Keira Knightley Had To Go Through Years Of Therapy After Starring In Pirates Of The Caribbean

One might think that starring in a blockbuster film would be a dream come true, but for Keira Knightley, her role in one of the biggest movies ever made brought unexpected challenges.

Knightley, who was only 17 at the time, played Elizabeth Swann in "Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." 

This role shot her to fame, dramatically changing her life overnight. 

This fame, however, wasn't entirely positive for her.

The immense popularity of "Pirates of The Caribbean" elevated her to a level of fame that was overwhelming, especially for a young actor. 

Despite the success, Knightley admitted to feeling 'caged' by her involvement in the popular film franchise.

Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

Reflecting on the intense scrutiny she faced as a teenager, Keira shared with Variety in 2016: 

"I found it pretty horrific. I’m not an extrovert, so I found that level of scrutiny and that level of fame really hard." 

She explained the difficulties of navigating fame at such a young age, saying, 

"It was an age where you are becoming, you haven’t become, and you need to make mistakes."

"It’s a very precarious age, particularly for women. You’re in some ways still a child."

"It was traumatic, but it set up the rest of my career."

Credit: Disney

Thinking about her own daughter, Keira admitted that she 'really, really, really' hopes that she doesn't get into acting.

"I hope she’s going to be an environmental lawyer or something spectacular, but I’m going to be the kind of parent where whatever interest she has, I’m going to be supportive," she said.

Knightley also talked about being overly critical of herself during the early stages of her career. 

In a later interview with the same publication, she continued: "I was never good enough. I was utterly single-minded. I was so ambitious. I was so driven."

"I was always trying to get better and better and improve, which is an exhausting way to live your life. Exhausting."

"I am in awe of my 22-year-old self, because I’d like a bit more of her back."

Credit: Disney

"And it’s only by not being like that any longer that I realise how extraordinary it was. But it does have a cost."

Despite the struggles, Knightley said she has no regrets and wouldn't take anything back 

"I’m unbelievably lucky now, and my career is in a place where I really enjoy it,"

"and I have a level of fame that’s much less intense. I can deal with it now, and that’s great."

"But at the time, it was not so great, and took many years of therapy to figure it out."