one of the finest actresses of her generation.[183][184][185] Knightley has been widely recognised for her extensive repertoire ofperiod dramas throughout her career.[186][187][188] She identifies with "break[ing] out of that image of femininity" and appreciates period films' "overt cage" to demonstrate such.[187] WriterAnne Helen Petersen states that the varying personalities of her historical roles are united in the "larger idea" Knightley represents: "that of women ostensibly performing a version of proper womanhood — all while quietly negotiating, or cracking under, the weight of doing so."[186] She has criticised contemporary-set films, finding their depiction of sexual violence against women excessive.[189] Knightley is reputed for her signature "strong female lead" roles,[128] and she has been compared to actressesKatharine Hepburn,Greta Garbo,Audrey Hepburn, andNicole Kidman.[186][57][37]
In a 2004BBC poll, she was named among the most influential people inBritish culture.[190] Knightley has often been ascribed to the "English rose" archetype.[191][192][193][194] Knightley has been included several times onFHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World" list, making her first appearance in 2004 and topping the list in 2006;[195] she was included in every subsequent issue until 2009.[196] She was part of the American editions of the list from 2004 to 2006, and was also placed ninth on theMaxim Hot 100 list in 2006.[197]
Knightley received media attention for her perspectives onfeminism, voiced in an interview withHarper's Bazaar UK published in the February 2014 edition. She explained that women face greater hurdles in the film industry compared to their male counterparts, and also revealed that she was perplexed by the use of "feminist" in a derogatory sense.[198] Knightley posed topless for the September 2014 cover ofInterview magazine, on condition that the image not be digitally altered, to draw attention to how "women's bodies are a battleground and photography is partly to blame."[199] ForInternational Women's Day 2014, Knightley was one of the artist signatories ofAmnesty International's letter to British Prime MinisterDavid Cameron, in which the organisation campaigned for women's rights inAfghanistan.[200] After the birth of her first daughter, she penned an essay about childbirth, entitled "The Weaker Sex", featured in the collectionFeminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies.[201] Knightley does not shoot nude scenes for her films, unless directed by a female filmmaker.[202]
Knightley is the face of anAmnesty International campaign to support human rights, marking the sixtieth anniversary of the United NationsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights.[203] In 2004, she travelled toEthiopia alongsideRichard Curtis,Sanjeev Bhaskar andJulian Metcalfe on behalf of theComic Relief charity.[204] She posed for photos forWaterAid in 2005 and also for theAmerican Library Association's "Read" campaign (a promotional poster ofPride & Prejudice).[205] The dress she wore to the 2006 Academy Awards was donated to the charityOxfam, where it raised £4,300.[206] In April 2009, Knightley appeared in a video to raise awareness of domestic abuse entitledCut shot forWomen's Aid.[207] The video created controversy, with some sources calling it too graphic, while other groups support the video for showing a realistic depiction of domestic violence.[208] In November 2010, Knightley became patron of the SMA Trust, a British charity that funds medical research into the diseasespinal muscular atrophy.[209] In July 2014 Knightley travelled toSouth Sudan on behalf of Oxfam to meet refugees of theSouth Sudanese Civil War and raise awareness of the conflict.[210]
In May 2016, Knightley signed a letter imploring Britain to vote "remain" in theUK EU referendum. The letter was also signed byJohn le Carré,Benedict Cumberbatch andDanny Boyle among others.[211] Later, she appeared in a video aimed at encouraging younger people to vote in the referendum.[212] On 12 September 2016, Knightley, along withCate Blanchett,Chiwetel Ejiofor,Peter Capaldi,Douglas Booth,Neil Gaiman,Jesse Eisenberg,Juliet Stevenson,Kit Harington andStanley Tucci, appeared in a video from theUnited Nations' refugee agencyUNHCR to help raise awareness of the global refugee crisis. The video, titled "What They Took With Them", has the actors reading a poem, written by Jenifer Toksvig and inspired by primary accounts of refugees, and is part of UNHCR's #WithRefugees campaign, of which also includes a petition to governments to expand asylum to provide further shelter, integrating job opportunities, and education.[213] In September 2016, Knightley co-hosted A Night to Remember, part of the Green Carpet Challenge, a charity event highlightingsustainability within the fashion industry.[214]
In September 2017, Knightley traded stocks on behalf of thespinal muscular atrophy charity SMA Trust as part of the BGC Charity Day, which was set up to commemorate thestockbrokers who were killed during theSeptember 11 attacks.[215] In April 2020, Knightley participated in a World Health Day livestream to raise money for charity during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[216] In June 2020, she and other celebrities designed a range of pin badges for the #PinYourThanks campaign, dedicated to thanking essential workers. All profits went toNHS Charities Together and Volunteering Matters.[217] In October 2020, she backed Made By Dyslexia, a global campaign to help teachers address "dyslexic strengths". It has trained a quarter of a million teachers and started an online program.[218] Knightley participated in a skit entitled2020 The Movie, commemoratingRed Nose Day 2021.[219]
