Hollywood actress Keira Knightley has revealed the heartwarming and funny story that inspired her to write her debut children’s book, I Love You Just the Same.
Appearing on The Graham Norton Show, the 40-year-old actress shared that her eldest daughter, Edie, once made a very peculiar bedtime request. When Edie was younger and struggled to sleep, Knightley would draw her a new picture every morning to cheer her up. One day, however, Edie asked her famous mother to draw “a bird taking away her baby sister, Delilah.”
Laughing as she recounted the story, Knightley said, “I thought I’d better write a book so I could get the baby back!” The Pride & Prejudice star shares her two daughters, Edie and Delilah, with her husband, musician James Righton.
During the interview, Knightley also opened up about how dyslexia has shaped her acting process. “I draw a lot. I’m dyslexic, so I learn my lines by listening to them, and while I’m listening, I draw. The more detailed the drawing, the better the lines stick,” she explained.
Knightley further reflected on how her 2002 breakout film Bend It Like Beckham still resonates today. “It’s mainly little girls who talk to me about it because women’s football has become such a huge thing now,” she said.
Although her daughters haven’t seen the movie yet, Knightley added that they prefer watching real football matches — but she still finds it “amazing” that a film she made over two decades ago continues to inspire girls worldwide.