While Bend it Like Beckham, directed by Gurinder Chadha, was the catalyst for her success it was Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl that shot her to super stardom.
The role of Elizabeth Swann propelled her onto a global acting stage as she starred alongside Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in a series of movies that has gone on to become one of the most successful franchises of all time.
Since then the actress has stayed away from the big budget blockbusters an established herself as a fine actress. She bagged herself her first Oscar nomination back in 2005 when she took on the role of Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.
The adaptation was the feature debut for British filmmaker Joe Wright and together they have proved to be a successful partnership.
Their second collaboration came in 2007 as she took on the role Cecilia Tallis in the adaptation for Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement.
Despite Knightley missing out on an Oscar nod, the movie did pick up the Best Picture Drama Golden Globe.
She has also found success with Edge of Love and The Duchess and she returns to the big screen this year with London Boulevard, Don’t Let Me Go and Last Night are all in post-production.
Rachel McAdams: enjoyed another successful year in 2009 and now she has become one of the most sought after actresses working in Hollywood.
She kicked off her career in 2001 but it was 2004 that really saw her make an impact with teen comedy Bad Girls and heart wrenching drama the Notebook.
Her performance as Allison "Allie" Hamilton in the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel remains one of her most famous and popular roles as she starred alongside Ryan Gosling.
She has turned her hand to comedy, horror and drama as she got The Wedding Crashers, The Family Stone and Red Eye all under her belt.
But 2009 has proved to be her most successful year yet kicking it off in the summer with State of Play. The actress teamed up with Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Helen Mirren in an adaptation of the hit BBC drama.
An adaptation of another popular novel The Time Traveler’s Wife was next before she rounded of the year alongside Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes.
She will be back on the big screen later this year with Morning Glory starring alongside Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum.
Other actresses worth keeping an eye on include Avatar’s Zoe Saldana, Anna Kendrick, Carey Mulligan and Vera Farmiga.
Leap Year is released 26th February.