Actress Keira Knightley will appear in a shocking television public service advertisement for the UK nonprofit organization Women’s Aid. In the commercial, she is shown being brutally beaten by an abusive fictional boyfriend. The advert, called “Cut”, was launched online and it will also be shown on television and in cinemas beginning April 6 to raise awareness for domestic violence issues.
The two-minute clip opens with the actress, 24, leaving the set of a movie she is working on and then driving home to her apartment. Upon her arrival, she discovers her boyfriend has already broken a mirror and there is blood on the floor. He accuses her of having a relationship with a co-star and throws a towel in her face.
After the first hit, Knightley breaks character and looks at the camera, saying, "Sorry, we didn't agree to that," referring to the sudden strike to her face. The violence continues and intensifies, as the actress is thrown to the floor and repeatedly kicked. The commercial, made by ad agency Grey London, pans out to show that the scene is in fact occurring on an empty film set. The ad ends with Knightley screaming and the strapline: "Isn't it time someone called cut?"
The advert was directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) and breaks many of the stereotypes about victims of domestic violence by having Knightley play a character like herself - a young, glamorous film actress - rather than a meek housewife. The clip is obviously inspired by Rihanna, and tries to get across the message that even a woman who is confident and successful may be experiencing abuse at home.
Knightley said she volunteered to do it because "while domestic violence exists in every section of society we rarely hear about it. We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening." According to the Daily Mail, "domestic violence affects one in four women at some point in their lifetime and kills two women every week."
