This is what the cast of Bend It Like Beckham are up to now

Bend It Like Beckham is 20 years old this year and I for one can’t quite believe it. The iconic movie follows the life of Jess Bhamra, a young British-Punjabi girl with a dream of becoming a professional footballer in spite of her parents’ wishes. The film was a culturally significant moment for South Asians and women footballers alike. But where are the Bend It Like Beckham cast now and what are they getting up to? Here’s everything we know:

Parminder Nagra- Jess

After playing the film’s protagonist, Jess, Parminder Nagra went on to have a a successful career in TV.

She featured in Ella Enchanted, ER, Alcatraz and 13 Reasons Why to name a few. Most recently, she starred in ITV police drama D.I. Ray.

Keira Knightley- Jules Paxton

After Bend It Like Beckham, Keira Knightly featured in Christmas rom com Love Actually. It was at this very moment, in fact, that she realised she looks quite pretty, unwittingly cementing her place as a TikTok meme almost 20 years later.

Aside from that, Knightley has starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, picking up three Golden Globes and an OBE on the way.

In 2013, she married James Righton, lead singer of The Klaxons, with whom she has two children.

Johnathon Rhys Meyers- Joe

Johnathon Rhys Meyers plays Jess’s love interest- an Irish football coach called Joe.

Since the movie was released, Meyers has had some pretty big acting roles in Mission: Impossible II and Elvis (TV miniseries).

Anupam Kher- Mr Bhamra

Anupam Kher played Jess’s father in the film and had already had a pretty successful acting career before that point.

After Bend It Like Beckham, he appeared in Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook before reuniting with Parminder Nagra in ER, once again playing her on-screen father.

When he’s not acting, Kher works as a UN ambassador for gender equality.

Juliet Stevenson- Paula Paxton

Juliette Stevenson played Jules’s mum in Bend It Like Beckham and was already famous for her past roles in Truly, Madly, Deeply and Emma. In 2003 she starred in Mona Lisa Smile and in 2004 she nabbed a key role in Being Julia.

Stevenson has two kids and is a passionate campaigner, publicly backing Extinction Rebellion among others.

Shaznay Lewis- Mel

When Shaznay Lewis joined the cast to play Mel (one of Jess’s teammates) she’d already launched her singing career as part of girl group All Saints.

The band unfortunately split up before reforming in 2014 and 2016.

Lewis married Christian “Storm” Horsfall in 2004 and has two children.

Archie Panjabi- Pinky

After playing Jess’s sister, Pinky, Archie Panjabi went onto a role in The Good Wife for which she received an Emmy award in 2010.

Panjabi has also featured in The Fall, as well as in 2006 rom com A Good Year.

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