Knightley was the celebrity face for the luxury goods brandsAsprey andShiatzy Chen as well as Lux haircare products in Japanese television commercials.[220] In April 2006, she was confirmed as the new celebrity face ofChanel's perfumeCoco Mademoiselle, though the first photo from the campaign was not released until May 2007.[221] Knightley has appeared in television commercials for Chanel directed byJoe Wright since 2007, and has endorsed Chanel Fine Jewellery's collection Coco Crush.[222] In 2008, Knightley was the highest-earning British Hollywood star according to theForbes Celebrity 100 list[223] and was named amongst the most bankable actors in 2009.[224]
Knightley dated actorsDel Synnott (2001–2003),Jamie Dornan (2003–2005), andRupert Friend (2005–2010).[225][226] She began a relationship with musicianJames Righton in February 2011.[227] They were married on 4 May 2013 inMazan, France.[228] They have two daughters together, born in 2015 and 2019.[229][230] The family resides inCanonbury,Islington, London.[231] Knightley advocates equalpaternity leave and has spoken about the expense of childcare in England. She remarked in 2016 on "how lucky I've been to be able to afford really good childcare, otherwise it would be at least four years out of my career."[232][233] She has no social media profiles in an effort to preserve her family's privacy.[157]
Knightley won alibel case against theDaily Mail in 2007 after it had falsely claimed that she had an eating disorder. Awarded £3,000 in damages, she added to the sum and donated £6,000 toBeat, a charity for those with mental illness and eating disorders.[234]
In February 2010, a 41-year-old man was charged with harassment after trying to contact Knightley on several occasions outside London's Comedy Theatre, where she was performing inThe Misanthrope.[235] The subsequent trial folded after she was unavailable to testify in court.[236] Another man was sentenced to eight weeks in prison after harassing Knightley outside her home and stalking her in December 2016.[237]
Knightley is anatheist.[238] In a 2025 interview withCaitlin Moran, when asked how she kept herself from breaking down or developing anaddiction due to the pressures of fame, she responded, "Oh, Idid go mad, Believe me. I went mad. I just managed to hide it." She recalled various times when men showed up at her doorstep trying to get a reaction from her or following her on the street; after trying to evade them for a while,[3] she took a break from working in 2006,[239] visiting numerous places in Europe and successfully evading paparazzi.[3] In 2018, Knightley revealed that she had a mental breakdown at age 22 and had been later diagnosed withpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), since she struggled to adjust to her sudden rise to stardom. She recounted how she did not leave her home for three months up until early 2008, and needed to havehypnotherapy to preventpanic attacks to enable her to attendthat year's BAFTA Awards, where she was nominated for her performance inAtonement.[182]
^"Keria Knightley –".Biography Today. Vol. 16, no. 2. 2007. p. 82.ISSN1058-2347. -"Keira Knightley".Voguepedia. Condé Nast. 2014. Archived fromthe original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved10 January 2014. -"Monitor".Entertainment Weekly. No. 1252. 29 March 2013. p. 30.
^Getting There: Sharman MacdonaldArchived 14 November 2007 at theWayback Machine as-appeared inStagewrite (Summer 1999) "I was desperate for a second child. Desperate never to act again. Most of all desperate to stop eating lentils, French bread and tomatoes. We were broke, Will and me. We had one child. My hormones were screaming at me to have another. So. Will bet me a child for the sale of a script"
^abMacnab, Geoffrey (7 January 2012)."Keira Knightley: 'Sometimes I just sit on the bathroom floor and burst into tears'".Independent.Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved25 July 2015.She was six at the time her condition was noticed... Through constant tutoring and the intervention of her parents, she was able to overcome the condition. 'I am a slow reader... By the time I was 11, they deemed me to have got over it sufficiently.' She still can't read out loud, though.
^"Domino (2005)".Rotten Tomatoes. 14 October 2005.Archived from the original on 28 October 2008. Retrieved20 October 2008. -Gray, Brandon (17 October 2005)."'Fog' Tops Soggy Weekend".Box Office Mojo.Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved30 April 2017.
^abcKilcooley-O'Halloran, Scarlett (31 October 2014)."Keira's Code Of Conduct".British Vogue.Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved4 May 2021.
^Berrington, Katie (19 July 2012)."Keira Knightley".British Vogue. Archived fromthe original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved7 June 2024.Keira Knightley is one of the most successful actresses of her generation
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