Keira Knightley gives up blockbusters

Keira Knightley has said that she's given up making blockbusters because of the 'dangerous and abusive' paparazzi.

The actress revealed that she became fearful of the attention she received around making major Hollywood films, and has made a decision to star in smaller projects.

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“It comes to a point where you think, 'What kind of film can I make that will allow me to live a proper life?' And those tent-pole movies make it difficult,” she told Empire.

“I became aware of how much I was complaining about it and you can't complain about the attention you're getting while still doing the films that invite the most attention. I do actually love blockbusters but that decision has a lot that comes with it that I'm not prepared to go with.”

She added that the action of the paparazzi became unbearable.

“Paparazzi started getting very verbally abusive towards any guy I was with, to try to get a reaction. The money for those pictures went so crazy that it became dangerous, being followed down the street or in a car, and not being able to go anywhere without my dad, brother or boyfriend.

“I thought, 'I'm a grown woman and I can't go out alone'. It felt ridiculous. So I was out.”

Knightley made her Hollywood splash in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies.

Her next role is in 'Atonement' director Joe Wright's adaptation of Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina', due out in September.