Keira Knightley
Biography
Keira Christina Knightley is an English actress born on March 26, 1985, in Teddington, London. She is the daughter of stage actor Will Knightley and playwright Sharman Macdonald and has an older brother named Caleb. Knightley began her professional acting career at age six, initially appearing in commercials and television films. Throughout her career, she has gained recognition for her work in both independent films and large-scale blockbusters, with a particular focus on period dramas. In recognition of her contributions to drama and charity, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 Birthday Honours. She is a recognized figure in the film industry with over 100 known acting credits.
Career overview
Knightley has established a diverse career spanning film and television. Her early work included roles such as Sabé, a handmaiden to Padmé Amidala. Over the years, she has appeared in a wide variety of productions, earning acclaim for her performances in period pieces. Her professional body of work encompasses 103 known credits, reflecting her ability to transition between smaller independent projects and major studio blockbusters. Her consistent presence in the industry has led to significant critical recognition and multiple award nominations throughout her tenure as a performer.
Her accolades include two Empire Awards. Additionally, she has received nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and one Laurence Olivier Award. These honors reflect her standing within the film and theater communities. As an actress, Knightley continues to be noted for her versatility and her specific contributions to the period drama genre, maintaining a long-standing career that began in her childhood and has persisted into her adult life.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Behind The Mic: The Making of The Harry Potter Full-Cast Audio Editions (2026) as Herself
- The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025) as Laura 'Lo' Blacklock
- The Perfect Gift (2025) as Herself
- Black Doves (2024) as Helen Webb
- Black Doves (2024) Executive Producer
- The Sound Collector (2024) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Boston Strangler (2023) as Loretta McLaughlin
- The Sound Collector (2023) as Narrator
- Charlotte (2022) as Charlotte Salomon (voice)
- Charlotte (2022) Executive Producer
- Silent Night (2021) as Nell
- Misbehaviour (2020) as Sally Alexander
- Official Secrets (2019) as Katharine Gun
- The Aftermath (2019) as Rachael Morgan
- Berlin, I Love You (2019) as Jane
- My Grandparents' War (2019) as Self
- Greed (2019) as Self
- The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) as Sugar Plum Fairy
- Colette (2018) as Colette
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) as Elizabeth Swann
- Red Nose Day Actually (2017) as Juliet
- Collateral Beauty (2016) as Amy Moore
- Discovering Fashion (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- Everest (2015) as Jan Arnold
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- The Imitation Game (2014) as Joan Clarke
- Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) as Cathy Muller
- Begin Again (2014) as Gretta James
- Laggies (2014) as Megan Burch
- Once Upon a Time... (2013) as Gabrielle Chanel
- Anna Karenina (2012) as Anna Karenina
- Wide-Awake (2012) as The Witch
- Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) as Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
- Stars in Shorts (2012) as Woman
- A Dangerous Method (2011) as Sabina Spielrein
- Neverland (2011) as Tinker Bell (voice)
- Never Let Me Go (2010) as Ruth C.
- Last Night (2010) as Joanna Reed
- London Boulevard (2010) as Charlotte
- Steve (2010) as Woman
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers (2009) as The Fairy
- The Duchess (2008) as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
- The Edge of Love (2008) as Vera Phillips
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) as Elizabeth Swann
- Atonement (2007) as Cecilia Tallis
- Silk (2007) as Hélène Joncour
- Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (2007) as Self
- Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind (2007) as Em (voice)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) as Elizabeth Swann
- According to Plan: The Harrowing and True Story of Dead Man's Chest (2006) as Self
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) as Elizabeth Bennet
- The Jacket (2005) as Jackie Price
- Domino (2005) as Domino Harvey
- King Arthur: A Roundtable Discussion (2005) as Self
- My Shot With (2005)
- King Arthur (2004) as Guinevere
- Stories of Lost Souls (2004) as Leah
- Blood on the Land: The Making of a King (2004) as Self
- The Making of King Arthur (2004)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as Elizabeth Swann
- Love Actually (2003) as Juliet
- Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates (2003)
- American Idol (2002) as Self
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002) as Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
- Thunderpants (2002) as Music School Student
- Doctor Zhivago (2002) as Larissa Ameliava 'Lara' Antipova
- Pure (2002) as Louise
- New Year's Eve (2002) as Leah
- The Seasons Alter (2002) as Helena
- Richard & Judy (2001) as Self
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2001) as Self - Guest
- Princess of Thieves (2001) as Gwyn
- The Hole (2001) as Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
- Deflation (2001) as Jogger
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) as Sabé
- Oliver Twist (1999) as Rose Fleming
- Coming Home (1998) as Young Judith
- Coming Home (1998) as Young Judith
- The View (1997) as Self
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1997) as Gwyn
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self - Guest
- The Treasure Seekers (1996) as The Princess
- Innocent Lies (1995) as Young Celia
- A Village Affair (1995) as Natasha Jordan
- Late Show with David Letterman (1993) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- Royal Celebration (1993) as Angela
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- HBO First Look (1992) as self
- Screen One (1989) as Angela
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- The Bill (1984) as Sheena Rose
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
- The Worst as Holly
- Conception