In a surprising revelation, Keira Knightley has admitted she nearly lost her iconic role in the beloved British football film Bend It Like Beckham due to her lack of football skills. The Oscar-nominated actress, who played footballer Jules Paxton in the 2002 hit, made the confession as new Chelsea FC manager Emma Hayes shared her thoughts on the film's legacy.
"I couldn't kick a ball to save my life," Knightley revealed about her audition process. "They made me run around the pitch, and I was absolutely hopeless. I thought for sure that was the end of it."
The film, which launched Knightley's career alongside Parminder Nagra's lead performance, remains a cultural touchstone for football fans and movie lovers alike. New Chelsea manager Emma Hayes recently praised the film for its impact on women's football, calling it "groundbreaking in how it portrayed young female athletes."
Directed by Gurinder Chadha, Bend It Like Beckham became an unexpected global success, earning £18 million at the UK box office alone. The story of Jess Bhamra (Nagra) pursuing her football dreams against her traditional family's wishes resonated worldwide, with Knightley's performance as her teammate propelling her to stardom.
Hayes, set to take over as US women's national team coach after the WSL season, noted how far women's football has come since the film's release: "We've seen incredible growth in the women's game, and films like this helped pave the way by showing girls they belonged on the pitch."
Knightley's confession adds new perspective to the film's 20th anniversary celebrations in 2022, proving even Hollywood stars have imposter syndrome about their football skills.
