Here's The Real Reason Keira Knightley Wore Her Iconic "Love Actually" Hat

In an interview with BBC 1, Keira reveals that they chose the accessory because she had a massive zit on her forehead. “This is the problem with being 17 and being in films," she says. "I mean — It was humongous so there was no choice but we had to find a hat to cover it. Cause there was no lighting, there was no makeup that was going to cover it.”

“It’s funny how you just remember extreme embarrassment, isn't it?" Keira continues. "I remember coming in in the morning, being like, ‘Oh wow, I’ve got another head on my head. What are we going to do? There’s nothing we can do about this.' But there is, because you can always put a hat over it!”

Even without the heightened emotion surrounding the breakout, the scene in which Keira Knightley wears the hat is already a tough one. Her character Juliet comes to get her wedding video from Andrew Lincoln's Mark *and* make peace with him at the same time. While she believes he dislikes her, she quickly realizes he's actually in love with her when the entire wedding video is close-ups of her face. NBD!!

It's a pretty vulnerable moment for any actress, let alone a 17-year-old. I totally remember the complex feelings surrounding my teenage acne (even if society *has* come a long way in embracing our natural skin texture, we still have leaps and bounds to go). I can't even imagine how much those feelings are intensified when you're starring in a feature film!

While the hat isn't exactly a timeless fashion choice, it is, without a doubt, iconic. And Keira Knightley remembers it very fondly: “I was actually very grateful for that hat. I have a lifetime of gratitude for that hat.”