Keira Knightley Avoids Modern-Day Films Because Female Characters "Nearly Always Get Raped"
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If it seems like Keira Knightley has a tendency to appear in dramatic movies that take place in historical settings, that's because she does. And she knows it.
The actress spoke with Variety about why she chooses to act in period pieces instead of modern-day films and her answer did not beat around the bush.
"With the rise of Netflix and Amazon we’re seeing some strong female characters and female stories on streaming services. I don’t know about films as much. I don’t really do films set in the modern day because the female characters nearly always get raped," she admitted.
"I always find something distasteful in the way women are portrayed, whereas I’ve always found very inspiring characters offered to me in historical pieces."
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Knightley is known for her work on historical films, from her role as the Duchess of Devonshire in The Duchess to playing Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. While Knightley's on-screen comfort zone seems to include Victorian theatrics and corsets, thankfully she's starting to see more range in the modern-day pitches that come her way.
"There’s been some improvement," she said. "I’m suddenly being sent scripts with present-day women who aren’t raped in the first five pages and aren’t simply there to be the loving girlfriend or wife."
