Thursday, May 24, 2007

Keira wins libel suit

Keira Knightley won a libel case against British newspaper the Daily Mail yesterday. The tabloid ran a story of the Pirates of the Caribbean star in a bikini with the heading, "If Pictures Like This One of Keira Carried a Health Warning, My Darling Daughter Might Have Lived." Knightley's lawyer said his client had been embarrassed by the "entirely false" and "deeply offensive" suggestion that she was in any way responsible for the tragic death of a 19-year-old anorexic, as the headline implied. "The claimant is not a fitness fanatic, as she considers it more important and has spoken of her opinion of the need to be healthy and happy," said Knightley's lawyer. "The claimant found the suggestions all the more offensive as she has freely admitted publicly in the past that a member of her family suffered from anorexia and she is well aware of the devastating effects eating disorders can have." Knightley was awarded close to $6,000 in damages and plans to match the award with an equal amount and donate the money to a charity that helps people with eating and mental disorders.