After first being noticed and appreciated in Bend It Like Beckham, Keira Knightley has cemented her place as one of the most talented and desirable stars in Hollywood. While the British beauty has done a wide range of films from romantic dramas to period films, her marquee role in the action-adventure series Pirates of the Caribbean established her as a commercial star.
Being a pivotal part of a large-scale franchise, Knightley has had her share of memorable and harrowing experiences on set by the actor’s own admission. In the first film, the Atonement star got a bit too close to her character’s predicament in the film when she understood what it meant to be shipwrecked in reality.
Keira Knightley Had An Unforgettable Ordeal On The Sets Of Pirates Of The Caribbean
In 2003, British actor Keira Knightley landed a high-profile role in Johnny Depp’s cult franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean. The swashbuckling adventure series went on to become one of the most popular film franchises with Knightley going toe to toe with the likes of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.
In playing her character Elizabeth Swann in the film, the Begin Again star had many unforgettable experiences on set. Some were memorable in a good way while others ended up being harrowing encounters. Knightley recalled one particular incident while filming the first movie of the series, when her character’s predicament became hers in reality.
In an interview with Spin Magazine in 2003, the talented star recalled a scene that required her to go in a speedboat to reach the location on the water. Unfortunately, the boat got stuck on a reef, which then meant that Knightley was technically shipwrecked. Reliving the torrid time she faced while waiting to be rescued with nothing but water around her, she said,
I don’t know how anyone ever dealt with being lost on a desert island … Forty-five minutes awaiting rescue while being stranded waist-deep in water was quite enough
The Anna Karenina star confessed that while her character who is deserted on an island with Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, bravely pulls herself out of grave danger, facing this situation in reality was a completely different ball game altogether.
Why Did Keira Knightley Almost Become Breathless On Set?
Like many actors who have been willing to go the distance to prepare for their roles, Keira Knightley has undergone some tough times on set to get into character. One of these challenges included getting into a corset for her part in the cult action franchise Pirates of the Caribbean.
Despite being adept at wearing corsets in many of her period dramas, the garment posed multiple challenges for the Pride and Prejudice actor in this film when she tried to push her body to the limit. It is common knowledge that the corset works best when worn extremely tightly, but this process ended up making her breathless. In an interview (via The Mirror), the celebrity recalled the discomfort she went through to look the part.
I had a Scarlett O’Hara thing, she gets her waist down to 18 and a half inches–so I thought I would try that. For five minutes, it’s fantastic–you have this tiny waist and fantastic cleavage, but oxygen deprivation is a big problem! When in doubt, faint.
Knightley’s efforts ultimately paid off as her character Elizabeth Swann became a huge heartthrob among male audiences. In addition, The Imitation Game actor’s solid acting chops added to her already sensual allure.
Pirates of the Caribbean is streaming on Disney+
