Keira Knightley’s rise to Hollywood stardom almost feels like a dream come true. After already leaving an impression with movies like ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, she went on to star in the major blockbuster ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’.
You might expect this to be an unstoppable career trajectory. But in reality, Knightley found herself caught in one of the most confusing moments of her life. And it left her questioning her place in Hollywood.
Why ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’ Aftermath Left Keira Knightley Confused
For most young actors, landing a starring role next to Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in one of the decade’s biggest movies would have been the ultimate career breakthrough. For Keira Knightley, it certainly launched her into international superstardom.
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But that level of fame came with an unexpected problem. With the movie’s release came a wave of criticism for Knightley that overshadowed the success she found with it.
“‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ had already come out, but I think in the public consciousness, I was seen as a terrible actress,” Knightley said. “But I had this phenomenally big success with ‘Pirates.’”
These contradictions only grew stronger over time. Especially, when she starred in the much more critically acclaimed role in ‘Pride and Prejudice’. At just 20 years old, Knightley earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. “And I got the worst reviews ever for that. And then also being nominated for an Oscar at the same time—it was, in my 21-year-old head, quite confusing.”
Knightley Always Felt Haunted By Conflicting Reactions To Her Performances
Looking back on her early years in Hollywood, Knightley had to admit that the harsh criticism began even before ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. Her breakout performance in ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ may have launched her career. But it also left her with plenty of bad memory.
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“I got terrible reviews for it—or at least the ones I remember. Or the ones that, in your 17-year-old brain, actually sink in,” she said. “Of course, it’s only the ones that are negative. So, I think it was the first time that it had been unequivocally positive, right?”
Knightley has always seen this conflicting emotion in her career. She once said, “It’s a funny thing when you have something that was making and breaking you at the same time… I was seen as shit because of them, and yet because they did so well, I was allowed to do the films that I ended up getting Oscar nominations for”.
As successful as the movies were, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ is still in a very complex place for Knightley, “They were the most successful films I’ll ever be a part of, and they were the reason that I was taken down publicly. So they’re a very confused place in my head.”
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