Keira Knightley Explains Why Her 2006 Oscar Nomination Left Her Confused

Los Angeles – Actress Keira Knightley has opened up about the conflicting emotions she experienced during a major moment in her career—receiving an Oscar nomination for one film while simultaneously being harshly criticized for another.

In a conversation with Vanity Fair, Knightley reflected on being nominated for Best Actress at the 2006 Academy Awards for her role in Pride & Prejudice. At the same time, she was facing backlash for her performance in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

“That nomination was huge for my career. When people recognize me, it’s often for that role,” she said, referring to her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the Jane Austen adaptation.

Despite her earlier success in Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Knightley noted that public perception at the time wasn’t always in her favor. “Pirates of the Caribbean had already come out, but I think people still saw me as a terrible actress,” she recalled.

She described the experience as “confusing,” especially since both Pride & Prejudice and the second Pirates film were released around the same time. “I had this massive box office success with Pirates, but the second one got me some of the worst reviews ever. Then suddenly I was also being nominated for an Oscar—it was a lot to process at 21.”

Knightley was just 20 when she received her first Oscar nomination, making her the third-youngest nominee for Best Actress at the time, according to Variety.

Directed by Joe Wright, Pride & Prejudice was recently re-released in theaters to mark its 20th anniversary. Over her career, Knightley has received two Oscar nominations, two BAFTA nominations, four Golden Globe nods, and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.

With inputs from IANS