Keira Knightley
Biography
Keira
Knightley was born on March 22, 1983 to actor father Will Knightley
and actor/author mother Sharman MacDonald. She was introduced to
acting when she was 11 years old; with a role in A Village Affair.
Keira's
claim to fame was playing Sabé, in Star Wars: Epiosde I:
The Phantom Menace, even though many people did not know she appeared
in it. George Lucas, to keep part of the storyline a surprise, wouldn't
allow Natalie Portman to mention the decoy queen. So in many interviews
and promotions, Natalie took full credit for both the roles of Padmé
and Queen Amidala.
"One
of the hardest roles to cast was that of Sabé, the handmaiden
that fills in for the Queen when she is in hiding. Originally we
were going to use a stand-in, but that was before we found a girl
by the name of Keira Knightley. She was only fourteen at the time
of principle photography, two years younger than Natalie Portman
but nevertheless the resemblance is striking. I wouldn't be surprised
if she fools quite a few of the fans." - Robin Gurland, casting
director.
In fact,
Keira bares such a resemblance to Natalie that during the filming
of The Phantom Menace, that their own mothers could not tell them
apart once they were in costume.
But the
actress herself was disappointed that the Force didn't show itself
to her: "The problem for me was that by being in the film the
magic was broken. I loved the first Star Wars film and my mum was
really into it too, that's why I took the part. But the Force wasn't
there when we were filming it, and they didn't have real lightsabers,
which annoyed me."
Keira
has one brother, Caleb, born in 1979, she is a member of the Heathham
House Youth Project, and was trained in dancing. In her spare time,
Keira likes swimming, soccer, body boarding, playing the flute,
and listening to Eminem and Nirvana. She currently lives in London
with her parents and her cat, Finn.
Keira Knightley Filmography
Pirates of the Caribbean
3 (2007) .... Elizabeth Swann
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) .... Elizabeth
Swann
Domino (2005) .... Domino Harvey
Pride and Prejudice (2005) .... Elizabeth Bennet
The Jacket (2005) .... Jackie Price
King Arthur (2004) .... Guinevere
Love Actually (2003) .... Juliet
Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) (VG) (voice) .... Narrator
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) ....
Elizabeth Swann
Gaijin (2003) (V) .... Kate
The Seasons Alter (2002) .... Helena
"Doctor Zhivago" (2002) (mini) TV Series .... Lara Antipova
(neé Guishar)
Pure (2002) .... Louise
Thunderpants (2002) .... Music School Student
... aka Donderbroek (Netherlands)
... aka Incroyable histoire de Patrick Smash, L' (France)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002) .... Juliette 'Jules' Paxton
... aka Kick It Like Beckham (Germany)
New Year's Eve (2002)
The Hole (2001) .... Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
... aka After the Hole (USA)
Princess of Thieves (2001) (TV) .... Gwyn
Deflation (2001) .... Jogger
"Oliver Twist" (1999) (mini) TV Series (as Kiera Knightley)
.... Rose Fleming
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) .... Sabé
(queen's decoy)
... aka Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace (USA: video box title)
... aka The Phantom Menace (USA: short title)
Coming Home (1998) (TV) .... Young Judith
... aka Heimkehr (Germany)
... aka Rosamunde Pilcher - Heimkehr (Germany)
Treasure Seekers (1996) (TV) .... The Princess
Innocent Lies (1995) .... Young Celia
... aka Péchés mortels, Les (France)
A Village Affair (1994) .... Natasha Jordan
Royal Celebration (1993) (TV) .... Little Girl
... aka Screen One: Royal Celebration (UK: series title) |
