30 Best Keira Knightley Movies That Are Iconic

Hollywood A-lister and Oscar-nominated actress Keira Knightley is a British actress. Keira Knightley has a long history in movies despite being only 37 years old. The English actress made her debut in a feature film in 1995, and her breakthrough came in the 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham.

Today, Knightley is still a well-liked performer, so we chose to examine her top 30 films.

1 Everest 

The eight adventurers engaged in the 1996 Mount Everest accident are the focus of this 2015 Keira Knightley movie.

The passengers are upbeat about reaching the peak, but they soon encounter a terrible storm that puts their survival skills to the test as high winds and freezing temperatures put their lives in danger.

Keira Knightley portrays Jan Arnold, pregnant wife who has been left at home, and Jason Clarke plays Rob Hall, the expedition group's commander from New Zealand.

2 Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End

Elizabeth Swann, played by Keira Knightley, is Will Turner's fiancée and the daughter of Governor Swann. She deceives Jack Sparrow into believing he will be swallowed by the Kraken to save herself and the Black Pearl crew, and then she comes to his aid.

Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Hector Barbossa, and the rest of the crew helped Captain Jack Sparrow escape from Davy Jones' Locker in the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Following their reunion, they set out to take on the East India Trading Company, a group whose goal is to eradicate piracy.

This Keira Knightley movie is a must-watch kinda film.

3 Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 

The swashbuckling fantasy in this Keira Knightley movie involved Davy Jones searching for Jack Sparrow, who owes him a blood debt. The captain, together with Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, whose wedding is interrupted by the chase, set out on the run to escape the capture of his soul for all of eternity.

Jack's story doesn't have the pleasant, carefree ending he had hoped for, but sequels are there to make up for it.

4 Official Secrets

In this 2019 documentary, Katharine Gun, a whistleblower who revealed evidence about the United States covert surveillance of diplomats who were required to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq, shares her true experience.

Actors like Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, and Rhys Ifans supported Knightley as the story's lead character in this Keira Knightley movie.

The British-American movie received accolades for both its powerful message and Knightley's convincing portrayal.

5 Love Actually

In the weeks running up to Christmas, the experiences of ten distinct people are interwoven in this British rom-com or we can say, Keira Knightley movie.

Juliet, a character played by Knightley, marries Peter in the end. Mark, his best man, takes a video of the occasion but keeps Juliet from seeing it. Because of this, Juliet assumes he doesn't like her, but the truth is that he loves her.

6  Atonement

Based on the Ian McEwan novel of the same name, this 2007 Keira Knightley movie is a romantic war drama that depicts how a single deception splits teenage lovers Cecilia Tallis (Knightley) and Robbie Turner apart, sending their lives spiraling downward individually over six decades.

7 Pride & Prejudice 

Keira Knightley portrays Elizabeth Bennet in this timeless adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 romance novel, while Matthew Macfadyen plays Mr. Darcy, her love interest.

Bennet, a strong-willed young woman living alone in the English countryside in the nineteenth century, struggles against her parents' demands that she get married. Bennet, however, starts to picture herself as Mr. Darcy's wife after meeting the dashing and enigmatic Mr. Darcy. She wonders whether they will stay together, though, because of his restrained nature.

This Keira Knightley movie is a must-watch.

8 The Imitation Game

In the historical play The Imitation Game, mathematician Alan Turing is depicted as having the desired ability to decipher Nazi codes. Despite his enormous success, the government finds out he is gay, which leads to his disgrace and conviction for gross indecency.

As Joan Clarke, who works with him and then becomes his fiancée, Knightley co-starred in the movie.

9 Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl

The finest Keira Knightley movie is the original 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean. In this story, Captain Jack Sparrow first appears, arriving alone at Port Royal in the Caribbean. Fortunately for him, pirates take over the town that evening. He uses the chance to abduct Elizabeth Swann, who has a coin connected to a pirate curse.

Will Turner, a blacksmith who falls in love with Elizabeth, goes out to save her. But it turns out that living as a pirate has its difficulties.

