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"In Anna Karenina, Russian writer Leo Tolstoy's late nineteenth century novel, a married socialite wreaks havoc on her life after she has an affair. Women gossip about Anna, men sneer, and she's ostracized from her friends and family. Though the stakes are especially high for the protagonist, this is a relatable story. At one point or another, we've all felt like social outcasts.\n\nDirector Joe Wright (Pride &amp;amp; Prejudice, Atonement) has adapted this timeless tale of love, desire, and rejection into a theatrical film. The movie is as visually stunning as it is thought provoking, and Keira Knightley successfully humanizes Anna, a character that's often vilified for her reckless, indulgent behavior. We spoke to Keira about the modern day relevance of the story and the novel that's had the biggest impact on her life.\n\nHow did you get into character for such a complex role?\n\n \"I read the book when I was nineteen, and I remembered Anna being this very beautiful, innocent victim. And then I read it again last summer and I thought, oh no, this is not what I remember at all. She is much darker. It was a question of trying to dig through the book and figure out what made her tick. You want to make sure you haven't missed any of the essence of a character that's survived for centuries.\"\n\nAnna is shamed for her behavior. How does this story connect to modern day issues affecting young women?\n\n \"The rules of society might change, but the actions of society and the idea of the pack solidifying itself by turning against the individual is still as relevant today as it was back then. If you get a divorce, you're not going to necessarily lose your children or be ostracized by society, but it is much more likely that the woman will be dragged over the coals than the man. The woman will be held morally accountable. The idea that there is complete equality is ridiculous\u2014we've only had the right to vote for less than a hundred years.\"\n\n \"You see it in celebrity culture all of the time. People want women in some way shamed by their sexuality. Through reading the story again, I understood it better, and it's definitely in the film. But it's not just about that. The feeling of being trapped in a relationship is one that we've all felt. Not necessarily in relationships, but also in schools that we don't like, or financial or medical situations that are difficult. That feeling of being trapped is one that I think everybody relates to.\"\n\nDo you view Anna as a heroine or a villain?\n\n \"Both, which is what I think makes her so human. We're all the heroines or heroes of our own stories, but when we actually look at our behavior, we often behave in a way that shocks us, and I think that's what it is to be a human. We're fallible, we're imperfect, and that's what makes us interesting.\"\n\nOne of Anna's biggest faults is that she's selfish, not malicious.\n\n \"We're all soul-obsessed. We only see the world through our eyes. We try for empathy, and understanding, but we don't always achieve it. We are selfish; we have to be. And what's fascinating about her is you think, is she likeable? Well no, she's human. Sometimes she is, and sometimes she's something else. It's rare to get the opportunity to play somebody who's so human.\"\n\nWhat statement does this story make about romantic love?\n\n \"Romance is a part of love. It's that great little first bit, and it's fabulous. But it's not all of love, and I think that's what is Anna's great tragedy is about\u2014once that initial romance goes away, as it always will and it should, she cannot recognize any other aspect of that emotion. She can't see anything beyond that first lust, that first romance. And once she's tasted it, she's addicted to it. So everything else gets destroyed, and it's the great tragedy of the piece. But equally, within the Levin and Kitty story, there is one of hope and beauty. That's what's wonderful about the book, and hopefully, the film.\"\n\nThe costumes are stunning. Which was your favorite?\n\n \"The black ball gown. Jacqueline Durran, who designed the dresses for Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, and I had a lot of fun with this because it isn't necessarily set in the very strict 1870s. A lot of the costumes are actually based on 1950s Dior Couture dresses, mid with the shape of the 1870s.\"\n\nIs there a novel that's had a profound impact on your life?\n\n \"The Passion by Jeanette Winterson. It's one of the most beautiful books ever written.\"\n\nYou just finished filming Can A Song Save Your Life? Do you sing in the movie?\n\n \"Yes. I'm good enough to fake it, but not great. Don't expect a solo album. It's not going to happen!\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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