KEIRA KNIGHTLEY
“I HAVEN’T DONE ‘TWO FOR THEM AND ONE FOR YOU’. I’M DOING ‘THIS ONE FOR ME AND THIS ONE FOR ME AND THE NEXT ONE FOR ME AS WELL…’”
It’s a crisp February day when Total Film catches up with Keira Knightley in London (“My favourite”, as she describes the capital). Her latest film, Misbehaviour, tells the true story of an activist group sabotaging the 1970 Miss World ceremony, which was watched by over 100 million TV viewers. “You really realise that it was such a ballsy move,” she grins. “Going in and disrupting something that is literally the biggest show on Earth.” It’s a feminist, socially conscious film, delivered with a light touch. It’s easy to see what attracted Knightley to the role of real-life historian and activist Sally Alexander.
The 34-year-old British star became one of the most famous people in the UK, practically overnight, starring in surprise 2003 hit Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl. But after the literal rollercoaster ride of that experience (and its sequels), Knightley has largely shied away from blockbuster material in favour of period pieces, indies, and, especially recently, dramas with pertinent messages (Colette, Official Secrets), choosing films by her own taste rather than an agent’s masterplan. “If it’s small budget, you have to hit the ground running, and just go for it,” beams Knightley. “You just have to dive in.”
Growing up in the public eye, Knightley faced all the negative attention that entails; she recently admitted to having a breakdown aged 22, when she was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. But despite allowing herself a couple of periods of respite, her work ethic has never slackened, and she has also spoken out on a number of issues.
Acting’s in her blood; her mother’s a writer (she penned Knightley’s 2008 romantic drama, The Edge Of Love) and her father an actor. “We went to the theatre all the time,” she remembers. “It was always a world that I found totally magical and very inspiring.”
Knightley had no formal training herself, and honed her craft on the job. “That way of learning is quite… ‘brutal’ is maybe too much. But it’s the only word that I can come up with. And, you know, you do learn,” she laughs, “if you’re interested – and
