She achieved global stardom with her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in fantasy swashbuckler series Pirates of the Caribbean. Knightley had a break-through role portraying a tomboy footballer in the sports film Bend It Like Beckham (2002). She appeared as Sabé, Padmé Amidala's handmaiden, in science fiction blockbuster Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). īorn in London to actors Will Knightley and Sharman Macdonald, Knightley obtained an agent at age six, and initially worked commercials and television films. Knightley was appointed an OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity. Her accolades include two Empire Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award and one Laurence Olivier Award. She has starred in both independent films and big-budget blockbusters, and is particularly noted for her roles in period dramas. Keira Christina Righton OBE ( / ˈ k ɪər ə ˈ n aɪ t l i/ née Knightley, born 26 March 1985) is an English actress.
