Keira Knightley explains how she coped with severe health condition as daughter diagnosed with it too
LONDON, ENGLAND: Keira Knightley, who has battled dyslexia since the age of six, disclosed on 'Ruthie's Table 4' podcast that her daughter has also been diagnosed with the condition.
Keira and her husband, former Klaxons singer James Righton, 40, have two daughters - Edie, eight, and Delilah, four. The 'Pirates of the Carribean' actress offered insights into dyslexia, a condition that affects reading, writing, and spelling.
Keira Knightley says her dyslexic child's memory is 'amazing'
During an appearance on the 'Ruthie's Table 4' podcast, Keira Knightley and James Righton shared insights about their daughter without specifying which child had been diagnosed, per Daily Mail.
Discussing her approach to memorizing lines, the 39-year-old actress said, "I still find sight-reading really hard. It really bounces [the text] but basically I record it and listen to it, and listen to it, and that's how I learn it."
She added, "But now we have a dyslexic kid and she's doing the same thing, and her memory is absolutely amazing."
The couple marveled, "She'll look at books and would have memorized the book and it's amazing."
Keira Knightley had once vowed to stop her eldest daughter, Edie, from watching fairytales due to their lack of feminist themes.
"I'm being very careful about fairytales with my kid because I don't like the message that a lot of them have."
"So 'The Little Mermaid' has been banned. 'Cinderella' has been banned. I haven't looked at 'Snow White' again, but that may be banned, as well," she said.
However, in a later interview in 2020, Keira revealed she had softened her stance.
She said about Edie, "She's watched all of them now. When we watched 'Sleeping Beauty', she said, 'It's not OK, that man kissed her without her permission!"
"I can't tell you how pleased I was. If I don't do anything else, I've managed to drum that in!"
Keira Knightley recently wrapped up filming for the upcoming Netflix thriller 'Black Doves', co-starring alongside the talented Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin, primarily affecting reading and writing skills.
It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities. These challenges often arise from a deficit in the phonological component of language and are typically unexpected in relation to an individual's other cognitive abilities and the quality of classroom instruction received.
Key features of dyslexia includes struggling to recognize words, having difficulties with phonological processing, problems in understanding text.
While for some the symptoms mild others might face more severe challenges. It is not linked to low intelligence; many individuals with dyslexia have average or above-average intelligence.
It is noteworthy to mention that there are some notable Hollywood actors and actresses who have reportedly been diagnosed with dyslexia.
Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise (diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7), Whoopi Goldberg, Keanu Reeves, Salma Hayek, and Cher are a few to name.
