Keira Knightley's Dating History before She Married James Righton

Keira Knightley's dating life is a short but interesting one. Before the actress settled down with her musician husband and started a family, she was romantically linked to other creatives of her caliber, with one of them admitting that they'd never be as famous as her.

Keira Knightley hasn't been shy about her love life, as her relationships have been public since she stepped into the Hollywood spotlight. Still, she kept their ongoings relatively private. Among her former beaus is "Blitz" actor Del Synnott, "The Fall" actor Jamie Cordon, and Rupert Friend.

Knightley was once accused of infidelity with one of her co-stars while she dated Cordon, sparking a furious response from her rumored beau, who was also in a relationship at the time. She never responded to the speculation, but the air was eventually cleared.

She finally met her life partner, James Righton, in 2011, and the couple will soon celebrate their tenth anniversary. While Knightley's relationship with Righton was also public, she still protected its privacy, and more so now that the couple has children.

Del Synnott

Synnott drew his first breath in Dublin on October 17, 1977. The Irish actor is chiefly known for his roles in 2011's "Blitz," 2010's "The Silence," and 2006's "Stormbreaker." Apart from his former relationship with Knightley, little is known about his personal life.

Synnott was the first actor to be romantically involved with Knightley. The former lovers met on the set of 2001's "Princess of Thieves," a film featured in "The Wonderful World of Disney" series. They dated between 2001 and 2003.

Jamie Dornan

Dornan is chiefly known for his acting career, but he dabbles in other forms of creative expression, including modeling and music. He and Knightley met on the set of an Asprey campaign photoshoot in August 2003. They started dating soon after.

Knightley and Dornan's romance attracted the prying eyes of Hollywood, and it would eventually begin affecting their relationship. Although Knightley never officially confirmed their romance, they made several public appearances where the paparazzi followed them persistently.

In 2004, they were spotted after a grocery store run with Dornan wearing a gray sweater and early 2000s men's baggy jeans secured with a green belt. He matched it with green Jordans and slung his sunglasses over the hem of his sweater.

Knightley walked beside him in a denim mini-skirt, black matte stockings, and brown boots. She also donned a black graphic t-shirt and a matching jacket while carrying a green leather handbag. The couple went strong for two years before separating in August 2005.

Dornan's representative confirmed the relationship's end, saying he and Knightley would remain "committed to each other," but as friends, and would continue spending time together. Although the relationship was said to have ended on good terms, it wasn't without heartbreak.

Dornan expressed his frustrations through a song he wrote for Sons of Jim, where the lyrics implied that Knightley's "fancy friends" tried to steal her innocence, saying she was "so weak" around them. The song may have touched on the pressure Dornan felt when he dated the "Pride and Prejudice" co-star.

Years after the relationship ended, he opened up about how he began to feel "second-rate." When their relationship began, Dornan and Knightley were new to the Hollywood spotlight, but Dornan felt that Knightley had accrued more success. This dynamic deviated from generally accepted societal gender norms, as Dornan explained:

"The man is meant to be the Alpha in the relationship on the money and power front and clearly I was not. You feel you have to be dominant in other areas and that leads to problems."

The "Fifty Shades of Grey" alum's statement garnered some backlash, which he addressed the following year. He felt it was taken out of context, saying he "didn't mean that." Regarding how his relationship with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" alum affected – or boosted – his career, Dornan denied any significant effect.

Still, he experienced the ails of being in her spotlight by association. He called it a "strange environment," describing the experience of being constantly followed by the paparazzi as "hideous." Dornan criticized the photographers who took up the profession.

He called it a "perverted" choice and said it wasn't a way to make a living. The actor noted that the media and tabloid scrutiny became easier to deal with the older he got before remarking that he would never be as famous as Knightley was.

Regardless, Dornan made a name for himself in the film and model industry. Like Knightley, he settled down with a musician, Amelia Warner, and the pair tied the knot in 2013. They welcomed three daughters named Dulci, Elva, and Alberta.

Adrien Brody

In 2005, before Knightley ended things with Dornan, infidelity rumors on both Brody and Knightley's end surfaced after the pair were frequently spotted eating together. Brody dated Michelle Dupont at the time, and it was a serious and committed relationship, as he explained:

"I don't know what people take me – or her – to be. I'm in a relationship and so is Keira. I don't regard being in a relationship as a loose thing."

The actor was furious when the media misconstrued his work relationship with Knightley as a romantic connection. Brody co-starred alongside Knightley in the 2005 film, "The Jacket," and often spent time together since filming was "non-stop."

Brody addressed the rumors in a later interview, recalling that the media said he and Knightley were having "candlelight pasta dinners" in his apartment. "The Pianist" star admitted they ate together as colleagues but denied the romance allegations.

Rupert Friend

Born in Oxfordshire, England, on October 1, 1981, Friend is an actor, screenwriter, director, and lyricist. A Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts alumnus, his first well-known role was in the 2004 movie "The Libertine."

He has appeared in several other acclaimed portrayals, such as Vasily Stalin in "The Death of Stalin" in 2017, Ernest Donovan in "Strange Angel," and he cameoed in 2021's "The French Dispatch." Friend met Knightley while shooting "Pride and Prejudice" in 2005.

Their relationship went strong for five years, and the pair became quite committed to each other. They stayed in a London apartment in Hyde Park, and Knightley's father, William Knightley, was aware of their romance. After they broke up in January 2011, his daughter chose not to speak publicly, but he gave some insight.

William said Keira and Rupert's decision to separate was not taken lightly, as he figured many things may have factored into it. Regardless, his daughter was doing all right and focused on the projects ahead. Friend also moved on and married Aimee Mullins.

James Righton

James Righton is a musician and composer, chiefly known as the founder and former bandmate of the Klaxons. He was the band's vocalist and keyboard player from the early 2000s, and they signed a deal in 2006. They went strong for almost a decade before disbanding in 2015.

Righton signed with another label under the name Shock Machine and released one studio album before gearing his focus into a solo career. He and Knightley were "very drunk" when they met in 2011. Knightley remembered the encounter fondly, saying he was the "brightest light in any room."

Although she initially wasn't aware of Righton as a musician, primarily based in the UK, she started attending his concerts and performances after meeting Righton. Their love blossomed, and two years later, they tied the knot.

Their ceremony was held on May 4, 2013, in the South of France. The following year, they relocated to Canonbury, Islington, where they started their family. In 2015, they welcomed their daughter Edie; in 2019, they had Delilah. When Edie was still a baby, Righton dedicated a song to her from his 2020 album, "The Performer."