Kiera Knightley grew up in a family of writers and actors, wondering why she didn’t have an agent like her parents at the age of three. She finally got her wish at age six and started landing small television roles until she was sixteen.
After dropping out of college as a teenager to pursue acting, she found success with her breakout role in ‘Bend It Like Beckham’. Despite this, Knightley mentioned that she would encourage her daughters to focus on academia if they wanted to enter the entertainment industry in the future.
Although Knightley regrets not pursuing further studies in her twenties, she acknowledged that leaving school early was necessary for her career. She emphasized the importance of having those academic achievements to combat stereotypes about intelligence, especially for young women.
Pitfalls of being a young star
As a mother of two daughters, Knightley is not alone in questioning the idea of her children following in her footsteps. Fellow actor Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Potter series expressed similar sentiments, stating he wouldn’t want his children to enter the industry, particularly at a young age.
Despite her reported net worth of $80 million, Knightley has limited certain job opportunities to spend more time with her children. She recognized the need to step back from her career to prioritize her family.
Her decision reflects the experiences of many women in the industry, including Whoopi Goldberg, who admitted putting her career over her child due to the belief that certain opportunities may not come around again.
Make or break franchise
While being part of a major franchise like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ brought Knightley fame and success, she also mentioned the challenges it posed to her career. The series was both a blessing and a curse, opening doors for her while also typecasting her in certain roles.
Knightley reflected on the demanding nature of such projects, with long hours and little control over filming locations. Despite the challenges, she acknowledged that the franchise provided her with opportunities that led to Oscar nominations.
