Keira Knightley has reflected on her career after starring in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, saying she was "seen as shit because of them".
The actor became a household name after portraying Elizabeth Swann in 2003's swashbuckling adventure film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, going on to reprise the role in sequels Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007). She also made brief cameo in the 2017 film Salazar's Revenge.
While Knightley credits the hit franchise for "making" her career, she has also said it's the reason why she was "taken down publicly".
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"It’s a funny thing when you have something that was making and breaking you at the same time," she shared during a new interview with The Times.
"I was seen as shit 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."
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Knightley received a Best Actress nomination at the 2006 Oscars for her role as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice, and another nod for Best Supporting Actress in 2015 for her role as Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game.
"They were the most successful films I’ll ever be a part of, and they were the reason that I was taken down publicly," she added of the Pirates franchise. "So they’re a very confused place in my head."
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Elsewhere, fans will next be able to see Knightley on screen in Netflix's upcoming spy thriller Black Doves.
The actor stars in the six-part series as Helen Webb, a spy who has been passing on information about her politician husband to the shadowy Black Doves organisation for a decade.
However, when her cover is compromised, Helen's spymaster (Sarah Lancashire) calls in an old friend (Ben Whishaw) to help keep her safe.
Black Doves will be available on Netflix from December 5.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
