Keira Knightley recently reunited with her Pride & Prejudice co-star Rosamund Pike to mark the film’s 20th anniversary in an interview with Vanity Fair. Looking back, Knightley described the period as a confusing time in her early career, when she received both praise and harsh criticism.
“Pirates of the Caribbean had already been released, but in the public eye, I was seen as a terrible actress,” Knightley said. “Yet, I had this huge success with Pirates. Pride & Prejudice was the first film that was both a big success and critically praised. I think it came out around the same time as Pirates 2. I got some of the worst reviews ever, but also an Oscar nomination. For my 21-year-old self, it was quite confusing.”
Knightley was only 20 when she earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Pride & Prejudice. At the time, she was the third-youngest nominee in the category. She had already gained fame from Pirates of the Caribbean and other hits like Bend It Like Beckham and Love Actually, though those films did not always bring positive reviews for her performances.
“I remember getting terrible reviews for Bend It Like Beckham—or at least the ones that stuck with me as a teenager,” she said. “Usually, it’s only the negative ones that linger. So, Pride & Prejudice was the first time I had unequivocally positive reviews.”
In a 2024 interview with The Times of London, Knightley reflected on the contradictions of her early career. “It’s strange when something can make and break you at the same time,” she said, referring to the Pirates series. She went on to star in two more Pirates films after Pride & Prejudice.
“I was criticized because of those films, yet their success gave me opportunities to do the movies that earned me Oscar nominations,” Knightley said. “They are the most successful films I’ve ever been in, but they also caused me public criticism. So, they hold a very confusing place in my mind.”
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