How could we forget that Keira Knightley and Jamie Dornan were together? They were an iconic couple
in the early 2000s, and yet their relationship ended before it even got the chance to flourish.
It seemed as though her fame and popularity were overpowering,
and Dornan became riddled with self-doubt as he slowly faded into the background.
Stay tuned, Juicers, because in this video, we're taking a deep dive into Keira Knightley
and Jamie Dornan's relationship and why he blames her success for their breakup.
Unlike most Hollywood couples that meet on a film set,
this ridiculously good-looking pair met at a photoshoot for an Asprey campaign in 2003.
While Keira already had her foot through the acting door, Jamie was more well known
in the modelling world. They seemed to have an instant spark and started dating soon after that.
However, the new couple did their best to keep their relationship out of the tabloids,
and they never actually confirmed that they were dating the public.
Despite their attempts to keep things private, it was pretty clear that they were a couple.
They made their first public appearance together in 2004 when they attended the
opening of the play As You Like It, which starred Sienna Miller.
As a side note - Dornan later dated Sienna, and it was reported that Keira
tried to advise her against it. A little behind-the-scenes drama? Yes, we think so.
Knightley and Dornan were constantly photographed together, walking the streets, sitting at
parks - and it definitely didn't look like they were "just friends." And yet, when the actress
was asked about whether or not they were together, the only thing she could say was, "Well, it looks
that way, doesn't it?" And to that, all we can say is, yes, it does look exactly like that.
They were seen everywhere together, usually always ruggedly yet stylishly dressed,
taking walks or popping to the shops.
And then suddenly, in 2005, it was revealed that the couple had called it quits. The news
left everyone scratching their heads because they couldn't understand why they would have broken up.
When Dornan's rep explained that the couple was no longer together but that
"they remain completely committed to each other as friends," it only left fans feeling more confused.
It seemed as though things weren't as clear-cut as the former couple's reps were making it out to be.
A reporter shared that she saw Jamie looking rough at the time and that he
"didn't smile for months." On the other hand, another report claimed that Keira
had "shed a river of tears" over the split and was being comforted by friends.
An insider shared, "Keira's gutted. She really thought what she and Jamie had was love but it
just wasn't meant to be. They both wanted it to work but in the end it was just untenable.
They were having crisis talks on an almost
daily basis but the decision was reached to finally call it a day."
So with both actors completely shattered by the breakup,
everyone couldn't help but wonder - what the hell happened?
Well, it seems like Keira's fame was partly to blame. The actress was very
quickly climbing up the Hollywood ladder, gaining more and more attention, and as she
began to take on more acting roles, she didn't have the energy to focus on her relationship.
At the same time, Jamie was fading into the background. Even though he was getting some
publicity from his relationship with Keira, he didn't want to be known as just "the boyfriend."
In fact, he had decided to enter the world of acting for himself, and it was alleged
that because he started taking acting roles, they had even less time to spend together.
At first, Keira was totally supportive of Jamie becoming an actor.
She had even arranged an interview for him with her own agent to help him get things started.
But then the reality of their chosen careers started to set
in - they were becoming so busy that they barely had time to see each other.
Knightley opened up about her relationship, sharing, "I think it's important to make time
for the people in your life who you love and who love you back."
While it's rumored that Knightley helped Dornan breakthrough with his acting career,
or at least lent him the spotlight by association, the Irish star doesn't
see it that way. He said in an interview, "Certainly from a professional standpoint,
I don't think it has affected anything to do with anything." That being said, people can't ignore
that his relationship with the actress did give him a boost in his publicity at the beginning.
However, busy schedules weren't the only thing that caused the couple to break up.
Years after their break up, Jamie confessed that he was upset he wasn't "bringing home
the bread" while they were together. The actor also explained that there was a huge amount of
pressure dating someone who is so famous, and her popularity and success had started
making him feel like he was "second-rate." It started to affect everything in their
relationship, and he felt like her fame was ultimately the cause of their split.
"Keira could see what I was going through and it
would have been better if I'd kept it hidden from her." He admitted.
