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Keira Knightley 'too pretty' for Atonement?

Ceri Radford of The Telegraph's books blog can't decide if she's looking forward to the adaptation of Ian McEwan's World War Two-set modern classic Atonement or not. On the one hand, she loves a period drama, on the other hand... there's Keira Knightley. That alone would put me off (me-ow!) but Radford's specific problem is that the pouty one is "too pretty" for Cecilia, who is described in the book as "plain".

Does it matter that actresses look like the characters they're playing, or is a little artistic licence understandable - we are talking about Hollywood after all!

What do you think?

Keira Knightley 'too pretty' for Atonement? - Comments

Katie

Cecilia isn&#39t supposed to be plain. She&#39s supposed to be very thin (jutting hip bones) and very sexy. Keira seems perfect.

Ceri Radford

I was being a bit bitchy, wasn&#39t I? Glad I&#39m not the only one to find Keira annoying though...

I think what grates is that film producers never seem to shy away from casting frankly ugly men as hear throbs (Nicolas Cage in Captain Corelli&#39s Mandolin, anyone?) but always cast stunning actresses, even for roles that are meant to be a bit dowdy. I don&#39t really mind artistic license - who care is a character is blond or brunette? But I do dislike the fact that women are denied their fair share of big screen eye candy a lot more often than men...

(PS, thanks for the mention Trashionista!)

wplasvegas

Everyone in Hollywood is beautiful. Even their dogs look better than most of your neighbors at home. This is simply a fact of life and we all have to learn to live with it.

Nina

I think it&#39s important to alway separate a book and its film adaption... they are going to make alterrations and you&#39ll go mad if you don&#39t accept that... and as for Knightley being too pretty well that&#39s just a matter of opinion isn&#39t it? I have a friend who calls her the ugly actress with and underbite so I don&#39t think she&#39ll agree that she&#39s to pretty to be looked as a plain girl... and again you have to realize that it&#39s going to be different than the book...

Stella

I&#39ll be staying well away from that film because of Keira Knightley. Not just because she&#39s too pretty but because like Lucie says, she too damn annoying.

Also, they cast James McAvoy, a famous shorty, in the role of Robbie and I thought Robbie was supposed to be big, tall man.

Pfft!