Keira Knightley
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.
Photos
Movies (68)
The Perfect Gift
2025 · Herself
La mujer del camarote 10
2025 · Laura 'Lo' Blacklock
The Sound Collector
2024 · Self - Narrator (voice)
El estrangulador de Boston
2023 · Loretta McLaughlin
Charlotte
2022 · Charlotte Salomon (voice), Executive Producer
Última Noche
2021 · Nell
Rompiendo las reglas
2020 · Sally Alexander
Berlín, te amo
2019 · Jane
Ambición
2019 · Self
Secretos de estado
2019 · Katharine Gun
Viviendo con El enemigo
2019 · Rachael Morgan
El Cascanueces y Los Cuatro Reinos
2018 · Sugar Plum Fairy
Colette: liberación y deseo
2018 · Colette
Piratas del Caribe 5: La Venganza de Salazar
2017 · Elizabeth Swann
Red Nose Day Actually
2017 · Juliet
Belleza inesperada
2016 · Amy Moore
Everest
2015 · Jan Arnold
El código enigma
2014 · Joan Clarke
Laggies
2014 · Megan Burch
Empezar otra vez
2014 · Gretta James
Jack Ryan: Código Sombra
2014 · Cathy Muller
Once Upon a Time...
2013 · Gabrielle Chanel
Wide-Awake
2012 · The Witch
Stars in Shorts
2012 · Woman
Anna Karenina
2012 · Anna Karenina
Buscando un amigo para el fin del mundo
2012 · Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
Un método peligroso
2011 · Sabina Spielrein
El Guardaespaldas 2
2010 · Charlotte
Sólo una noche (Last Night)
2010 · Joanna Reed
Nunca me abandones (Never Let Me Go)
2010 · Ruth C.
Steve
2010 · Woman
The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers
2009 · The Fairy
The Duchess
2008 · Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
The Edge of Love
2008 · Vera Phillips
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
2007 · Em (voice)
Silk
2007 · Hélène Joncour
Piratas del Caribe 3: En el Fin del Mundo
2007 · Elizabeth Swann
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
2007 · Self
Expiación, deseo y pecado
2007 · Cecilia Tallis
According to Plan: The Harrowing and True Story of Dead Man's Chest
2006 · Self
Piratas del Caribe 2: El Cofre de la Muerte
2006 · Elizabeth Swann
Domino
2005 · Domino Harvey
Orgullo y Prejuicio
2005 · Elizabeth Bennet
King Arthur: A Roundtable Discussion
2005 · Self
Regresiones de un hombre muerto
2005 · Jackie Price
Blood on the Land: The Making of a King
2004 · Self
Stories of Lost Souls
2004 · Leah
The Making of King Arthur
2004
El Rey Arturo
2004 · Guinevere
Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates
2003
Realmente amor
2003 · Juliet
Piratas del Caribe: La Maldición del Perla Negra
2003 · Elizabeth Swann
The Seasons Alter
2002 · Helena
New Year's Eve
2002 · Leah
Pure
2002 · Louise
Thunderpants
2002 · Music School Student
Jugando con el destino
2002 · Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
The Hole
2001 · Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
Princess of Thieves
2001 · Gwyn
Deflation
2001 · Jogger
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999 · Sabé
Coming Home
1998 · Young Judith
The Treasure Seekers
1996 · The Princess
Innocent Lies
1995 · Young Celia
A Village Affair
1995 · Natasha Jordan
Royal Celebration
1993 · Angela
Conception
The Worst
· Holly
TV shows (35)
Behind the Mic: The Making of The Harry Potter Full-Cast Audio Editions
2025 · Self
Black Doves
2024 · Helen Webb, Executive Producer
The Sound Collector
2023 · Narrator
My Grandparents' War
2019 · Self
Discovering Fashion
2016 · Self (archive footage)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 · Self - Guest
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014 · Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014 · Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014 · Self - Guest, Self
Neverland
2011 · Tinker Bell (voice)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · Self - Guest
El show de Graham Norton
2007 · Self
The Reichen Show
2005 · Self
My Shot With
2005
Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003 · Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self - Guest
Doctor Zhivago
2002 · Larissa Ameliava 'Lara' Antipova
American Idol
2002 · Self
Richard & Judy
2001 · Self
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
2001 · Self - Guest
Oliver Twist
1999 · Rose Fleming
Coming Home
1998 · Young Judith Dunbar
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997 · Gwyn
The View
1997 · Self
The Daily Show
1996 · Self - Guest
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993 · Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993 · Self - Guest
HBO First Look
1992 · self
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Screen One
1989 · Angela
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988 · Self - Guest
The Bill
1984 · Sheena Rose
Entertainment Tonight
1981 · Self
The Oscars
1953 · Self
Golden Globe Awards
1944 · Self - Nominee