Keira Knightley reveals film she's asked about the most
Keira Knightley has starred in many big films during her illustrious career - but she is regularly asked about one fan-favourite movie the most.
Keira Knightley says Bend It Like Beckham is the movie that fans ask her about the most.
The 40-year-old actress - who played Juliette Paxton in the 2002 sports-comedy film - said it is "amazing" to have been a part of the movie, which inspired many women to play football.
She told People: "I think it’s so amazing that a film that was made nearly 25 years ago, it’s still the one that if someone comes up to me, it’s about that film.
"Particularly so many girls do play [soccer] now, and they want to come up and talk about it.
“So it’s amazing to be a part of something that has, kind of, legacy and that positivity around it."
Bend It Like Beckham followed Juliette and Jess (Parminder Nagra), who have a passion for football, and the two women end up on the same team, and they strike up a friendship.
Juliette crushes on a coach, and Jess secretly plays football without her parents' permission.
In July, Gurinder Chadha - the film's writer-and-director - announced a sequel to Bend It Like Beckham, but Knightley remained tight-lipped on whether she will be involved with the project.
The star said: "I saw that on telly. So yes, I mean, how exciting.
“I mean, when I saw it on the telly I thought, ‘Oh, how lovely, I wonder what that will be?'"
In July, Chadha said that now is the perfect time to make a sequel to Bend It Like Beckham.
The 65-year-old filmmaker told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters."
The England women's football team has enjoyed big success in recent years.
Although Chadha recognises that attitudes towards women's football have changed since the first movie, she thinks that more progress is still needed.
Chadha said: "A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football.
"There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high.
"I've left it a while, but I thought: look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses."
And Chadha hopes the sequel will spread a positive message and "challenge" stereotypes.
The director explained: "What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all, and I think that's a really great message to put out again.
"I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge."
