Keira Knightley
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Series
The Daily Show
Self - Guest
1996
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1993
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
1944
Series
American Idol
Self
2002
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Film
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Elizabeth Swann
2003
Film
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Elizabeth Swann
2006
Film
Pride & Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet
2005
Series
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
Film
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Elizabeth Swann
2007
Series
WIRED's Autocomplete Interviews
Self - Guest
2016
Film
The Imitation Game
Joan Clarke
2014
Series
Richard & Judy
Self
2001
Series
The Bill
Sheena Rose
1984
Film
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Sabé
1999
Film
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Elizabeth Swann
2017
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Gwyn
1997
Film
Love Actually
Juliet
2003
The Reichen Show
Self
2005
Film
The Woman in Cabin 10
Laura 'Lo' Blacklock
2025
Film
Atonement
Cecilia Tallis
2007
Series
HBO First Look
self
1992
Series
Black Doves
Helen Webb
2024
Series
Screen One
Angela
1989
Series
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Self - Guest
2001
Film
Begin Again
Gretta James
2014
Film
King Arthur
Guinevere
2004
Film
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Cathy Muller
2014
Film
Everest
Jan Arnold
2015
Film
A Dangerous Method
Sabina Spielrein
2011
Film
The Aftermath
Rachael Morgan
2019
Film
Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina
2012
Film
The Jacket
Jackie Price
2005
Film
Never Let Me Go
Ruth C.
2010
Film
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Sugar Plum Fairy
2018
Series
Entertainment Tonight
Self
1981
Film
Boston Strangler
Loretta McLaughlin
2023
Film
The Duchess
Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
2008
Film
Official Secrets
Katharine Gun
2019
Film
Collateral Beauty
Amy Moore
2016
Film
Bend It Like Beckham
Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
2002
Film
Misbehaviour
Sally Alexander
2020
Film
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
2012
Film
Silent Night
Nell
2021
Series
Doctor Zhivago
Larissa Ameliava 'Lara' Antipova
2002
Film
Domino
Domino Harvey
2005
Series
Neverland
Tinker Bell (voice)
2011
Film
Last Night
Joanna Reed
2010
Film
London Boulevard
Charlotte
2010
Film
Colette
Colette
2018
Series
Oliver Twist
Rose Fleming
1999
Film
The Edge of Love
Vera Phillips
2008
Film
The Hole
Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
2001
Film
Greed
Self
2019
Film
Laggies
Megan Burch
2014
Film
Berlin, I Love You
Jane
2019
Film
Red Nose Day Actually
Juliet
2017
Series
Coming Home
Young Judith
1998
Series
The Sound Collector
Narrator
2023
Film
Thunderpants
Music School Student
2002
Film
Silk
Hélène Joncour
2007
Series
My Grandparents' War
Self
2019
Film
Princess of Thieves
Gwyn
2001
Film
Wide-Awake
The Witch
2012
Series
Discovering Fashion
Self (archive footage)
2016
Film
Coming Home
Young Judith
1998
Film
Innocent Lies
Young Celia
1995
Film
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
Self
2007
Film
Blood on the Land: The Making of a King
Self
2004
Series
Behind The Mic: The Making of The Harry Potter Full-Cast Audio Editions
Herself
2026
The Worst
Holly
Film
Charlotte
Charlotte Salomon (voice)
2022
Film
Pure
Louise
2002
Film
Stars in Shorts
Woman
2012
Film
According to Plan: The Harrowing and True Story of Dead Man's Chest
Self
2006
Film
The Perfect Gift
Herself
2025
Film
The Treasure Seekers
The Princess
1996
Film
The Making of King Arthur
2004
Film
A Village Affair
Natasha Jordan
1995
Film
Stories of Lost Souls
Leah
2004
Film
Royal Celebration
Angela
1993
Film
Steve
Woman
2010
Film
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
Em (voice)
2007
Film
Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates
2003
Conception
Film
Deflation
Jogger
2001
Film
Once Upon a Time...
Gabrielle Chanel
2013
My Shot With
2005
Film
New Year's Eve
Leah
2002
Film
King Arthur: A Roundtable Discussion
Self
2005
Film
The Seasons Alter
Helena
2002
Film
The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers
The Fairy
2009
Film
The Sound Collector
Self - Narrator (voice)
2024