Keira Knightley
Known for Acting · 102 credits
- Born
- 1985-03-26 (age 41)
- Place of birth
- Teddington, London, England, UK
- Also known as
- Keira Christina Knightley
Biography
Keira Christina Knightley (born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. She has starred in both independent films and big-budget blockbusters and is particularly noted for her roles in period dramas. Her accolades include two Empire Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award and one Laurence Olivier Award. Knightley was appointed an OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.
Born in London to actors Will Knightley and Sharman Macdonald, Knightley obtained an agent at age six and initially worked commercials and television films. She appeared as Sabé, Padmé Amidala's handmaiden, in the science fiction blockbuster Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). Knightley had a break-through role portraying a tomboy footballer in the sports film Bend It Like Beckham (2002). She achieved global stardom with her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in the fantasy swashbuckler series Pirates of the Caribbean. In the same year, she appeared in the Christmas romantic comedy Love Actually (2003) and was labelled a promising teen star.
For her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the period romance Pride & Prejudice (2005), Knightley was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. At age 20, she became the third-youngest Best Actress nominee at the time. Knightley starred in a series of further period pieces, portraying a complex love interest in Atonement (2007), tastemaker Georgiana Cavendish in The Duchess (2008), and the titular socialite in Anna Karenina (2012). She then forayed into contemporary dramas, appearing as an aspiring musician in Begin Again (2013) and a medical student in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). Knightley returned to historical films by playing cryptoanalyst Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game (2014), earning her a second round of Academy Award and BAFTA nominations, and starred as the eponymous belle époque writer in Colette (2018) to critical acclaim.
On stage, Knightley has appeared in two West End productions: The Misanthrope in 2009, which earned her an Olivier Award nomination, and The Children's Hour in 2011. She also starred as the eponymous heroine in the 2015 Broadway production of Thérèse Raquin. Knightley is known for her outspoken stance on social issues, and has worked extensively with Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief. She is married to musician James Righton, with whom she has two daughters.
Known For
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self - Guest
The Daily Show
1996
as Self - Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Guest
TV Shows (35)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self - Guest
The Daily Show
1996
as Self - Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Guest
The Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self
The View
1997
as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Guest
American Idol
2002
as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
The Bill
1984
as Sheena Rose
Richard & Judy
2001
as Self
The Reichen Show
2005
as Self
The Oscars
1953
as Self
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997
as Gwyn
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
2001
as Self - Guest
HBO First Look
1992
as self
Entertainment Tonight
1981
as Self
Black Doves
2024
as Helen Webb
Screen One
1989
as Angela
Doctor Zhivago
2002
as Larissa Ameliava 'Lara' Antipova
Oliver Twist
1999
as Rose Fleming
Neverland
2011
as Tinker Bell (voice)
Coming Home
1998
as Young Judith
My Grandparents' War
2019
as Self
Discovering Fashion
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Behind The Mic: The Making of The Harry Potter Full-Cast Audio Editions
2026
as Herself
The Sound Collector
2023
as Narrator
My Shot With
2005
Movies (67)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2003
as Elizabeth Swann
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
2006
as Elizabeth Swann
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
2007
as Elizabeth Swann
Pride & Prejudice
2005
as Elizabeth Bennet
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999
as Sabé
The Imitation Game
2014
as Joan Clarke
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
2017
as Elizabeth Swann
Atonement
2007
as Cecilia Tallis
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
2014
as Cathy Muller
Love Actually
2003
as Juliet
King Arthur
2004
as Guinevere
Everest
2015
as Jan Arnold
Begin Again
2014
as Gretta James
The Woman in Cabin 10
2025
as Laura 'Lo' Blacklock
Anna Karenina
2012
as Anna Karenina
Boston Strangler
2023
as Loretta McLaughlin
Collateral Beauty
2016
as Amy Moore
The Jacket
2005
as Jackie Price
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
2018
as Sugar Plum Fairy
Domino
2005
as Domino Harvey
Never Let Me Go
2010
as Ruth C.
The Duchess
2008
as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
A Dangerous Method
2011
as Sabina Spielrein
Official Secrets
2019
as Katharine Gun
Silent Night
2021
as Nell
The Aftermath
2019
as Rachael Morgan
Bend It Like Beckham
2002
as Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
2012
as Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
The Hole
2001
as Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
Greed
2019
as Self
Silk
2007
as Hélène Joncour
Last Night
2010
as Joanna Reed
Colette
2018
as Colette
London Boulevard
2010
as Charlotte
Laggies
2014
as Megan Burch
Misbehaviour
2020
as Sally Alexander
The Edge of Love
2008
as Vera Phillips
Princess of Thieves
2001
as Gwyn
Thunderpants
2002
as Music School Student
Berlin, I Love You
2019
as Jane
Charlotte
2022
as Charlotte Salomon (voice)
Red Nose Day Actually
2017
as Juliet
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
2007
as Self
Pure
2002
as Louise
Innocent Lies
1995
as Young Celia
Coming Home
1998
as Young Judith
Stories of Lost Souls
2004
as Leah
Stars in Shorts
2012
as Woman
The Perfect Gift
2025
as Herself
Wide-Awake
2012
as The Witch
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
2007
as Em (voice)
The Making of King Arthur
2004
The Treasure Seekers
1996
as The Princess
According to Plan: The Harrowing and True Story of Dead Man's Chest
2006
as Self
Deflation
2001
as Jogger
A Village Affair
1995
as Natasha Jordan
Steve
2010
as Woman
The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers
2009
as The Fairy
Once Upon a Time...
2013
as Gabrielle Chanel
Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates
2003
Royal Celebration
1993
as Angela
The Worst
as Holly
The Seasons Alter
2002
as Helena
Blood on the Land: The Making of a King
2004
as Self
Conception
New Year's Eve
2002
as Leah
The Sound Collector
2024
as Self - Narrator (voice)
About Keira Knightley
Keira Christina Knightley (born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. She has starred in both independent films and big-budget blockbusters and is particularly noted for her roles in period dramas. Her accolades include two Empire Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award and one Laurence Olivier Award. Knightley was appointed an OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity. Born in London to actors Will Knightley and Sharman… With 102 credits spanning from 1944 to 2026, Keira Knightley has appeared in 67 films and 35 TV shows.
Fans searching for Keira Knightley movies, Keira Knightley filmography, or the latest projects starring Keira Knightley can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Keira Knightley Movies
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) — as Elizabeth Swann
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) — as Elizabeth Swann
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) — as Elizabeth Swann
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) — as Elizabeth Bennet
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) — as Sabé
Where to Watch Keira Knightley Films
Most Keira Knightley movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Keira Knightley, check our movies catalogue and browse page.