When she was little, Keira realised she had severe difficulties reading and writing. She was not officially diagnosed as dyslexic, but worked hard to overcome the problem by her early teens.
By now, acting was beginning to take more of her time than ever before. She appeared in, among other things, Oliver Twist (a mini series for TV), Disney's Princess Of Thieves (she played Robin Hood's daughter Gwyn), and a thriller called The Hole, which featured her first nude scene at the age of 15.
Then came Bend It Like Beckham, and the world sat up to take notice.