With an actor father and a playwright mother, it's no wonder this British beauty decided on a showbiz career. Knightley landed her first professional gig at age 8 and tackled a handful of British film and TV projects throughout the '90s. A small part as Natalie Portman's decoy in
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace won her attention, but her breakthrough came in 2003 when she appeared in the soccer movie
Bend It Like Beckham. Later that year her talent for playing headstrong women (and her athletic figure) were put to excellent use in the adventure film
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which turned her into an international star. Adept at multiple genres, Knightley effortlessly moved from action flicks (
Domino) to romantic comedies (
Love Actually) to dramas, like 2005's
Pride & Prejudice, which earned her Oscar and Golden Globe nods before she even hit 21.The film also snagged her a boyfriend, costar Rupert Friend.
Keira Knightley Fast Facts:
- Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child.
- Landed an agent at the age of 6.
- When 2003's Bend It Like Beckham became an unexpected hit, she shifted her plans from resuming college to pursuing acting full-time.
- Says she's comfortable showing her body for the camera, but had to use a "butt double" for a lap-dance scene in the 2005 biopic Domino.
- Keira Knightley Relationships:
- Caleb Knightley - Brother
- Sharman McDonald - Mother
- Will Knightley - Father
- Keira Knightley Awards:
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2005 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2008 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- College:
- Attended Esher College, Surrey, England
