Keira Knightely spoke out on July 29, 2008 insisting that she did not want her breasts digitally enhanced in publicity photos for her new film "The Duchess". According to sources, Knightley's breasts were enlarged in the publicity photos for "King Arthur", a movie she made in 2004, giving the A cup actress a C cup. This time, however, Knightley isn't going to allow it. At a time when many young, Hollywood actresses are falling undergarment-less out of limos, Knightley is proving that she is a strong role model for women and girls everywhere.
The Quest for Perfection
Since "Pirates of the Caribbean", Knightley's breakout performance as Elizabeth Swann in 2003, she has topped nearly every "most beautiful" and "most desired" list to date. She has been nominated for an Oscar once and received accolades for her performances in "Bend it Like Beckham" (2002) and more recent movies such as "Atonement" (2007), which was nominated for two Oscars. Surely Knightley has a career that many young actresses envy - and many would agree that she has enviable looks. Blessed with a beautiful face and a slim figure, only Hollywood would find fault with it. It is a quest for perfection that will never be fulfilled.
Enough Is Enough
In an age where technology allows us to digitally enhance everything, it's important that a line be drawn. There is no reason that a 23-year old star should be scrutinized for her lack of cleavage, especially when other young actresses are scrutinized for having too much. It is a no win situation for many women - both in Hollywood and in the real world. The message that Knightley is sending is that she is fine with the body she has and she doesn't need technology messing with it. Knightley told Britain's GMTV in 2007 that "I would love to have t-s! I would love to have Monica Belluci's figure. But I'm never going to get it. I'm naturally who I am. Surgery is far too frightening. I couldn't." As one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, someone had better listen: Knightley likes her body as it is.
No Body Is Perfect
In her book "Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers", former Miss America swimsuit winner Nancy Amanda Redd says "We deserve to celebrate, not hide, our differences and uniqueness by seeing our real selves..." Redd insists that it is our differences in our bodies that make each one special and beautiful and that there are many different variations on "normal".
Our search for the perfect body is a futile search. If only Hollywood would get it.
