Hollywood actress Keira Knightley recalled a ‘confusing’ time when she was feted with an Oscar nomination for one film and criticised as a ‘terrible actress’ for another.
In an interview with ‘Vanity Fair’, Knightley reminisced about receiving an Oscar nomination in 2006 for her performance in ‘Pride & Prejudice’. However, at the same time, she was being criticised for her performance in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’.
“Yes, it was pretty big for my career. If people will come up to me, it’ll be about that one,” she said about portraying the Jane Austen-penned heroine.
The actress, whose breakthrough came when she played a tomboy footballer in ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ in 2002, added: “‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ had already come out, but I think in the public consciousness, I was seen as a terrible actress.”
Amid critiques of her performance in the second ‘Pirates’ franchise, Knightley recalled a sudden switch in public opinion on her acting abilities, reported ‘people.com’.
“But I had this phenomenally big success with ‘Pirates’. And I think this was the first one that was a phenomenally big success but was also critically acclaimed. So, I remember it coming out maybe the same year, maybe around the same time as ‘Pirates 2’. And I got the worst reviews ever for that and then also being nominated for an Oscar at the same time - it was, in my 21-year-old head, quite confusing.”
The actress was 20 years old when she was feted with the ‘Best Actress’ Academy Award nomination, which made her the third youngest nominee ever at the time, per ‘variety.com’.
‘Pride & Prejudice’, directed by Joe Wright, was re-released in theaters in honour of the film’s 20th anniversary in April. The actress has been nominated for two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, four Golden Globes and a Laurence Olivier Award.