Keira Knightley: Directors defend actress after Begin Again criticism

John Carney said he would never work with supermodels again after directing Knightley

Keira Knightley (AP)

Film-makers have spoken in defence of Keira Knightley after the actress was criticised by the director John Carney.

In an interview with the Independent, Carney suggested Knightley, 31, was afraid to be her true self and said she was not ready for Begin Again, which he directed her in.

“I think that’s what you need as an actor; you need to not be afraid to find out who you really are when the camera’s rolling,” he said. “Keira’s thing is to hide who you are and I don’t think you can be an actor and do that.

“[…] It’s not like I hate the Hollywood thing but I like to work with curious, proper film actors as opposed to movie stars. I don’t want to rubbish Keira, but you know it’s hard being a film actor and it requires a certain level of honesty and self-analysis that I don’t think she’s ready for yet and I certainly don’t think she was ready for that on film.”

He also suggested her entourage made it hard “to get any real work done” and said he had “learned that I’ll never make a film with supermodels again” after the experience.

Knightley has not responded to his comments but Mark Romanek, who worked with Knightley on the film Never Let Me Go, dismissed his claims and said the actress was “utterly spectacular” to direct.

“My recollection of Keira Knightley's ‘entourage’ was that her mum visited the set one day for an hour or two,” he added.

Director Lorene Scafaria agreed with Romanek, praising Knightley as a “joy to work with”.

Lynn Shelton, who directed Knightley in the film Laggies, said working with Knightley was “magnificent, top to bottom”.

Representatives for Knightley did not immediately respond to a request for comment.