Arterton: 'Knightley Is Brave To Face Critics'

The former Bond girl insists she is judged unfairly because of her good looks - and admits she's in awe of Knightley for braving the media to star in a play in London's West End.

She says, "For some reason, if you're successful in Britain, people tend not to like you. But if you are a successful woman, and beautiful, in Britain, you are even more disliked.

"When you put yourself in these huge popcorn movies you get out there, in the public arena, more than anyone else. But that also means that you're out there to be criticised more than anyone else. With Keira Knightley, she's brave to do her play (The Misanthrope)."

The Pirates of the Caribbean star was hit with a slew of bad reviews after her debut in the new adaptation of the Moliere classic last month (Dec09) - days after admitting her fear that she would be "burned alive" by critics.