Keira Knightley
Actor, Producer
March 26, 1985 (41 years)
Keira Christina 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 the 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 the 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.
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 the 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 the 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
Featured Videos
Filmography
| 2026 | Crime and Punishment in America · as Cast |
| 2025 | The Woman in Cabin 10 · as Laura 'lo' Blacklock |
| 2024 | Black Doves · as Helen Webb |
| 2023 | Boston Strangler · as Loretta Mclaughlin |
| 2023 | The Sound Collector · as The Narrator |
| 2022 | Comedy Classic: The Vicar of Dibley · as Juliet |
| 2021 | Charlotte · as Charlotte Salomon (voice) |
| 2021 | Silent Night · as NellOn Plex |
| 2020 | Misbehaviour · as Sally AlexanderOn Plex |
| 2019 | Official Secrets · as Katharine GunOn Plex |
| 2019 | The Aftermath · as Rachael Morgan |
| 2019 | Berlin, I Love You · as Jane |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Everest · as Jan Arnold |
| 2014 | The Imitation Game · as Joan Clarke |
| 2014 | Laggies · as Megan Burch |
| 2014 | Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit · as Cathy Muller |
| 2013 | Begin Again · as Gretta JamesOn Plex |
| 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 | Farewell 'The Bill' · as Sheena Rose |
| 2010 | Steve · as Woman |
| 2009 | The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers · as The Fairy |
| 2008 | The Duchess · as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess Of Devonshire |
| 2008 | The Edge of Love · as Vera PhillipsOn Plex |
| 2008 | The 80th Annual Academy Awards · as Cecilia Tallis |
| 2008 | Oscar, que empiece el espectáculo · as Cecilia Tallis |
| 2007 | Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind · as Em (voice) |
| 2007 | Silk · as Hélène Joncour |
| 2007 | Atonement · as Cecilia Tallis |
| 2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End · as Elizabeth Swann |
| 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest · as Elizabeth Swann |
| 2006 | Pride & Prejudice: Alternate US Ending · as Elizabeth Bennet |
| 2005 | Domino · as Domino Harvey |
| 2005 | Pride & Prejudice · as Elizabeth Bennet |
| 2005 | Pride and Prejudice Revisited · as Elizabeth Bennet |
| 2005 | The Jacket · as Jackie PriceOn Plex |
| 2005 | Stories of Lost Souls · as Leah |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | King Arthur · as Guinevere |
| 2003 | |
| 2003 | Love Actually · as Juliet |
| 2003 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl · as Elizabeth Swann |
| 2002 | Doctor Zhivago · as Larissa Ameliava 'lara' AntipovaOn Plex |
| 2002 | New Year's Eve · as Leah |
| 2002 | Pure · as Louise |
| 2002 | Thunderpants · as Music School Student |
| 2002 | Bend It Like Beckham · as Juliette 'jules' Paxton |
| 2001 | The Hole · as Frances 'frankie' Almond Smith |
| 2001 | Princess of Thieves · as Gwyn |
| 1999 | Oliver Twist (1999) · as Rose Fleming |
| 1999 | |
| 1998 | Coming Home (1998) · as Young Judith |
| 1998 | Coming Home · as Young Judith |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney · as Gwyn |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney · as Gwyn |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney · as Gwyn |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney · as Gwyn |
| 1996 | The Treasure Seekers · as The Princess |
| 1995 | Innocent Lies · as Young Celia |
| 1995 | A Village Affair · as Natasha Jordan |
| 1992 | |
| 1985 | Screen One · as Angela |
| 1984 | The Bill · as Sheena Rose |
| 2026 | |
| 2024 | Black Doves · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Charlotte · as Executive Producer |