Keira Knightley admits 'I'm a nepo baby' as she credits famous parents for connections

Keira Knightly has found fame over the years for her roles in films such as Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean, but now she's thanking her parents for the opportunities

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Keira Knightley has admitted that she is a nepo baby as she has credited her famous parents for her success.

The actress has managed to bag huge roles in iconic films like Love Actually, Pride & Prejudice and Bend It Like Beckham but has said her parents helped.

Despite many celebrities hating the term "nepo baby", Keira, 40, has taken it in her stride and says the label doesn't annoy her. The 40-year-old has said that she wouldn't be where she was if it wasn't for the help of her family.

The star has credited her mum and dad for the connections they had as it meant she was able to get into the world of Hollywood. Keira comes from a creative family as she is the daughter of playwright and screenwriter Sharman MacDonald and stage actor Will Knightley.

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Keira spoke on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast this week about her successful career. She said: "I don't know about annoyed, I think I am a nepo baby. I mean my first proper agent was because she was my mum's best mate, and she's still my agent today.

"So, I mean, I think it is true that there are connections that are made, and it's true that within creative families, you know, a lot of the actors I know, it is generational. And I think partly that is because it is a lifestyle, it's a way of life that is quite other from a 9-to-5 job."

Sharman has written several plays including The Beast, Night Night and Soft Fall The Sounds Of Eden during her career. She also wrote the screenplay for The Edge Of Love, which daughter Keira starred in.

Meanwhile, dad Will, 79 founded London's Half Moon Theatre. Will has also dipped his toes into being on-screen, making brief appearances in The Bill, A Touch Of Frost and Midsomer Murders.

Despite her huge success, Keira has said there has been times in her career that she has struggled. She recently revealed how she fled Hollywood and travelled Europe after a hidden struggle.

Keira rose to fame when she was just a teenager but said it was a period that sent her "mad" as her family home was staked out by paparazzi desperate to get photos of her.

The huge public demand for photos of her meant that Keira’s every move was stalked by photographers, making her life a complete mystery. "I went mad. I just managed to hide it," she told The Times.

She recalled the moment she decided to quit Hollywood: "One day, I was like, 'I’m out.' And my family backed me. They said, 'Just f***ing walk'."

Keira called her agent and told them not to accept any more scripts before taking an extended trip around Europe. She stayed for some time before eventually coming back to the UK and starting up her acting career again.

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