Keira Knightley On The Double Standards of Aging
In a recent cover shoot with Harpers Bazaar, Keira Knightley opened up about the pressure and scrutiny women face, especially as they age.
Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean, Love Actually) has made a name for herself as a prominent actress. She is set to star in the upcoming film Boston Strangler. Despite her success, Knightley has still, unfortunately, been subjected to criticism as a woman in the public eye.
In an interview with Harpers Bazaar, Knightley has opened up about how women are perceived, especially as they grow older. In this conversation, the star discussed her breakout role embodying Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean. Knightley detailed feeling “caged in a thing I didn’t understand.” This comes in reference to the character’s status as, what Knightley calls, the “object of everybody’s lust.” Knightley went on to explain how trapped this persona made her feel and her desire to break out of it as a young actor.
As she has aged, Knightley has had the opportunity to grow as an actor and escape the immense pressure she felt as a young star. Knightley has gone on to become a mother and has been open about the harsh demands it raises, given the gender roles of society. In 2018, she contributed an essay to the book Feminists Don’t Wear Pink, which detailed the effects having a child took on her body.
Now, at 38, the star’s focus has shifted to how society views women as they age. Knightley points out that often, there is no right answer to how women should age. Knightley noted that “Change is always tricky. We’re taught that it’s bad.” This narrative is seen throughout media and our daily lives. The star pointed out this double standard, “You’ve got Madonna on the one hand – and we’re told that’s not the right thing. Then you have someone else, where we’re told, ‘They looked better 20 years ago’.” The reference to Madonna comes from recent online criticism about her appearance.
Knightley then asks a rhetorical question that sums up this entire issue, asking “How are we, culturally, meant to age?” This question is not easily answered, with some people online doing everything they can to stop a wrinkle and others noting that aging is a privilege. Knightley acknowledges this facet, sharing, “A lot of the conversations I’ll have with my girlfriends are, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got a line [wrinkle]. Oh God!'” The article details the star raising “her eyebrows in mock horror” at the proclamation.
meanwhile on the skincare reddit there are people trying to train themselves to sleep on their backs so that nothing can ever touch their face and cause wrinkles because they are so terrified of aging pic.twitter.com/eqjtNnASSl
— cait (@punished_cait) March 1, 2023
There is no right way to age or one common opinion on the matter. Women are held to impossible standards, but they can begin to be rectified through open dialogue. Knightley’s transparency is helpful for women and society alike. The entire article is available to read here.
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