The actress Keira Knightley has several connections to the Festive Season through her films.
Probably the most celebrated is the ensemble piece "Love Actually" (2003), which pops up on our screens at Christmas every year.
With a cast of illustrious actors, including Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, Gregor Fisher, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Heike Makatsch, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson, Knightley more than holds her own as the beautiful object of photographer Andrew Lincoln's love.
[Britannica]
Directed by Richard Curtis the film made millions at the Box Office.
Knightley's first film proper was "Bend it like Beckham" in 2002, when she was just 17 years old.
This brought her much attention and the following year she appeared in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Love Actually", mentioned above. She was still only 18.
Knightley with Orlando Bloom [20 Minutos]
Other films of note include: "Pride and Prejudice" (2005), in which she played Elizabeth Bennet; "Atonement" (2007), based on the novel by Ian McEwan; and "The Imitation Game" (2014), alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, who played war-time code-breaker Alan Turing. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Joan Clarke in this bio-pic.
Cumberbatch and Knightley [Spoiler Town]
In between times she has appeared on stage in The West End and on Broadway and has had two daughters (2015 and 2019) with husband James Righton, musician, whom she married in 2013, aged 28.
She was awarded an OBE in 2018.
***
Her latest appearance is in the current TV Christmas Advert for Waitrose (2025) alongside comedian Joe Wilkinson. In a mini-romantic film comedy lasting four minutes.
She still looks bloody good at the age of 40!
The Perfect Gift | Waitrose | Christmas Ad 2025
[Reason Why]
So, is Keira Knightley just a (very) pretty face, or is she much more?
[Fotogramas]
Links:
The Perfect Gift | Waitrose | Christmas Ad 2025
Love Actually | Cards on the Doorstep - YouTube
DemandGen MAD NOV
© The Culture Vulture
Pictures:
20 Minutos, Britannica, Fotogramas, Reason Why, Spoiler Town,
Acknowledgements:
"Society (Marbella)", The Culture Vulture, Waitrose, Wikipedia
Tags:
20 Minutos, A Christmas Carol, Alan Rickman, Alan Turing, Andrew Lincoln, "Atonement", "Bend it like Beckham", Bill Nighy, Britannica, Broadway, Colin Firth, Dominic Cumberbatch, Emma Thompson, Fotogramas, Heike Makatsch, Hugh Grant, Ian McEwan, James Righton, Joe Wilkinson, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, "Love Actually", Martine McCutcheon, OBE, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", Reason Why, Richard Curtis, "Society (Marbella)", Spoiler Town, The Culture Vulture, "The Imitation Game", Waitrose, West End, Wikipedia