Credit: Disney
Keira Knightley Makes Heartbreaking Admission About Pirates Movies After Saying She Went Through Years Of Therapy
Keira Knightley has made a heartbreaking admission about her role in Pirates of the Caribbean after explaining that she has been through years of therapy.
Knightley has opened up about the challenges she faced during and after her time starring in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.
The actress, now 39, rose to international stardom through her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann, a governor’s daughter turned pirate leader, alongside Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom as Will Turner.
Knightley appeared in three of the franchise’s films between 2003 and 2007, a period that brought both opportunity and difficulty.
Reflecting on that time, she shared with The Times: “It’s a funny thing when you have something that was making and breaking you at the same time.”
While the films were incredibly successful, Knightley revealed that they also led to significant public criticism.
“I was seen as s**t because of them, and yet because they did so well I was given the opportunity to do the films that I ended up getting Oscar nominations for [Pride & Prejudice and The Imitation Game].”
Despite their success, Knightley acknowledges the complexity of her relationship with the franchise.
“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 in a very confused place in my head,” she admitted.
The intensity of working on such massive projects and the scrutiny that came with them led Knightley to decide against participating in large film franchises in the future.
“The hours are insane,” she explained, adding that the demanding nature of such productions consumed years of her life and left her with little control over her schedule.
Fame, particularly during her younger years, proved overwhelming for Knightley.
She shared with The Telegraph in 2019 that she underwent ‘many years of therapy’ to cope with the pressures of public life.
“The fame that came with them I just couldn’t handle,” she revealed.
In a 2023 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Knightley reflected on the challenges of embodying Elizabeth Swann, a character who was often portrayed as a lustful object.
“It was interesting coming from being really tomboyish to getting projected as quite the opposite. I felt very constrained. I felt very stuck,” she said.
This experience fueled her desire to pursue roles that allowed her to break free from those expectations.
Although Knightley took a break from acting following her time on Pirates of the Caribbean and other major films, she has since embraced a more balanced career and personal life.
Today, she resides in London with her husband, musician James Righton, and their two children, while continuing to work on projects that resonate with her values and interests.
Looking back, she acknowledges the difficult journey but remains grateful: “Would I do anything different? No, I wouldn’t because I’m unbelievably lucky now, and my career is in a place where I really enjoy it.”
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