Beyond Elizabeth Bennet: The Fascinating Career and Personal Life of Keira Knightley
British actress Keira Knightley (born March 26, 1985) has built a Hollywood career that most can only dream of. Getting her start as a child actor, she skyrocketed to global fame in 2003 with a powerful one-two punch: the indie hit Bend It Like Beckham and the blockbuster mega-franchise Pirates of the Caribbean. Knightley’s range extends far beyond summer popcorn flicks. Her breathtaking portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice earned her Best Actress nominations at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes. She proved this was no fluke two years later, securing Golden Globe and BAFTA nods for her devastating performance in the period drama Atonement. By 2008, Forbes ranked her as Hollywood's second-highest-paid actress, reporting that she pulled in a massive $32 million in 2007—making her the only non-American star on the high-earners list. Currently residing in London, Knightley is dating her Pride & Prejudice co-star, Rupert Frie...