Most of us understand that being famous comes with a price. Sometimes, though, we don’t truly realize the extent of that price until it is laid bare before us. This was the case when Kiera Knightley recently spoke about the toll her fame took on her mental health.
Knightley shot to fame at the age of 17 when she played Elizabeth Swann in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Going from a relatively unknown individual to a superstar overnight was a lot to handle for Knightley, who is now 38.
In a 2016 interview with Variety, Knightley opened up about the overwhelming challenges she faced as a teenager catapulted into the spotlight. She confessed, “I found it quite distressing. Being an introvert, I struggled with the intense scrutiny and the magnitude of celebrity.”
What made it even more difficult was that Knightley was still in a phase of personal growth and experimentation. She explained, “It was a delicate age where you are still evolving, yet to fully mature, and you inevitably make mistakes. This phase is especially precarious for women.”
These early years had a profound impact on Knightley, leading her to take a different direction in life. Now, as a parent, she hopes her daughter will choose a different path, perhaps as an environmental lawyer or in some other remarkable field. However, she acknowledges that as a parent, she will support and nurture her daughter’s interests, whatever they may be.
Knightley further revealed that she never felt adequate and had a lot of ambition, constantly pushing herself to the limit. Living in such a manner was emotionally draining for her. Looking back at her younger self, particularly when she was 22, she holds great admiration for her past qualities and yearns to regain some of them. However, she acknowledges that it came at a price.
Despite the difficulties she faced during that time, Knightley is grateful for the experience. She now finds joy in her career and embraces the level of fame she experiences, which is far less overwhelming. She has developed the tools and resilience to handle it.
However, it took years of therapy for Knightley to navigate through the challenges of fame and find resolution. She emphasized the importance of seeking professional help and spoke about the transformative power of therapy in her life.
Kiera Knightley’s journey serves as a reminder that even those living seemingly glamorous lives can struggle with their mental health. It is a testament to the strength and resilience required to overcome such challenges and find a sense of peace and fulfillment.
