Keira Knightley and Saoirse Ronan Credit: Focus Features

In Atonement, a sweeping story of wartime love and loss based upon a popular novel, gorgeous and talented Keira Knightley plays Cecelia Tallis, a very upper crusty Brit heiress whose jealous little sister sabotages her steamy romance with lower class hottie Robbie (James McAvoy), the educated son of the estate's housekeeper.

When we sat down in Beverly Hills with Keira, we wanted to know about the 22-year-old's life after "Pirates", her research for the World War II era role in Atonement, the long rehearsal process before making the movie, her great wardrobe [or lack of it] in the film. [She jumps into a fountain in her underwear] and what it's like acting in a future movie (The Edge of Love) that her playwright mom Sharman wrote.

For our interview, Keira wore a black sweater over a cute black Topshop dress dotted, like the night sky, with big silver stars and she teetered on very high black heels. Her long hair is now back to her natural brown with a bit of gold at the ends. The very animated actress loves to gesture with her hands as she talks.

TeenHollywood: Love that cute dress you have on but that long green sheer formal gown you wear in the film is to die for.