Keira Knightley sues over 'anorexia' story
KEIRA Knightley launched a libel action yesterday over a newspaper story she claims suggested she has “dishonestly sought to mislead the public” about whether she has an eating disorder.
Lawyers for the 21-year-old actress announced that the proceedings concern an article published in the Daily Mail on 11 January. Simon Smith, of the law firm Schillings, said the article “carried a photograph of Ms Knightley, taken without her consent, whilst wearing a bikini and relaxing on a beach on holiday”.
He said: “The article made reference to what it perceived to be Ms Knightley’s very slim appearance. The article then reported the recent, tragic death of a teenage girl who suffered from anorexia and contained an interview with the girl’s mother.
“We wish to make clear that Ms Knightley has the deepest sympathy for the girl’s family.”
Mr Smith said: “However, Ms Knightley has publicly denied suggestions that she might be anorexic or have a similar eating disorder, including, in a prominent way, at a well- publicised press conference to mark the European premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean 2, in London last summer.
“Accordingly, in the proceedings, Ms Knightley will argue that the Mail’s article suggests that she has dishonestly sought to mislead the public about whether she has anorexia or a similar eating disorder and will show that she does not have anorexia; and further will challenge the suggestion that she is responsible and to blame for the tragic death of the teenage girl by setting a bad example.”
The case against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, is expected to go to jury trial at London’s High Court either late this year or early next year if it does not settle earlier.