Fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise were recently shocked to learn that Keira Knightley was only 17 years old when she starred as Elizabeth Swann in the 2003 film The Curse of the Black Pearl. Knightley, now 39, began acting at a very young age, securing an agent at just six years old and landing significant roles by her teenage years, including a part in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace at age 12.
Despite her early start, many fans had not realized how young she was during the filming of Pirates. Social media erupted with astonishment, with users expressing disbelief and admiration for her talent at such a young age. One user on X (formerly Twitter) commented, “Keira Knightley being like 17 when she filmed Pirates of the Caribbean shakes me to my core.”
Knightley herself has spoken about the challenges she faced due to her early fame. In a 2018 interview with Variety, she revealed that the overnight success from Pirates led to years of therapy. She described the experience as “pretty horrific,” highlighting the difficulties of dealing with intense scrutiny and fame at a young, formative age.
In a 2019 interview with The Telegraph, Knightley discussed how her rapid rise to fame led to a mental breakdown at 22, following the release of Pirates of the Caribbean and Love Actually. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), she took a year off to recover and has since been selective with her roles, preferring smaller projects over big-budget films. She even mentioned that she would likely decline a role in a Pirates reboot if offered today.