While he was struggling to make a name for himself as an actor,
Keira's popularity, the constant harassment of the paparazzi,
along with the constant tabloids were all eye-opening experiences for him. He began to feel
the pressure of wanting to succeed, too but felt like he was never going to achieve what he wanted.
"I don't think I'm ever going to be as famous as her." He thought at the time.
Years later, despite both being happily married, it seems that there's still a
little tension between them. The exes attended the BAFTA Tea Party in 2015,
and everyone noticed that they tried really hard not to run into each other. The pair were spotted
chatting to the same people at the party but avoided being pictured together at all costs.
Perhaps it was because Keira knew all the things Jamie had said about their relationship,
or maybe they wanted to avoid the tabloids bringing up their past.
Whatever the case may be, it looked pretty awkward.
Nevertheless, they both moved on with their love lives and found happiness. Dornan got married in
2013 to musician Amelia Warner, and they welcomed three beautiful daughters over the next few years.
Jamie and Amelia have been extremely protective when it comes to their personal life, but they
have offered fans a few snippets into their family life and what things are like for them.
The one thing the actor doesn't shy away from is gushing over his wife.
"I was smitten from the start, I really was. I'm
more in love with her today than I was at the start." He swooned.
And they also faced a few bumps in the road after Jamie was cast as Christian Grey in the
Fifty Shades Of Grey films. Numerous tabloids speculated that the couple's marriage was on
the rocks due to Jamie's steamy on-set romance with co-star Dakota Johnson.
However, Dornan was very quick to shut down those rumors.
"People start to say disgusting things about your family, about your children.
But when your bond is truly solid, no amount of negativity or speculation
from the outside world can derail your relationship."
If one thing is for sure, Jamie is a family man. He may be incredibly secretive when it
comes to his family life, but if you ask him about fatherhood, he can't help but light up.
He's incredibly devoted to his wife and kids.
"Being a dad is the best. I feel a healthy and lovely duty to provide for my kids,
and I really like it. It suits me," he said.
The actor also wasn't shy about sharing that things aren't always perfect with his wife,
and they argue about things just like every other couple does.
"We get frustrated at times, usually when traveling with the kids,
but we'd never let anything boil and become a thing.
Certainly there's never a day that I don't tell her I love her."
On the other hand, Knightley also got married in 2013, and it was also to a musician. She wed
musician James Righton, and they welcomed two daughters over the next few years.
However, Keira never thought she'd get married. At first, she didn't think there was a point and
thought people only got married to get a mortgage. But all that changed when she met James in 2011.
She shared that they had met through a friend at a dinner party and confessed that they
were both "very drunk." But even after all the booze wore off, the chemistry was still there,
and Keira knew she was smitten. They had a small, intimate wedding with a ceremony that lasted only
half an hour. What's more, proving that their wedding wasn't about material things at all,
Knightley said that her ring is a "beaten-up gold band" made by a friend.
The actress has also been honest about becoming a mother and that
things aren't always as blissful as they seem.
While she shared that "the love thing is astonishing" and called it a "very primal,
primal love," she wasn't shy about sharing the nitty-gritty details about giving birth.
"My vagina split. I remember the shit, the vomit, the blood, the stitches."
One thing is also for sure, and it's that James isn't bothered by his wife's fame whatsoever.
He's always been by Keira's side, supporting her through her career. Keira has also made an
effort to do things differently now that she has a family of her own. Neither her nor James ever lets
their careers outrank their family, and they've never fallen victim to unhealthy competition.
In fact, when it came to working during the Pandemic in 2021,
the actress turned down a lead role in "The Essex Serpent."
Keira didn't want to be away from James and their kids for a long period of time, and
with lockdown regulations fluctuating, she didn't want to risk having to quarantine away from them.
It also doesn't hurt that Knightley and Righton
are both "basically geeks" and that Knightley considers her hubby to be
"the brightest light in any room" and, as she once joked, "much nicer than me."
We know that Knightley and Dornan would have been an epic couple if things had worked out;
sometimes, these things just aren't meant to be. This time, things all worked out for the best,
and they're both happy in their lives with their own families.
Jamie finally found the success in his career that he was working so hard to find,
and perhaps he wanted to make sure he was happy in his career before settling down with a family.