Keira Knightley recent posed topless for Interview magazine, and the actress said the photoshoot came with a couple of requests on her end — she didn't want her body changed or manipulated in any way in post-production.
"I've had my body manipulated so many different times for so many different reasons, whether it's paparazzi photographers or for film posters," Knightley told The Times of London. "And that [shoot] was one of the ones where I said: ‘OK, I'm fine doing the topless shot so long as you don't make them any bigger or retouch.' Because it does feel important to say it really doesn't matter what shape you are."
The actress goes on to say that photography is "partly to blame" for turning women's bodies into battlegrounds. "It's much easier to take a picture of somebody without a shape; it simply is. Whereas actually you need tremendous skill to be able get a woman's shape and make it look like it does in life, which is always beautiful. But our society is so photographic now, it becomes more difficult to see all of those different varieties of shape."
I'm not sure I agree with Knightley completely on this one, but I definitely commend her for standing her ground to ensure that her photos were not retouched. She's also right in saying that our society has become a bit obsessive with photography and picture-sharing, which is probably adding to the pressure for women (and men) to feel they have to look a certain way. However, there is so much talk about body positivity and acceptance, that perhaps the simple conversation is enough to combat images of perfection fed to us by Hollywood.
Whether you agree with Knightley or not, she is certainly spurring some debate on a topic that needs addressing.
