Twenty-three year old Keira Knightly is an ever rising, British Actress. Knightly was born March 26 1984 in Teddington, Middlesex, England. Her father is actor Will Knightly and her mother, Sherman Macdonald, is a play writer. Acting has always been a part of Knightly; I suppose you can say it is in her blood. At the young age of three, she asked for her own agent, however she did not receive one until she was six.

From seeing her performance in films, most would never imagine that as a child and early teens, Keira Knightly had, what many might say was Dyslexia, although she was never tested for it.

Knightly first appeared on television in 1993 at age seven, when she played the "Little Girl" in "Royal Celebration." The following year she landed a larger role playing "Natasha Jordan" in "A Village Affair." Over the next few years Knightly played many small roles including "The Princess" in "Treasure Seekers" and the young "Judith" in "Coming Home."

In 1999, she got her first big break playing "Sabe" the queen look-a-like in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. At the age of sixteen, Knightly did her first topless scene in the movie "The Hole." Following "The Hole" came her career breakthrough when she played as "Juliette ‘Jules' Paxton" in "Bend It like Beckham."

During this time, Knightly had begun studying Political History, Classics and English Literature at Esher College. After auditioning and winning the part of "Larisa Feodoronvna Guishnar" in the television series of "Doctor Zhivago," Knightly left her studies and began work as an actress full time.

In 2003 the world fell in love with the face of the beautiful "Elizabeth Swan" in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl," at the same time falling in love with Keira knightly. She was quickly chosen to play the part of "Guinevere" in Jerry Bruckheimer's, "King Arthur."

Following hit movies include "Pride & Prejudice" (2005), "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest" (2006) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End" (2007).

Keira Knightly is extremely talented and driven with her acting career. However, she has also been on the covers of many magazines in both the U.K. and the U.S. as well as photo shoots and a few advertisements.

Future movies include "The Duchess" due out September 12^th, "1.30 Train" due out September 2008, "King Lear" due out 2009 and "My Fair Lady" also due out in 2009.

Here are some more great pictures of the lovely Keira knightly