Even though Johnny Depp gets the most credit for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, without Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann it probably wouldn’t be what it is. But no matter what, it’s undeniable that Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) changed both of their lives.
The film grossed $654 million on a $140 million budget and that began the Pirates franchise, which never had to look back again. However, even though the film brought fame and more career opportunities for the then-17-year-old Knightley, it also traumatized her.
Keira Knightley Was Traumatized By The Pirates of The Caribbean Films
In an interview with Variety, Keira Knightley revealed that the fame she got after starring in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, changed everything for her. It brought scrutiny and unimaginable trauma to the actress, who said:
“I found it pretty horrific. I’m not an extrovert, so I found that level of scrutiny and that level of fame really hard.”
The Boston Strangler actress explained that what affected her the most was that the actress felt that she wasn’t allowed to make mistakes anymore. She said:
“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.”
However, the star isn’t wallowing in the past and pain. She is grateful that the franchise helped her career flourish. Knightley said, “It was traumatic, but it set up the rest of my career.” But even then, the Pride and Prejudice star wanted to have a bit of her youth back.
Keira Knightley Wanted Her Youth Back After Pirates Of The Caribbean Took It
Keira Knightley lamented the fact that she was doggedly trying to pursue perfection in her craft from a young age. The star wished she had been kind to herself. Knightley said:
“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.”
But now that she’s older, the actress wants her 22-year-old self back because it was an extraordinary time for her. However, Knightley wouldn’t change anything about the Pirates films because of the opportunities her fame gave her. The Anna Karenina star said:
“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.”
So would she return to play Elizabeth Swann in another film set in the Pirates franchise? Not likely, because Keira Knightley thinks her heroine got the perfect ending. Now, whether Johnny Depp gets on board with such a project remains to be seen.
All the Pirates of the Caribbean films are available on Disney+.
Source: Variety
