Even though Keira Knightley is freakishly thin, I used to believe her when she said she wasn’t anorexic. Why? Because I have this stupid desire to see the best in people and figure they know themselves better than I do. So when Keira Knightley says she’s just got the world’s most freaky metabolism, I wanted to believe her. She even sued people for saying she was anorexic and went out of her way to say she doesn’t want to promote eating disorders, yada yada. And she seems to be one of the more intelligent women in Hollywood. But mostly because I am gullible, I suppose. But Keira made some comments to Female First that make it pretty clear she’s suffering from anorexia, along with body dysmorphic disorder. She gave some shockingly frightening quotes, and I’m not taking that out of context.

“‘Weight is a big issue in Hollywood because I’m twice the size - height and everything else - of most of the girls who are going in to see the director for a part. When you realise that I am, at my size, one of the largest actresses there, you start to think, ‘I don’t think it’d be healthy for me to stay here much longer.’”

[From Female First]

Well I do have to agree with Keira, in terms of it not being healthy for her to stay in Hollywood much longer. But not because everyone else is messed up and way too skinny, but because her perception is so messed up. I can’t imagine that she weighs more than 90 pounds, max. But because of said previous lawsuits from a paper suggesting she is anorexic, I’m just letting Keira’s lawyers know that I think she’s just the absolutely picture of health, both body and mind.

“The 22-year-old actress has been criticised in the past because of her weight, and accused of having an eating disorder. She was awarded £3,000 damages earlier this year after a British national newspaper suggested she was anorexic.

“Keira has always vehemently denied the claims, but has revealed the life-threatening illness runs in her family. She previously said: ‘I’ve got a lot of experience with anorexia. My grandmother and great-grandmother suffered from it, and I had a lot of friends at school who suffered from it. I know it’s not something to be taken lightly and I don’t.’”

[From Female First]

It seems like in the past, she knew how to say just the right things, but this one slip really goes to the heart of the issue. Keira’s able to exist in Hollywood more successfully than other starlets with issues because she isn’t out boozing and clubbing and flashing her lady bits at any photographer who’s willing to look. So people generally lay off her. I remember Nicole Richie freaking out on paparazzi on several occasions for the “eat a sandwich” type comments they were always typing her way. While I’m not sure of it, it doesn’t seem like Keira has to deal with that in London. She generally lives a respectable life (at least by most appearances) so people lay off a bit. Thus no one’s screaming at her (via their keyboards, of course) like we all do at Britney and Lindsay to get their shit together. But frankly, I really hope someone helps her. Something is clearly off.

Picture below is of Keira on the beach in Hawaii this January. Header image is of Keira at the Dead Man’s Chest UK premiere on 7/3/06.