Keira Knightley has recalled fearing she would be dismissed from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, despite being cast as Elizabeth Swann. Her uncertainty was so strong that she packed for only one week of what became a six-month shoot, illustrating how unexpected she felt the opportunity was at the time.

Filming began in 2002, when Knightley was still an emerging actor, and the film was released in 2003. She said she believed the production had made a “huge mistake” in hiring her, but she remained on the project; the blockbuster became a major commercial success and helped establish her international career.