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