Keira Knightley: An actress with panache!

Sushmita Dutta

She was destined to be an actress as it was in her blood. An actor father and a playwright mother meant that Hollywood was ever eager to absorb the talent of this striking screen goddess. Keira Christina Knightley was born on 26th March 1985 to actor Will Knightley and actress turned playwright Sharman MacDonald. Growing up in the backyard of such fine creative people meant that she grew up with big aspirations and got all the necessary education on acting at home itself. It is no wonder then that at the tender age of 3 she had asked for her own agent and got it by the time she turned 6. However, her parents still had a few tricks up their sleeves. As part of the deal, Keira, who is dyslexic, had to study through the school holidays and she was only permitted to work on productions if they didn't interfere with her education. Her acting skills were regularly honed as she grew up morphing into waif like beauty. The heady mix of beauty with extra-ordinary acting skills was waiting for world’s attention. And soon under thousands flashbulbs she shone radiantly. At the tender age of 7, Keira took her babysteps in acting. Her first stint with the camera was in 1993 for a TV show “Screen One: Royal Celebration” and got her first multi-scene performance in A Village Affair (1995). Later she was limited to tid and bits in other shows. Keira’s name to fame was at the age of 14 when she played Natalie Portman’s decoy Padme in Star wars: Episode-I-The Phantom Menace (1999). But her big break came in 2001, when she was cast in the summer blockbuster ‘Bend It Like Beckham.’ Despite being pitted against British sitcom star Parminder Nagra, she was noticed for her strong body language, witty performance and screen presence. There was no looking back after the bend. Keira became serious about her roles and her studies, which enabled her to show that she was not only beautiful but also a thinking actress. She stepped into Julie Christie's shoes for the controversial remake of the classic 'Dr. Zhivago', played Louise in 'Pure', and filmed 'Love, Actually' alongside Liam Neeson and Hugh Grant. A movie filmed after ‘Love Actually’ but released before it gained her much acclaim not only as an actor but a stunner despite the anorexic frame. Pirates of the Caribbean sequels in which Keira played the female lead was a movie that came by sheer luck. The auditions were going on in London for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)’, and not only was Keira late but was at the end of auditions list. Yet she somehow managed to bag the role in her kitty. The movie went on to become a blockbuster and catapulted the damsel with angelic face Brit into the big league of stars. Keira went ahead with the other two sequels of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and At World’s End (2007). Although they could not match up with the profit made by the first one, they were anticipatory enough. Audience savoured each moment of the foul wine, sword-buckling pirate Elizabeth Swann played to perfection by the talented actress who was able to hold her own with the likes of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. The bony actress has been in middle of many a tart barb accusing her of promoting anorexia among teens to which she retaliated by saying that she does not have any eating disorder but thinness is in her genes. In ‘King Arthur’ (2004), Keira played a sword-swinging Celtic warrior. The movie did not fare well at the box office but got due attention after it was discovered that Keira’s bust in the promos had been enhanced by using special effects. Stardom is fame but an Oscar does much to an actor’s career graph and market demand. Keira’s proud moment came with first Oscar nomination for Best Actress for ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2006). Although she failed to win nonetheless people sat up and took notice of her stunning performance as headstrong Elizabeth Bennett. With Atonement and Silk and the last of Pirate sequel (At World’s End), 2007 had been hectic for the actress who is also known for cheeks women would die for. She was much appreciated for her role in Atonement. She was also nominated in Best Actress category at BAFTA. Her 2008 releases include ‘The Edge of Love’ in which she has already recorded three songs and ‘The Duchess’. Loyalty and regality is something that has been associated with Keira since she came into light. Not known or starry tantrums, Keira has been elegant yet comfy in her mannerisms that show in her dressing sense too. On the personal front, Keira has had three relationships. She met actor Del Synnott while working together on ‘Princess of Thieves’ (2001) and split in November 2003 citing Soon after her relationship with Irish model Jamie Dornan began in August 2003 and ended exactly after 2 years on the same month. Her current beau is Rupert Friend. The cute pair fell in love while shooting for ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005) and they have been together since then. Being a dyslexic, skinny Keira defied all odds and has risen to become one of present generations most talented, sexy and beautiful actress. Critics called her ‘a face to watch out’ for she is set to conquer the reel with her magnetism. Her steady climb towards stardom proves that if you have it in you, the world will take notice at one point of time. FILMOGRAPHY · Silk (2007) · Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (2007) · Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) · Domino (2005) · Pride and Prejudice (2005) · The Jacket (2005) · King Arthur (2004) · Love Actually (2003) · Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) · Doctor Zhivago (2002) (TV mini-series) · The Seasons Alter (2002) · New Year's Eve (2002) · Pure (2002) · Thunderpants (2002) · Bend It Like Beckham (2002) · The Hole (2001) · Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) · Innocent Lies (1995) · A Village Affair (1994) · A Royal Celebration (1993) (TV) Vital Stats Full Name: Keira Christina Knightley Birthdate: March 26, 1985 Place of Birth: Teddington, England Height: 5’7” Family: Father: Will Knightley (actor); Mother: Sharman Knightley (actress); Siblings: 1 brother, Caleb (24) Favorites: Music: Eminem and Nirvana Movie: Star Wars movies TV Shows: Neighbours Food: Anything Italian Actresses: Vivien Leigh, Katharine Hepburn Trivia · Keira is a trained dancer · Keira and Natalie Portman’s mothers could not tell them apart after they put on make-up for ‘The Phantom Menace’! · Most successful Brit actress after Kate Winslet (Titanic) · Keira has confessed she is insecure about her body and looks · She admitted to a mag– I didn't have any boyfriends at all when I was in school! · She prefers British men to Americans because for her British men are less concerned about their own appearance!