Keira Christina Knightley (born March 26, 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 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 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.
Series | Black Doves | Helen Webb | 2025 |
Series | The Other Typist | Unknown | 2025 |
Movie | Conception | Unknown | 2025 |
Movie | The Woman in Cabin 10 | 2025 | |
Movie | Boston Strangler | Loretta McLaughlin | 2023-03-16 |
Series | The Sound Collector | The Narrator (voice) | 2023-11-23 |
Movie | Silent Night | Nell | 2021-12-03 |
Movie | Charlotte | Charlotte Salomon (voice) | 2021-09-13 |
Movie | Misbehaviour | Sally Alexander | 2020-03-12 |
Movie | Berlin, I Love You | Jane | 2019-02-08 |
Movie | The Aftermath | Rachael Morgan | 2019-03-01 |
Movie | Greed | Self | 2019-09-07 |
Movie | Official Secrets | Katharine Gun | 2019-08-30 |
Series | My Grandparents' War | Self | 2019-11-27 |
Movie | The Nutcracker and the Four Realms | Sugar Plum Fairy | 2018-10-26 |
Movie | Colette | Colette | 2018-09-21 |
Movie | Red Nose Day Actually | Juliet | 2017-03-24 |
Movie | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales | Elizabeth Swann | 2017-05-23 |
Movie | Collateral Beauty | Amy Moore | 2016-12-15 |
Series | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self | 2015-09-08 |
Movie | Everest | Jan Arnold | 2015-09-10 |
Movie | Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit | Cathy Muller | 2014-01-15 |
Series | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Unknown | 2014-02-17 |
Movie | Laggies | Megan Burch | 2014-09-25 |
Series | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self | 2014-02-25 |
Series | Variety Studio: Actors on Actors | Self | 2014-12-21 |
Movie | The Imitation Game | Joan Clarke | 2014-11-14 |
Movie | Begin Again | Gretta James | 2013-09-07 |
Movie | Once Upon a Time... | Gabrielle Chanel | 2013-05-08 |
Movie | Seeking a Friend for the End of the World | Penelope "Penny" Lockhart | 2012-06-22 |
Movie | Stars In Shorts | Woman | 2012-09-28 |
Movie | Wide-Awake | The Witch | 2012-12-07 |
Movie | Anna Karenina | Anna Karenina | 2012-09-06 |
Movie | A Dangerous Method | Sabina Spielrein | 2011-09-30 |
Series | Neverland | Tinker Bell (voice) | 2011-12-04 |
Movie | Steve | Woman | 2010-02-12 |
Movie | London Boulevard | Charlotte | 2010-11-10 |
Movie | Last Night | Joanna Reed | 2010-11-05 |
Movie | Never Let Me Go | Ruth C. | 2010-03-18 |
Movie | The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers | The Fairy | 2009-10-15 |
Series | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen | Self - Guest | 2009-07-16 |
Movie | The Duchess | Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire | 2008-09-05 |
Movie | The Edge of Love | Vera Phillips | 2008-06-20 |
Movie | Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens | Self | 2007-05-19 |
Series | The Graham Norton Show | Self - Guest | 2007-02-22 |
Movie | Atonement | Cecilia Tallis | 2007-02-27 |
Movie | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | Elizabeth Swann | 2007-05-19 |
Movie | Silk | Hélène Joncour | 2007-09-14 |
Movie | O2 Wireless Festival Presents: Daft Punk Live | Self (Patron) | 2007-06-16 |
Movie | Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind | Em (voice) | 2007-12-25 |
Movie | According to Plan: The Making of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' | Self | 2006-12-06 |
Movie | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | Elizabeth Swann | 2006-07-06 |
Movie | The Jacket | Jackie Price | 2005-03-04 |
Series | My Shot With | Unknown | 2005-09-06 |
Series | The Reichen Show | Self | 2005-11-11 |
Movie | Pride & Prejudice | Elizabeth Bennet | 2005-09-16 |
Movie | Domino | Domino Harvey | 2005-10-14 |
Movie | King Arthur | Guinevere | 2004-07-07 |
Movie | Stories of Lost Souls | Leah | 2004-11-12 |
Movie | The Making of King Arthur | Self | 2004-08-24 |
Movie | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Elizabeth Swann | 2003-07-09 |
Movie | An Epic At Sea: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Self | 2003-12-02 |
Movie | Love Actually | Juliet | 2003-09-07 |
Series | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Self | 2003-09-08 |
Movie | Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates | Unknown | 2003-12-02 |
Movie | Thunderpants | Music School Student | 2002-05-24 |
Series | American Idol | Self | 2002-06-11 |
Movie | Bend It Like Beckham | Juliette 'Jules' Paxton | 2002-04-11 |
Movie | The Seasons Alter | Helena | 2002-12-10 |
Movie | Pure | Louise | 2002-09-13 |
Series | Doctor Zhivago | Lara Antipova | 2002-11-24 |
Movie | New Year's Eve | Leah | 2002-11-18 |
Movie | Deflation | Jogger | 2001-01-01 |
Movie | Princess of Thieves | Gwyn | 2001-03-11 |
Series | Richard & Judy | Self | 2001-11-26 |
Series | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | Self - Guest | 2001-11-02 |
Movie | The Hole | Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith | 2001-04-20 |
Movie | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace | Sabé | 1999-05-19 |
Series | Oliver Twist | Rose Fleming | 1999-11-28 |
Movie | Coming Home | Young Judith | 1998-04-11 |
Series | Coming Home | Young Judith | 1998-04-12 |
Series | The View | Self | 1997-08-11 |
Series | The Wonderful World of Disney | Gwyn | 1997-09-28 |
Movie | The Treasure Seekers | The Princess | 1996-12-25 |
Series | The Daily Show | Self | 1996-07-22 |
Movie | A Village Affair | Natasha Jordan | 1995-04-17 |
Movie | Innocent Lies | Young Celia | 1995-06-30 |
Series | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Self - Guest | 1993-09-13 |
Movie | Royal Celebration | Angela | 1993-09-26 |
Series | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Unknown | 1992-05-25 |
Series | Screen One | Angela | 1989-09-10 |
Series | LIVE with Kelly and Mark | Unknown | 1988-09-05 |
Series | The Bill | Sheena Rose | 1984-10-16 |
Series | Entertainment Tonight | Self | 1981-09-15 |
Series | The Oscars | Self | 1953-03-19 |