Background and career
Keira Christina Knightley ( KEER-ə NYTE-lee; born 26 March 1985) is a British actress. Known for her work in independent films and blockbusters, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, four Golden Globes, and a Laurence Olivier Award. In 2018, she was appointed an OBE for services to drama and charity.
Born in London to English actor Will Knightley and Scottish playwright Sharman Macdonald, Knightley obtained an agent at age six and initially worked in commercials and television films. Following a minor role as Sabé in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), her breakthrough came when she played a tomboy footballer in Bend It Like Beckham (2002) and co-starred in Love Actually (2003). She achieved global recognition for playing Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series (2003–2007, 2017).
For her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (2005), Knightley was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She starred in several more period films over the next few years, including Atonement (2007), The Duchess (2008), A Dangerous Method (2011), and Anna Karenina (2012). She took on contemporary-set parts in Begin Again (2013) and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), and returned to historical films playing Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game (2014), earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has since starred as the title character in Colette (2018), journalist Loretta McLaughlin in Boston Strangler (2023), and a spy in the thriller series Black Doves (2024). 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 titular 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.
How Keira Knightley makes money
Despite boasting the names of stars like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom and a $135 million budget, Pirates was expected to fail at the box office. The film opened at number one on the box office, and became one of the highest-grossing releases of the year, with worldwide revenues of $654 million.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (2026-09-25), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
