Keira Knightley: Women's bodies are a battleground and photography is partly to be blamed

London: Actress Keira Knightley says her decision to pose topless a protest against the way women are portrayed in popular culture.

The British star, 29, went topless for a photoshoot for Interview magazine and explaining her reason behind the bold movie, Knightley said her only condition was that her photographs were not touched.

"I've had my body manipulated so many different times for so many different reasons, whether it's paparazzi photographers or for film posters. That (shoot) was one of the ones where I said, 'Okay, I'm fine doing the topless shot so long as you don't make them any bigger or retouch.' Because it does feel important to say it really doesn't matter what shape you are," Knightley told The Times of London.

The actress said unlike the way women are projected in the media, all varieties of shape should be celebrated. "I think women's bodies are a battleground and photography is partly to blame. It's much easier to take a picture of somebody without a shape; it simply is.

"Whereas actually you need tremendous skill to be able get a woman's shape and make it look like it does in life, which is always beautiful. But our society is so photographic now, it becomes more difficult to see all of those different varieties of shape."