Keira Knightley's Most Frustrating Role: 'You Want to Choke Her'

When most people think about Keira Knightley in period dramas, they picture her as the headstrong Elizabeth Bennet in 2005's Pride & Prejudice. That film, featuring Matthew Macfadyen as the brooding Mr. Darcy and Donald Sutherland's questionable English accent, became a favorite among younger millennials. But many forget that director Joe Wright and Knightley reunited seven years later for another literary adaptation that proved far more challenging.

A Complex Character Study

In 2012, the duo tackled Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, with a screenplay by the late Tom Stoppard. The film follows Knightley's titular character as she begins a risky affair with a military officer played by Jude Law, set against the sweeping backdrop of Imperial Russia. Taking on this role meant following in the footsteps of legendary actresses like Claire Bloom, Greta Garbo, and Vivien Leigh – one of Knightley's personal heroes.

However, embodying Anna proved more difficult than expected. "She's a wonderful character, but very strange and complex," Knightley explained. "There were times when I thought, I really hate this person. She is needy and manipulative and then there are sides of her that are vulnerable and innocent, and I sometimes think it's the innocence that pulls her down… You completely see where she's coming from, but you want to choke her at the same time because at no point can she see what is right in front of her."

A Woman Against Society

Literary scholars might share Knightley's frustration with Anna's choices. Like Elizabeth Bennet, Anna refuses to accept the limitations placed on women of her era. Already married when she meets her lover, she believes her existing marriage shouldn't prevent her from pursuing true love. Even after society turns against her, she boldly attempts to rejoin high society, despite being branded a fallen woman.

While modern audiences might view Anna's defiance as courageous, it ultimately destroys her within the rigid structure of Russian society. Anna represents more than just an individual – she symbolizes Russia itself during a period of massive social upheaval. Her complex nature mirrors a nation caught between tradition and modernization, while her tragic end reflects conservative anxieties about societal change.

Critical Reception and Performance

Despite the star power involved, the 2012 adaptation failed to connect with audiences. Critics generally dismissed Wright's heavily stylized approach, arguing it overshadowed the story itself. However, reviewers consistently praised Knightley's nuanced performance, suggesting her intensive character work paid off even if the film as a whole didn't succeed.