Audition Tip: Keira Knightley Gets Drunk

It took Oscar nominee Keira "I Wish I had T*ts" Knightley a swig or several of liquid courage in order to belt out her song for the My Fair Lady audition, People.com reports.  She successfully calmed her nerves and got the part of Eliza Doolittle -- a screen character made iconic in 1964 by Audrey Hepburn -- in the anticipated remake.  (Keira gets buzzed, movie makes buzz.) This blog wonders: Is this unusual? Would a trained actor, in theatre or musical theatre, ever do such a thing -- if he or she weren't Keira Knightley? Keira can pretty much call the shots; is this little audition trick in the hands of mere mortal actors merely the fastest way to blow a call, or, worse, a relationship with a casting director, manager, or agent? Would you ever risk downing a few to loosen up?  Sound off in the comment section below.

--Anna Bengel

Comments

[Dan]

Check out this New York Post story about about Knightley and her fellow "AA-listers" (New York Post's pun, not mine):

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08052008/entertainment/flat__happy__123004.htm

[sp3lly]

The link you pointed to says she had "a drink" before auditioning the songs. Big deal. Some people smoke before auditioning for a stressful role. Is that heinous?