Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley plays Christa-Maria Sieland in The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre in London.

Keira Knightley is an English actress whose career spans big Hollywood franchises, period dramas, and independent films. She is widely known for the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, her Oscar-nominated roles in Pride & Prejudice and The Imitation Game, as well as Atonement and Love Actually. Though her career is film-focused, she has earned critical acclaim for occasional, high-profile theatre runs in London and on Broadway.

Born into a theatrical family – the daughter of playwright Sharman Macdonald and actor Will Knightley – Knightley began acting at seven, making her professional debut at age 10 in the 1995 film A Village Affair.

Latest Work

After starring in the Netflix hit Black Doves (2024) and The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025), Knightley returns in 2026 for Black Doves Season 2 and the dark satire The Worst, co-starring Alicia Vikander and Jamie Dornan.

Stage Career

Knightley made her West End debut in 2009 at the Comedy Theatre (now the Harold Pinter Theatre) in Martin Crimp’s contemporary version of Molière’s The Misanthrope. Starring opposite Damian Lewis, her performance as Jennifer earned her an Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2011, she returned to the same theatre for a revival of Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour, playing Karen Wright alongside Elisabeth Moss and Ellen Burstyn.

Knightley made her Broadway debut in 2015 at Studio 54, starring as the titular character in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Thérèse Raquin.

Notable Film Roles

Recent: Boston Strangler, Silent Night, The Aftermath, Official Secrets
Classic: Atonement, Love Actually, Bend It Like Beckham, The Duchess, Anna Karenina

Photos & Reviews: Keira Knightley in The Children’s Hour