Keira Knightley Biography Filmography Awards

Keira Christina Knightley was born March 26, 1985 in Teddington, London, England. She is the daughter of Sharman Macdonald, a Scottish playwright, and Will Knightley, an English actor. Knightley has lived most of her life in Richmond upon Thames.

Keira first major theatrical appearance was as Sabé, Padmé Amidala's decoy in the 1999 release Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Later on, her first major starring role was as the daughter of Robin Hood in a made-for-TV Walt Disney Productions feature, Princess of Thieves, first telecast in 2001.
She is best known for her breakthrough roles in Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Bend It Like Beckham was especially physically demanding for Knightley in terms of the intense football training she underwent but opened the way for her into Hollywood. Her role in the blockbuster Pirates cemented her up-and-coming position in international cinema.

In 2004 Keira appeared in the blockbuster King Arthur, She is fitted in with the current vogue for strong female action heroes (something which Knightley repeated in a modern setting in the 2005 film Domino).

Keira starred in the title role of Tony Scott's film Domino in 2005, inspired by the life of his friend Domino Harvey, a British born model-turned-bounty hunter. Ebert commented that, although the movie is "fractured and maddening" it is also "alive", praising Knightley for her ability to play a diversity of roles. In contrast to Knightley's role in the same year of the regency englishwoman Elizabeth Bennet in a film adaption of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with Donald Sutherland and Matthew Macfadyen. Recently opening at No.1 in the UK box office, it is her sixth film to do so in her career, and she received a Best Actress - Comedy/Musical nomination at the 2006 Golden Globes for it.

Currently She is filming the two sequels to the immensely popular Pirates of the Caribbean series, due for release in the summers of 2006 and 2007 respectively. The filming of Pirates 3 will go on hiatus from March to August 2006 during which time Keira will film Silk, an adaptation of the novella by Alessandro Baricco, opposite Michael Pitt.

Keira didn't failed to impress the world even off the movie setting, with Her stunning Valentino gown at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards won her much acclaim and even landed her the top spot on Kojo's Best Dressed List on Entertainment Tonight.

Filmography

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Hole (2001)
Princess of Thieves (2001)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Love Actually (2003)
Bend It Like Beckham (2003)
King Arthur (2004)
The Jacket (2005)
Pure (2005)
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Domino (2005)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Pirates of the Carribean 3 (2007)

Awards

Bordeaux International Festival of Women in Cinema
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2003 Best Actress, Bend It Like Beckham (2003) Win

Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2004 Female Genre Face of the Future Award, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) Win

Empire Awards
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2002 Best Debut, The Hole (2001), Nominated
2003 Best British Actress, Bend It Like Beckham (2003), Nominated
2004 Best British Actress, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Nominated

IFTA Awards
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2000 Best International Actress, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) Win

MTV Movie Awards
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2003 Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer, Bend It Like Beckham (2003) Nominated
2004 Breakthrough Female Performance, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) Nominated

The 23rd Annual London Film Critics' Circle Awards
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2003 British Newcomer Of The Year, Bend It Like Beckham (2003) Win

The 8th Annual Hollywood Film Festival
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2004 Breakthrough Actress Award, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) Win

The 30th Annual Saturn Awards
Year Category Movie Win/Nominated
2004 Best Supporting Actress, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) Nominated

Keira Knightley Naked in Chanel Ad