10 Begin Again

An indie singer-songwriter named Gretta partners up with a record label executive named Dan to record an album in New York City in this comedy-drama, Keira Knightley movie from 2012.

 Gretta's relationship with her longtime partner has ended, while Dan's marriage is in ruins. Due to this, romance as a notion and heartbreak meet in the middle.

The reviews for Begin Again were mostly favorable, with many appreciating the film's charm and the chemistry between the protagonists.

11 The Edge of Love

The life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas during World War II is heavily romanticized in the book "The Edge of Love." In this Keira Knightley movie, there were once lovers, and their feelings were reignited when they reconnected in London. Caitlin is married to Thomas, and the movie suggests that she and Dylan have had numerous adulterous encounters.

12 Misbehaviour

In Knightley's portrayal of Sally Alexander, a woman juggling motherhood, marriage, and law school, her husband is surprisingly forward-thinking for the period. Along with Greg Kinnear as Bob Hope and Lesley Manville as his wife, Dolores, the film also features Jessie Buckley, Rhys Ifans, and Keeley Hawes. As there are no actual winners or losers on any side, this Keira Knightley movie is an interesting story that isn't skewed or made to be "feel-good." It is a significant period in the history of feminism, which makes it challenging.

13  Colette

Among other Keira Knightley movies, Colette is yet another epic. Willy was a "literary entrepreneur," and Colette was his wife. Willy hired ghostwriters to produce articles for him. He suggests to Colette, as the last option, that she write a book about her school days because he is constantly in grave financial circumstances. It becomes an unexpected best-seller after he publishes it in his name.

14 The Duchess

Another historical character is presented for Knightley to portray in "The Duchess"—this time, Princess Diana's ancestor Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Georgiana marries the Duke of Devonshire at the age of 17 and begins trying to have a child right away. Things between the pair deteriorate when she gives birth to two daughters. The duke inevitably has an affair with Georgiana after she befriends Bess Foster and helps her relocate into one of the Devonshires' opulent estates. Georgiana, meantime, is in love with would-be prime minister Charles Grey but is forbidden from seeing him because of the double standards of the day, especially before she has a male heir.

In this Keira Knightley movie, Knightley does a great job portraying the character who is torn between her lover and her children over several years.

15 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

"The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" marks a significant departure for Knightley as it shifts from portraying historical individuals to high fantasy in this Keira Knightley movie. She initially takes on the role of a fairy godmother, guiding Clara through a wonderful realm. Knightley has gorgeous purple cotton candy hair for the Sugar Plum Fairy costume, a sparkly tiered outfit, and a high, girly voice.

 Boom! Spoiler alert- the Sugar Plum Fairy isn't as sweet as she first seems, as it turns out. In actuality, she is the story's antagonist.

16 Anna Karenina

The entire movie is set in a theatre, giving the characters a sense of the theatrical throughout, and scene changes have the seamless appearance of sets moving in and out of the frame. Members of the main ensemble are dressed onscreen by extras; we see scene-by-scene costume and scenery changes that are meticulously orchestrated to look like dance steps.

So, this Keira Knightley movie is a must-watch.

17 Laggies

One of Keira Knightley's  movies with a U.S. setting and in which she genuinely plays an American is "Laggies."

What distinguishes this movie is the unexpected chemistry between Knightley and Rockwell; the plot and the characters shouldn't work, but Andrea Seigel's humorous and sympathetic script sells the absurd circumstance.

18 A Dangerous Method

As Sabina, a patient of Jung's who later studies and works as his assistant even as he develops a romantic relationship with her, Knightley provides what may be her best performance. In their contentious relationship, Jung and Freud constantly disagreed on how to conduct psychoanalysis.

19 Bend It Like Beckham

This Keira Knightley movie is so fun!

One of the top comedies of the 2000s, "Bend It Like Beckham" is a fantastic coming-of-age story. Ironically, Knightley's career was begun by this athletic character even though she later became associated with the wilting English rose type. 

20 Never Let Me Go

The film "Never Let Me Go" is exceedingly weird, but it succeeds because there isn't a lot of explanation. Although the protagonists attempt to suppress their feelings, there is something "wrong" about the world, as Mulligan, Knightley, and Garfield nonetheless portray human beings with emotions.

