Keira Knightley Banned From Pouting Lips In Pride and Prejudice By Director

Keira Knightley revealed she was banned from using her trademark expression -- pouting her lips -- in her 2005 film Pride and Prejudice by director Joe Wright Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Now there's something to pout about! Keira Knightley -- who's been known to glamorously pout her lips on the red carpet and in ad campaigns for Chanel -- has revealed that once upon a time she actually was forbidden to employ her go-to expression on camera. The 28-year-old actress admitted that back in 2005, her Pride and Prejudice director Joe Wright didn't allow her to purse her lips on screen.


"I've got it out of my system. I didn't know I did it so much, and Joe banned it from the film," Knightley said during a pre-taped appearance on the Graham Norton Show, set to air on Friday, Jan. 24.

The Oscar-nominated British actress and Wright went on to work together in Atonement (2007) and Anna Karenina (2012). But it was only until 2011 that Wright finally relented on the ban when the two teamed up for a Chanel perfume campaign.



"Then, when we did the Chanel adverts he said, 'You know that pout we banned? Can we have it back and as much as possible,'" Knightley added.

Despite their many collaborations, Wright initially balked at the prospect of hiring Knightley for the project that kicked off their long working relationship. "Joe Wright didn't want me for Pride and Prejudice because he thought I was too pretty, and then he met me and said, 'Oh no, you're fine!'" Knightley told Norton.

Source: usmagazine