While Keira Knightley was a well-known Hollywood star by 2005, playing Elizabeth Bennet in ‘Pride and Prejudice‘ proved a huge challenge for her, as she had to embody one of the greatest figures of English literature.
Apart from the obvious challenges, pressure also came from behind the scenes because the director himself had doubts about whether the actress could play the character, given her glamorous reputation. Nevertheless, having decided to accept the challenge, Knightley was about to not only silence her critics but also change her Hollywood career forever. This is how Keira Knightley’s career changed due to a single Jane Austen character.
Playing Elizabeth Bennet Seemed Very Intimidating For Keira Knightley
‘Pride and Prejudice‘ became Knightley’s major challenge, although she had already become one of the most recognizable young Hollywood stars.
However, the challenge brought by the role of Elizabeth Bennet was much bigger than the ones that she had to face earlier in her career. Being one of the most beloved characters in English literature, Bennet felt the pressure of rightfully honoring the expectations of generations of readers who had formed a deep connection with the character.
Being well aware of the expectations audiences had for the character, Keira Knightley realized that living up to such a celebrated legacy would be difficult.
As a result, she reportedly felt unworthy to take on the role and questioned whether she could do justice to one of literature’s most beloved heroines.
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Apart from that, the fact that several adaptations of Pride and Prejudice created their own version of Elizabeth Bennet added additional pressure for the actress.
“It’s terrifying because when you read Pride and Prejudice, you feel like you own her. I know I did. Everybody has a very clear idea of who Elizabeth Bennet is,” said Knightley to Leeds Guide, adding, “It’s terrifying but a really exciting challenge.”
Nevertheless, deviating from audience expectations was likely to attract criticism, whereas attempting to follow the image established by previous actresses would have prevented Knightley from bringing her own unique qualities to the role. Therefore, the challenge was both exciting and intimidating for the actress.
The Part Transformed The Actress’s Career And Public Image
Given the nature of the project, Knightley had every reason to fear the role, but she ultimately proved her concerns unfounded.
Director Joe Wright reportedly had some doubts about her capabilities at first, thinking of her mostly as a glamorous Hollywood star who wouldn’t be able to do justice to such a difficult role.
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However, after working closely with the actress, the director came to appreciate her intelligence, determination, and strong character traits. Once filming began, Knightley delivered an amazing performance as Bennet.
As a result, Knightley received an Oscar nomination and improved her public image as an actress. Thus, what initially looked like a very challenging part became the most important performance of her career.
Moreover, her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet helped audiences see her as a serious dramatic actress rather than simply a star of commercially successful films.
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