Keira Knightley has recently opened up about her daughter’s dyslexia diagnosis. Speaking on the August 5 episode of Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast, the Atonement star, who shares two daughters with husband James Righton, revealed, “We have a dyslexic kid.”
“Her memory is absolutely amazing,” Keira remarked, with James adding, “She will memorize the book basically — it’s amazing.”
Keira recalled her own diagnosis at age 6, saying that her “experience with dyslexia” played a pivotal role in her journey to becoming a Hollywood star. Reflecting on her childhood, she shared, “The school said, ‘Look, she can’t read at all and we need a carrot to dangle in front of her. Do you know if there’s something that she wants?’ And they said, ‘Well, she wants an agent.’”
This motivation worked for Keira, who mentioned that getting an agent was the key to improving her grades. “It was always, ‘If your grades go up, you’re allowed to keep on acting, but if they go down, then it stops,’” noted the 39-year-old. “It did go up, though. It was a carrot!”
Despite her success, Keira confessed that she still finds sight reading challenging. “It really bounces. Basically, I record it and listen to it — and that’s how I learn it,” she explained.
Keira previously shared with PEOPLE in 2022 that her daughter showed no interest in watching her mother’s movies. “I did a version of The Nutcracker a couple of years ago, and she actually came on set with me to that one when she was 3, so I thought, ‘Oh, this year maybe she wants to watch that?’” she remarked.
However, the actress noted, “She is completely uninterested in seeing me in any way at all on television, which is completely fair enough. I think that’s very healthy.”
Keira’s openness about her daughter’s dyslexia and her own experiences highlights the importance of understanding and supporting children with learning differences. Her story is an inspiring reminder of how challenges can be turned into strengths with the right motivation and support.