Keira Knightley's journey through the world of stardom is a fascinating tale. After achieving great success with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, she faced both the heights of opportunity and the depths of public scrutiny. This article delves into her experiences and the lessons she learned along the way.The Double-Edged Sword of Fame
It is a strange phenomenon – common in Hollywood – when the thing that brings you the most opportunities simultaneously rips you to shreds. Keira Knightley knows this all too well. After suffering through the perils of young stardom compounded by the pressures of being in a franchise as popular as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the English actress, months away from turning 40, is reflecting on how she handled it all.In 2005, Knightley received her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role of Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice.” She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2014 for her portrayal of Joan Clarke in “The Imitation Game.” These nominations are a testament to her talent, but they also came with a price.“They were the most successful films I’ll ever be a part of, and they were the reason that I was taken down publicly,” she continued of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. “So they’re a very confused place in my head.”Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley fronted the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, starting with “The Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003. The success of these films brought Knightley great opportunities, but it also led to constant criticism of her appearance and overall persona.Sought after by paparazzi since she was a teenager, Knightley shared in 2018 that when she was 22, she suffered a mental breakdown and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. “In that classic trauma way I don’t remember it,” she admitted. “There’s been a complete delete, and then some things will come up, and I’ll suddenly have a very bodily memory of it because, ultimately, it’s public shaming, isn’t it?”Knightley was particularly scrutinized about her weight, accused of battling an eating disorder. “I knew I wasn’t. I knew I was eating,” she said of the rumors.“I remember being asked about it on a press tour, like it was a joke. She was meant to be shamed for seeking help for anorexia. I remember sitting there just being like, ‘Wow, this is wild.’ Can you imagine?…That made me really emotional. That’s not even about me, it’s about her. I still can’t bear it.”She also was acutely aware of what the media wanted from her: a collapse. “I 100% recognized and saw people’s careers being shattered because they were photographed coming out of clubs. The money on my head at that point, if you’d got a picture of me drunk, was so huge,” she remembered. “I wasn’t going to give the [paparazzi] the satisfaction of taking that away, so I was unbelievably straight.”Now, as a married mother to two young girls, Knightley feels as though she has much more control over her own narrative. “I keep being offered things about children dying or about mothers dying. Can’t do it,” she shared. “I’ve been really surprised in the past few years about what I’ve said no to. I’ve wanted it to be more pure entertainment and maybe that’s because I’ve needed that.”Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer and LinkedIn. Story tips can be sent to
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