Keira Knightley: Bio And Career Highlights

March 26, 1985

Teddington, England

41 Years Old

Aries

Keira Christina Knightley is a British actress celebrated for her expressive performances in both blockbusters and independent films. She often anchors period dramas with a distinct blend of vulnerability and strength.


Her breakout moment arrived with the 2002 sports comedy Bend It Like Beckham, where her role as a tomboy footballer captivated audiences and quickly established her as a rising star, leading to widespread global recognition.

A creative atmosphere defined Keira Knightley’s upbringing in Teddington, London, where her actor father Will Knightley and playwright mother Sharman Macdonald fostered her early interest in performance. She also has an older brother, Caleb.


Knightley attended Teddington School and later Esher College, overcoming dyslexia in her youth while developing a single-minded dedication to acting, securing an agent at the age of six.

A long-term arc marks Keira Knightley’s private life, having been married to musician James Righton since May 2013, after previously dating actors Jamie Dornan and Rupert Friend.


Knightley shares two daughters with Righton, Edie and Delilah, with whom she maintains a famously private family life in London.

Keira Knightley’s career features a string of defining roles, including her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in the highly successful Pirates of the Caribbean film series and her Academy Award-nominated performance in Pride & Prejudice.


Her influence extends beyond acting through a significant endorsement deal with Chanel, where she has served as the face of the Coco Mademoiselle perfume since 2006.


To date, Knightley has collected nominations for two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globes, and was appointed an OBE in 2018 for her services to drama and charity.

“Empathy is the main thing, putting yourself in somebody else's shoes and trying not to judge.”