The director was dissatisfied with Keira Knightley in this musical drama, while the audience was completely delighted

Who would have thought that an actress could sing so well?

Keira Knightley is a versatile actress. She has been nominated for an Oscar twice, three times for a Golden Globe, and has also been a contender for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. She excels in both dramatic roles ("Atonement," "A Dangerous Method") and comedies ("Love Actually", "Bend It Like Beckham").
A dark-haired young woman in a gray dress with rhinestones
Actress Keira Knightley
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So, there's no reason to complain about her acting skills. Talent is talent. Take, for example, the film "Begin Again" (2013). She played a singer who decided to record an album. For this role, had to learn the guitar and work on her vocal skills.

And although audiences appreciated Knightley's efforts, the film's director, John Carney, was not impressed with her performance.
The girl is playing the guitar outside
Scene from the film "Begin Again"
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Director's Criticism

Carney was quite emotional in his interview with the Independent. Speaking about working with Knightley, he said:
The main problem, in my opinion, is that Keira wasn't a singer, didn't play the guitar, and making a film about the intricacies of the music business with non-professional artists is very difficult. Despite all my efforts, she couldn't convincingly portray a songwriter who plays the guitar.
Continuing his criticism of the actress, John added that he "will never make a film with supermodels again." This is despite the fact that Keira was never a supermodel. She started appearing in films from a very young age. As known from her biography, Knightley's film debut occurred at the age of six when she appeared in the movie "A Royal Celebration" (1993).
A family with three children stands against the backdrop of a brick building with flags of the United Kingdom
Young Keira Knightley in the film "A Royal Celebration"
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Reactions from Other Directors

After reading Carney's interview, many directors defended the actress. For instance, Mark Romanek, who directed Keira in "Never Let Me Go" (2010), stated on "X":
My experience working with Keira Knightley was absolutely wonderful in every way. I have no idea what this guy [John Carney] is talking about.
Lorene Scafaria ("Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" - 2012) added that Knightley "does her job really well." Keira's representatives did not respond to John's hurtful words. However, Carney later apologized to the actress. He admitted that he had "made some spiteful remarks":
I'm ashamed that I said such a thing. Trying to find flaws in my work, I blamed someone else. This is not only bad behavior for a director, but it is also just despicable behavior, which I'm not proud of. Keira always remained professional and fully committed to her work during the film's shooting. Its success is largely due to her.

What Viewers Think About the Movie

The film "Begin Again" was a big hit with audiences. This is evident not only from its 7.4 out of 10 rating on IMDb but also from the fact that Keira Knightley received a Critics Choice Awards nomination for performing one of the songs ("Lost Stars"). Viewers also agree that the movie turned out to be wonderful.
Keira Knightley | "Lost Stars" (Begin Again Soundtrack)
Many were amazed at how well Knightley sang as her character: "Who would have thought that Keira sings so well? She doesn't have the strongest voice, but her singing is musical and suits this type of composition," wrote phd_travel.

Keira's acting also receives praise. A reviewer with the username latinfineart commented:
Honestly, I didn't think Knightley would manage it either. Was I surprised? She was magnificent.
What do you think about the musical abilities of actors? Should they professionally master instruments and vocals for roles in such films, or are basic skills and good acting enough? Maybe you can recall other examples of actors who surprised you with their musical talents or, conversely, disappointed you?

Earlier, we at zoomboola.com shared a list of sixteen movies about musicians who changed the world.