Keira Knightley says she doesn't act in many films set in the present time because "the female characters nearly always get raped".
The Atonement star says she's lucky to have never been sexually abused on a film set, but suggests she's turned down movies due to the depiction of sexual violence on women they contained.
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Knightley made the comments in an interview with Variety while promoting Colette, a biopic in which she portrays French novelist Gabrielle Colette.
"I don't really do films set in the modern day because the female characters nearly always get raped," she said.
"I always find something distasteful in the way women are portrayed, whereas I've always found very inspiring characters offered to me in historical pieces."
However, Knightley says things are improving and stronger female voices in Hollywood is leading to better film and television.
"When there are female writers and directors and producers, the parts for women are better, and so the way that society views women through drama is much better and much more well-rounded," she said.
"There's been some improvement. I'm suddenly being sent scripts with present-day women who aren't raped in the first five pages and aren't simply there to be the loving girlfriend or wife."
Knightley gave support to the #MeToo movement in the interview, but noted that in her experiences with Harvey Weinstein, he'd kept things professional with her.
"He certainly never asked me for massages or anything like that," she said.
Colette is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend.
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