For nearly a decade, Keira Knightley has reigned supreme as the queen of period pieces. The Duchess, Pride and Prejudice, Colette, Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement — the list goes on and on.
And while many young actors have attempted to take her spot over the years (I'm looking at you Saoirse Ronan and Anya Taylor-Joy), no one has quite been able to captivate the audiences in the same way. No one that is, until now.
When Phoebe Dynevor first stepped on screen as the pure-hearted, charmingly witty Daphne Bridgerton, my first thought was how much she reminds me of Keira Knightley.
Keira has always had this way of embodying the essence of a woman from each time period her characters have existed in, and her acting method relies heavily on prolonged eye contact, a slight curl of the lip and a subtle tilt of the head — all cues Phoebe has clearly picked up on.
Here's Pheobe bowing submissively, and then widening her eyes to convey curiosity and the innocence of youth.
All of these looks of endearment and sincerity scream Keira Knightley.
Oop, here's another one.
I feel like the tension in her neck muscles alone could win an Emmy.
And on that same note, so could her deep breaths while wearing a corset — another characteristic Keira frequently adopts when portraying a character in distress.
A young woman staring pensively through the window of a carriage as she debates her future role in society? That's every Keira Knightley movie.
And don't tell me you watched THIS scene in Bridgerton...
Without thinking of this iconic moment.
An impassioned speech about feminism and a woman's role in society is also a Keira Knightley staple.
Maybe this is a stretch, but the way Phoebe emphasizes certain words like "hope" and "moment" and "marriage"... if I closed my eyes I would think Keira was on-screen.
In no way am I suggesting that Phoebe should start getting Keira's future roles, by the way! I am just baffled by their similarities.
