Keira Knightley has got candid about how the ‘double faces’ of juggling work and motherhood helped her prepare for her new spy role.

The English actor, 39, stars in the Netflix thriller Black Doves as Helen Webb – a spy and mother who is spilling her politician husband’s secrets until it appears her cover has been blown.

And speaking to Radio Times, Keira – who shares young daughters Edie and Delilah with husband James Righton – revealed how her real life as a wife and mother helped inform the role.

Speaking about turning on the charm when outside of the human emotions of a tight knit family circle, she said: ‘In life it’s those double faces that you have.’

‘Then suddenly you’re at work and you’ve got your work face on and then you’ve got your kid on the phone and you’re, “Oh baby, are you OK?”

‘So it’s that thing I think we all know and that we all do, but ramped up to ten, or 11 or 12. And that’s what I liked. It made me giggle.’

Keira Knightley has got candid about how the ‘double faces’ of juggling work and motherhood helped her prepare for her new spy role

The English actor, 39, stars in the Netflix thriller Black Doves as Helen Webb – a spy and mother who is spilling her politician husband’s secrets until it appears her cover has been blown

Keira added: ‘We all do it. For me, I’m on a film set and then it’s, “Oh, you passed your spelling test – I love you so much!”

‘Whereas this is, “Darling, I love you so much and they’re just about to kill me. Kiss darling, goodbye”.’

Netflix released its first trailer for Black Doves – which sees Keira and Sarah Lancashire take on leading roles as spy and spymaster – last month.

It gives fans their first taste of the new thriller, which follows Keira’s character Helen as an agent passing on secrets of her politician husband [Andrew Buchan].

Keira is a spy for the Black Doves organisation, headed up by the enigmatic Reed [Sarah], and has been giving them political information for 10 years.

Helen’s secret lover Jason [Andrew Koji] is assassinated and Reed informs her that her position in the organisation may have been compromised.

Her theory is proved right when Keira is attacked by assailants, only to be saved by a friend from her past, Sam Young, played by Ben Whishaw.

Sam is a suave, Champagne-drinking assassin but has been out of the game since a failed job with disastrous consequences.

And speaking to Radio Times, Keira revealed how her real life as a wife and mother helped inform the role

Keira shares young daughters Edie and Delilah with husband James Righton (Pictured together in June)

As his past threatens to catch up with him, his task is to protect Helen as she investigates who killed Jason and why.

Helen then makes Sam promise to keep her alive and keep her family safe, so she has time to find out who killed Jason and take her revenge on them.

Netflix fans already ‘can’t wait’ the must-watch spy thriller which arrives to screens on December 5 with six episodes, set against the backdrop of London at Christmas.

Helen and Sam set off on a mission that will lead them to uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy.

One that links the murky underworld of London to a looming geopolitical crisis – and leads them to question the cost of the moral choices they’ve made.

+6
View gallery

Netflix released its first trailer for Black Doves – which sees Keira and Sarah Lancashire take on leading roles as spy and spymaster – last month

Helen’s secret lover Jason [Andrew Koji] is assassinated and Reed informs her that her position in the organisation may have been compromised

The Netflix series is written by Joe Barton and Keira is listed as an executive producer.

Earlier this month, Netflix shared a first look clip at the talented cast as they have ‘never been seen before’.

In the short video, Sarah Lancashire’s character says: ‘I’m looking to hire someone. No one knows if they can really do it until they try and then they find out pretty quick. Are you sure this is what you want?’

Elsewhere in the dramatic teaser, Keira and Ben’s characters appear on screen with blood splattered across their faces.