AceShowbiz - Keira Knightley, the acclaimed actor best known for her roles in "Pride & Prejudice" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," has opened up about the severe body-shaming she endured early in her career. In a candid interview with The Times, the 39-year-old star discussed the persistent speculation surrounding her weight and the false accusations of anorexia that haunted her.

"I knew I wasn't [anorexic], I knew I was eating," Knightley said, reflecting on the traumatic experiences she faced. The media frenzy surrounding her appearance led to public shaming and left lasting scars.

"In that classic trauma way, I don't remember it," she explained. "There's been a complete delete, and then some things will come up and I'll suddenly have a very bodily memory of it because, ultimately, it's public shaming, isn't it?"

Knightley emphasized that these troubling experiences occurred at a time when mental health was not as openly discussed as it is now. To illustrate the harsh scrutiny celebrities faced, she recalled the public mockery of Mary-Kate Olsen's struggle with anorexia when Olsen entered rehab in 2004.

"I remember sitting there just being like, 'Wow, this is wild.' That made me really emotional. That's not even about me, it's about her. I still can't bear it."

The pressure from the media took a profound toll on Knightley's mental health. By the age of 22, she experienced a mental breakdown, leading her to take a year off from acting and resulting in a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I felt pretty much like actually I didn't exist and I was this weird creature with this weird face that people seemed to respond to in quite an extreme way, and I couldn't quite figure any of it out," she told The Times.

Despite these challenges, Knightley managed to navigate this turbulent period with the support of her family and "really nice boyfriends." She highlighted the importance of having a loving support system to help one cope with intense public scrutiny and personal struggles.

In recent years, celebrities like Ariana Grande have also called for a shift in how society discusses and perceives body image. Knightley's experience serves as a potent reminder of the need for compassion and empathy when it comes to commenting on others' appearances.

"I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people's bodies," Grande urged in a TikTok video addressing concerns about her physique. Knightley's journey underscores the notion that resilience, therapy, and a solid support network are key to overcoming such adversities.