One of those films that will make you wonder what it means to be human is this Keira Knightley movie.

21 Silk

This Keira Knightley movie, which is set in the nineteenth century, centers on a silkworm merchant turned smuggler (Michael Pitt) and his wife (Knightley).

22 Berlin, I Love You

The movie is made up of ten cogent stories about romance, love, care, and enjoying and living in Berlin, the stunning city of Germany. Another excellent Keira Knightley movie.

23 Collateral Beauty

Will Smith is a New York advertising executive in this Keira Knightley movie who, following a tragedy, looks for answers. In the movie, Knightley plays the part of Amy in this Keira Knightley movie.

24 Domino

This Keira Knightley movie is about Domino Harvey, a former model who is now a bounty hunter who has been detained for robbing an armored car in this largely biographical film. She asserts her innocence and relates her tale while being questioned. Harvey enrolled in Ed Moseby's training program for prospective bounty hunters. The three of them established themselves as a productive team with Choco. However, when a bail bondsman offered a job, they encountered a tricky framing.

25 The Aftermath

To reconcile with her husband Lewis, a British colonel tasked with rebuilding the destroyed city, Rachael Morgan (Keira Knightley) travels to the wreckage of Hamburg in 1946.

 Rachael is shocked to learn that Lewis has made a surprising choice: they would be sharing the large mansion with its previous occupants, a German widower, and his disturbed daughter. As they leave for their new home, Lewis informs them of this unexpected choice. Passion and betrayal replace hostility and anguish in this tense environment.  

This Keira Knightley movie is such a rollercoaster ride.

26 King Arthur

Themes from this Keira Knightley film include treachery, trust, and love, among others. The Holy Grail and the roundtable are two symbols from the legend of King Arthur.

Arthur, who is the son of King Uther Pendragon but was raised by a different family, ascends to the throne when he is old enough to free the Excalibur sword from the stone. Despite his excellent leadership and Merlin's guidance, Arthur frequently engages in battle and creates enemies with other monarchs.

27 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

The espionage film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is cliched and primarily depends on luck and coincidences. Young Jack Ryan presents himself to his friends and family as an ordinary executive, but he has been secretly employed by the CIA for years. Although Ryan was initially hired to crunch global statistics, he ends up being the only person with the expertise to thwart the well-crafted plot to wreck the U.S. economy and cause havoc around the world. As a full-fledged agent now, Ryan is pitted against a smart Russian leader, his illiterate fiancee, and his covert handler.

Full of thrill, suspense, and much more; this Keira Knightley movie is a must-watch.

28 The Jacket

The Star Rover, a 1915 Jack London novel, served as the inspiration for some of this Keira Knightly film. The story is a time-travel fiction in which a Gulf War veteran who had a near-death or death experience while serving on active duty returns to the United States and is held captive in a facility for the criminally insane after being held responsible for the death of a police officer. He is subjected to experimental treatments there, including being locked inside a morgue casket and restrained by a straitjacket, and he finally develops the ability to go through the time and assist other individuals.

29  The Hole

English teenager Liz Dunn, who knows of the tragically strange deaths, calls psychiatrist Philippa Horwood in to look into them.

Liz's tale Her classmate Frances (Keira Knightley), her buddy Martyn, and their attractive classmate Mike were locked in a bomb shelter and left to perish. That might not be the case, though, as Martyn asserts that Liz was the brains behind the scheme that resulted in such unsettling repercussions.

So, this Keira Knightley movie is a must-watch.

30 Last Night

Michael Reed and Keira Knightley's character Joanna have a successful marriage. But how each of them handles temptation during a night apart will determine whether or not their marriage survives. Michael travels on business with Laura, a stunning coworker who hides a deep sense of loneliness beneath her outward attractiveness. Joanna runs into a previous flame while feeling a little envious and agrees to meet him for drinks, but the simple meeting could turn into anything more.

This Keira Knightley Movie will make you fall in love with her.

You probably have seen a lot of Keira Knightley movies if, like me, you enjoy historical romances. She has successfully identified her area of expertise.