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Keira Knightley reveals she had mental breakdown and was diagnosed with PTSD

The British actress says she felt "worthless" as she spoke candidly about her early career in a new podcast interview.

Friday 5 October 2018 13:52, UK

Keira Knightley at the premiere of Colette at Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California
Image: The Pirates Of The Caribbean star has spoken about her mental health
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Keira Knightley has revealed she had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as she struggled with the pressures of fame at a young age.

The actress, who soared to A-list status with roles in the Pirates Of The Caribbean series and Pride & Prejudice following her big break in Bend It Like Beckham at the age of 22, said she went through therapy to cope with her growing celebrity.

Knightley, now 33, spoke out about the price of fame in an episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, talking candidly about critics and film fans concentrating on her looks rather than her acting, as well as the difficulties of being followed by paparazzi when she was younger.

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Keira Knightley attends the film premiere of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' at Disneyland on June 28, 2003 in Anaheim, California
Image: Knightley says she used to struggle on the red carpet
Keira Knightley at the British Premiere of Pride and Prejudice, in London's Leicester Square in 2005
Image: The actress said she had therapy to cope with her growing celebrity

She said: "I did have a mental breakdown at 22, so I did take a year off there and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder because of all of that stuff.

"I went deep into therapy and all of that."

Looking back now, Knightley added: "I just sort of want to give myself a hug and be like, 'Oh, you're doing all right, you'll be all right'. You know?"

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But she said, at the time, she "literally felt like I was worthless".

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Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom at the premiere of Pirates Of The Carribean at the Odeon Leicester Square. London in 2003
Image: Knightley starred in the Pirates Of The Caribbean films with Orlando Bloom
Keira Knightley at the Leicester Square Odeon London premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Dead Man's Chest
Image: The British star said she felt 'worthless' as her fame grew

Knightley describes her early run of films - with Love Actually coming after Bend It Like Beckham and the first Pirates film - as "completely insane".

"It's amazing looking back at it from the outside - you're like, 'Whoa, that was hit after hit after hit!'" Knighley said.

"But, from the inside, all you're hearing is the criticism, really."

Speaking about the paparazzi interest, Knightley said it was "big money to get pictures of women falling apart".

"If you weren't breaking down in front of them, then it was worth their while to make you break down in front of them… So suddenly there was a level of violence, it felt, in the air, that is not a thing that anybody would react to well."

The films continued with acclaimed period dramas Atonement, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA, and The Duchess.

James Righton and Keira Knightley attend the Opening Season Paris Opera Ballet Gala as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 in 2018
Image: Knightley is now married to musician James Righton

She said she had not left the house in the three months prior to the BAFTA nomination, and that she "did hypnotherapy so that I could stand on the red carpet at the BAFTAs and not have a panic attack".

Now married to musician James Righton, and a mother, Knightley said she is proud of what she has achieved professionally and "in a good place" ahead of her upcoming film, Colette.

"I did it very publicly, but I have learned my trade, and technically, whatever you need me to do, I can deliver it," she said.

"I want to get better and I'm not saying that there's not a way to go - I want to keep learning and keep pushing myself - but I'm in a good place where I feel pretty confident about what I can do."

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