(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Keira Knightley has likened making movies to having sex without an orgasm.

The actress enjoys her career, although she recently took some time off to enjoy a more normal life. She is happy with all the work-related decisions she has made so far, but its theatre work which really appeals to the star.

She was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for her part in The Misanthrope, and is due to take to the stage in London later this month alongside Elisabeth Moss in The Childrens Hour. For Keira, nothing compares to performing live and its where she sees her future.

I really noticed in The Misanthrope what I couldnt do and what I failed at. Im just not interested in standing still. You go, OK, that was great and that bit was great thats, um, great. But if Im not getting better, not learning, not changing, then whats the point of it? It must be boring for people to watch if its all the same, she explained to the March edition of British magazine Elle.

Oh, God, the only thing thats going through my head to describe [theatre] is its like sex with an orgasm at the end of it! Whereas film is like you have sex, but you never get the orgasm. A lot of stopping and starting, but... Oh, I wish I hadnt said that.

The 25-year-old lives in fear of giving a bad performance, but not because she hates being criticised. She can deal with people having an opinion on her acting talent, but she dislikes feeling she could have done more with a part or given a better performance.

You know when youve done a sh*t job, its horrendous when you get something wrong and when its out there it is like public humiliation, she explained. And its always going to happen because you cant control it, but you can at least go, OK, I really tried to do the best job I possibly could do there. I got it wrong, I f**ked up, Im really sorry about it, but I didnt do it cynically, and thats become incredibly important to me. (C) Cover Media