Keira Knightley interview draws backlash over smoking around Donald Sutherland story

Keira Knightley has faced criticism on social media after recalling how cast members secretly broke Donald Sutherland’s no-smoking rule while filming, with some viewers saying the story was insensitive in light of the late actor’s health.

During an interview alongside Rosamund Pike, Knightley described a party attended by Sutherland, who had a contractual requirement that nobody smoke around him or smell of cigarettes while working on set.

“There was a party that Donald Sutherland came to because the whole thing was that you weren’t allowed to smoke,” Knightley said.

Pike replied: “Oh, yes!”

Knightley continued: “He had it in his contract that nobody on the set was allowed to smoke anywhere near him, and you couldn’t smell of smoke. But of course, everyone smoked.”

“Back then anyway, everyone smoked. We’d all run off to smoke, then spray ourselves with everything to cover the smell.”

She then recalled that Sutherland arrived at the party wearing a gas mask.

“But at the party he came to, he walked right into the middle of it wearing a gas mask!”

The interview prompted criticism from some users on X, with several arguing the anecdote was not humorous given that Sutherland died after living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Others said cigarette smoke and its lingering smell can still affect people with asthma or other respiratory conditions, despite attempts to mask it with sprays or mints.

Some users also criticised Knightley’s tone during the exchange, saying they would have expected greater reflection on attitudes towards smoking at the time.