Netflix recently released a new thriller series starring Keira Knightley called Black Dovesand this project quickly proved that the British actress needs to appear in more action films. Knightley's career began at a very young agewhen she took on a small role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. From there, the actress landed her breakthrough role in 2002. Bend like Beckham, and soon after, she won her iconic role as Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Knightley has long impressed Hollywood, but Black Doves shows that she has even more to offer.
Launching in early December 2024, Black Doves is a thriller centered on Helen, wife of the Secretary of State for Defense, who is also part of a spy organization called the Black Doves. When Helen's husband is killed by underground criminals in London, she risks discovery.which leads her employers to send an old friend named Sam to protect her. Despite debuting a few weeks ago, Black Doves has already earned an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and shown a new side of Knightley that audiences were missing.
Black Doves shows how Keira Knightley shines in action films and TV shows
Knightley's power appeared briefly in other films
The main aspect of Knightley's role in Black Doves What's exciting is the fact that audiences have rarely seen her in this type of role. Like Helen, Knightley must be strong, fierce and ready for combat at any time. In the series, she shows her talent as an action star, reaching the point of being scary and intimidating. Viewers never doubted that Knightley could pull off this kind of performance, but actually seeing it is incredibly motivating. In fact, this dark, edgy role seems oddly suited to the actress.
Of course, Knightley's previous roles haven't been all sweet and innocent. Knightley's most popular franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean, I saw her in equally dangerous situations where she had to shoot first and ask questions later. At first sight, Elizabeth seems like a fragile flower, but she quickly proves to her pirate captors that she will not fall. without a fight. In later films, she even takes on the role of a pirate. In this way, Pirates of the Caribbean prepared Knightley to be a convincing spy in Black Doves.
Black Doves is Keira Knightley's first true action role in years
Knightley's experience with action films
Another element of Black Doves What makes it stand out from the best Knightley movies and shows is the fact that Knightley hasn't been part of an action project in many years. Pirates of the Caribbean I saw her in a somewhat action-centric light, and the actress has been a part of films labeled as action, but her playing a combat-heavy character hasn't happened in a long time. In recent years, Knightley mainly took on drama and comedy roles. More than that, his most recent films have gone unnoticed. That's why, Black Doves is easily recognizable as a change for the actress.
In this way, Knightley has never really been the action hero at the center of the story: until now.
On Knightley's resume, only a few action films seem truly relevant. In addition to Pirates of the Caribbean, Knightley has appeared in films such as Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, London Boulevard, and King Arthur. However, even within these films, Knightley typically plays a more subdued character. Although King Arthur Guinevere is surprisingly skilled with a sword, she is far from the scariest soldier on the field. In Jack Ryan, Knightley plays a medical student. In this way, Knightley has never really been the action hero at the center of the story: until now.
What Keira Knightley has done since Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Best Keira Knightley Projects to Watch After Black Doves
Clearly, Black Doves It's a huge moment for Knightley's career. Therefore, many may be wondering what the actress has been up to between now and her last major appearance on Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. After 2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Knightley has appeared in notable films such as Atonement, Anna Karenina, start again, and The imitation game. For the most part, Knightley has focused on historical plays and dramas, but more recently she has delved into the detective genre. For example, she starred in the series 2023, Boston Strangler.
Ultimately, this type of crime project is exactly what the audience should capture after watching Black Doves. For those who want to see Knightley face more conspiracies and bad guys, Boston Strangler It's a perfect accompaniment. Other strong alternatives include the 2019 film, Official Secrets or London Avenue. She even has high-stakes films outside of the crime genre, including Looking for a friend for the end of the world and Everest. However, Black Doves is the perfect opportunity to see Knightley in a completely new light.