Keira Knighley
Born to actor/playwright parents in Teddington, Middlesex, England, Keira (who is also sometimes
credited as Kiera) Knightley was born on March 22, 1985. At 3 years old, she asked her mother for
an agent, feeling jealous that she never received the same amount of calls that her parents did. At
age 6, the Knightleys agreed to let their daughter have an agent, provided that she'd study every
day during summer holidays.
keira starts out in the uk
This was no small feat for young Keira, who is dyslexic, but she persevered. Although her parents
had envisioned a more secure career for their daughter, Keira started to get various acting jobs.
Schooling at a nearby comprehensive establishment remained her focal point, but acting as a
career choice gradually became a reality.
Pursuing artistic integrity and the satisfaction derived from playing different characters, Knightley's
hard work paid off at an early age. European made-for-TV movies and shows started to dot her
resume by the age of 11, but it was a stroke of luck that helped her along the way. More on the
bottom of page.
More on Keira Knightley
Thanks to hard work, and a close resemblance to star Natalie Portman, Knightley was cast as
Portman's handmaiden in Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. Her small but
memorable performance garnered her attention in Britain and the U.S. After the release of the
film in 1999, Knightley landed a role in an Oliver Twist TV miniseries, portraying Rose Fleming.
After Star Wars and Oliver Twist, things got even better. In 2001, she starred in the successful
British film The Hole, and spent three months in Slovakia and Prague filming a 2002 TV
version of Dr. Zhivago, in which she played Lara, the same character Julie Christie played in
the famous 1965 version. And this was all before her 18th birthday.
But is was her other project in 2002 that served as her breakthrough role. Knightley starred in
Bend It Like Beckham, a hugely popular British comedy whose unexpected success has been
likened to that of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. No longer an underground hit, the film is making
it big in American box offices, thanks in large part to Knightley's fine acting.
The summer of 2003 will usher in the release of the Hollywood blockbuster Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, with Knightley as the romantic lead. The romantic
comedy Love Actually is slated to be released in November 2003 while King Arthur is set for a
Christmas 2004 release -- which means Knightley will be stealing the spotlight for some time to
come.
Barely into adulthood, this hot UK export has already won over fans across the Atlantic. The
many diverse projects she has lined up prove that she is ready to take the world by storm, and
we're waiting with open arms. For now, she keeps a level head and lives with her parents in
Richmond, England.
Thanks to hard work, and a close resemblance to star Natalie Portman, Knightley was cast as
Portman's handmaiden in Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. Her small but
memorable performance garnered her attention in Britain and the U.S. After the release of the
film in 1999, Knightley landed a role in an Oliver Twist TV miniseries, portraying Rose Fleming.
After Star Wars and Oliver Twist, things got even better. In 2001, she starred in the successful
British film The Hole, and spent three months in Slovakia and Prague filming a 2002 TV
version of Dr. Zhivago, in which she played Lara, the same character Julie Christie played in
the famous 1965 version. And this was all before her 18th birthday.
But is was her other project in 2002 that served as her breakthrough role. Knightley starred in
Bend It Like Beckham, a hugely popular British comedy whose unexpected success has been
likened to that of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. No longer an underground hit, the film is making
it big in American box offices, thanks in large part to Knightley's fine acting.
The summer of 2003 will usher in the release of the Hollywood blockbuster Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, with Knightley as the romantic lead. The romantic
comedy Love Actually is slated to be released in November 2003 while King Arthur is set for a
Christmas 2004 release -- which means Knightley will be stealing the spotlight for some time to
come.
Barely into adulthood, this hot UK export has already won over fans across the Atlantic. The
many diverse projects she has lined up prove that she is ready to take the world by storm, and
we're waiting with open arms. For now, she keeps a level head and lives with her parents in
Richmond, England.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
