Keira Knightley Endured Relentless Paparazzi Harassment as a Young Actress

In a recent interview, acclaimed actress Keira Knightley has revealed the harrowing paparazzi harassment she faced during the peak of her fame as a teenager. Knightley, who rose to stardom with roles in films like Bend It Like Beckham, recounted how photographers would post up outside her home for days on end, shouting profanities like "whore" and "slut" in an attempt to provoke a reaction.

The paparazzi's tactics went beyond just verbal abuse, as Knightley said they would also force people off the road in order to capture photos of "a crashed actress." This relentless pursuit of sensational imagery led some celebrities, like Britney Spears, to have very public mental health crises.

To outmaneuver the paparazzi, Knightley resorted to "passive resistance" tactics, wearing identical outfits daily and even standing completely still for up to five hours at a time. She said her father joked that she should work for the CIA, given her ability to detect when she was being followed. Ultimately, Knightley took a break from Hollywood to travel, finding a brief respite from the constant harassment. She has since returned to acting, though the scars of that traumatic experience remain.