Shubhabrata Dutta
For the unversed, Keira Knightley is Elizabeth Bennet from ‘Pride & Prejudice‘ (2005). In the film, Knightley makes her acting prowess crystal clear to the audience, and Elizabeth Bennet is one of her most memorable roles. However, for some of us, she is more familiar as Elizabeth Swann from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies. What’s important to note here is that these two movies indicate her range as an actor, one that only increases with time.
For instance, ‘Domino,’ ‘Atonement,’ ‘The Duchess,’ ‘Last Night,’ ‘A Dangerous Method,’ ‘Begin Again,’ ‘The Imitation Game,’ ‘Official Secrets,’ and ‘Boston Strangler.’ The characters that Knightley endorses in these movies are a testament to her abilities and extend beyond her recognition as a 2-time Academy Award Nominee, 3-time Golden Globe nominee, and 2-time BAFTA nominee, along with other accolades. Quite a handful, isn’t it? But the truth is we can’t have enough of her. So here are her upcoming projects.
1. Sadie and the Grove (TBA)
Keira Knightley serves as the narrator in ‘Sadie and the Grove,’ a 3D animated series directed towards children. Written and directed by Donia Youssef, the series aims to showcase the importance of wellness of the mind and emotional intelligence via an exploration of self-awareness. To tackle such heavy subjects, the narrative is filled with humor and warmth in a way that children will quickly grasp. Grove is a mystical forest with extraordinary creatures wherein Sadie, the protagonist; a magical canine, you can call her a dragon rather than a dog with a clear understanding of emotions; Naisha, an adventurous leader; Willow, a gentle person with deep knowledge of the trees; and Charlie, who has a heart of gold but is a prankster, undertake their exciting endeavors.
Each of the 13 episodes deals with one specific emotional struggle e.g. sadness, anxiety, or anger, and these struggles echo those that many children face for real. This struggle is directed toward one of the protagonists using means of a voyage that becomes their spiritual odyssey. In this way, the show not only aims to help the children but also their parents understand their child much better. It also throws light on the importance of sharing and togetherness, especially to overcome personal internal struggles.
Vibrant, heartfelt, and enlightening, ‘Sadie and the Grove’ highlights the meaning of growing up, both physically and mentally, by stressing friendship, solidarity, and understanding of emotions; thereby pointing at the true potential within each child. As of March 2023, the series is in its pre-production stage, with the only disclosed cast members being Knightley as the narrator of the series, along with Rachel Warren and David Easter, who will play a troll (one of the magical creatures in Grove). Further updates about the production, release date, and whether it will be a TV release or an OTT release, are awaited.
2. The Other Typist (TBA)
Based on Suzanne Rindell’s novel of the same name that was published in 2013, ‘The Other Typist’ is a suspense thriller TV series set in Manhattan, New York, in 1924 (the Prohibition is at its peak) and tells the story of Rose Baker who works as a typist at a police station. Her job is to transcribe the confessions of the criminals, something she is very good at and takes pride in. But when Odalie, “the other typist,” arrives and starts working, Baker finds herself drawn to her, and so do the Lieutenant Detective and the Sergeant.
However, Baker and Odalie’s friendship blossoms despite Odalie’s shady persona, and it’s only a matter of time before Baker’s attraction turns into obsession. When the crime is finally committed, it becomes difficult to figure out who among the two women is the main culprit. As per Deadline, Knightley is the one who approached Searchlight Television, one of the production houses (the other one being 20th Century Fox Television), with the novel. She plays the role of Odalie, the only disclosed cast member for now.
The novel is adapted for television by Ilene Chaiken, who also serves as the showrunner. The Hulu project is still in its script stage, so we have yet to determine who the director is. As for the release date, there is still more time. However, considering everything goes well, the series promises a gripping tale and we can be sure that Knightley will be enigmatic as Odalie and a treat to watch.
Read More: Best Keira Knightley Movies
