Why Keira Knightley banned daughter from watching Cinderella, The Little Mermaid

She currently stars in period drama Colette, a film based on an author's fight to challenge gender norms of the 20th century.

And Keira Knightley has revealed she wants her daughter Edie, three, to follow in the writer's footsteps and has banned her from watching Disney classics Cinderella and The Little Mermaid because the characters are "rescued by men".

During her appearance on Ellen on Monday, the screen star, 33, proved to be every inch the doting mother as she insisted she would support her daughter in "anything she wants to do" with her future career.

The Pride & Prejudice actress, who shares her only child with husband James Righton, detailed her thoughts on the award-winning movies.

Keira proudly said: "She's banned from watching Cinderella, as the film is about waiting around for a rich guy rescue her – no, rescue yourself!

"She's also banned from watching Little Mermaid - do not give your voice up for a man! But I do love the songs", she added.

Admitting that she's allowed to watch some cartoon films, she said: "She likes Finding Dory", the 2016 adventure film Ellen, 60, starred in).

The Bend It Like Beckham star, who is known for sustaining a private personal life, also lifted the lid on her daughter's desires to become a lion: "She wanted to be a dentist, I'm not sure why, she loves Peppa Pig and fell in love with a dentist episode.

"Now she wants to a be a lion, she roars very well! Even if she wanted to be an actress, I'm going to support her in anything she wants to do."

Keira touched on the difficulties of motherhood as she spoke about Edie's sleeping pattern: "My daughter is three and a half, she's only just sleeping through the night, a week ago she did for the first time."

Her appearance comes after she revealed her musician husband James, 35, has put his "life on hold" to care for their daughter so she can work.

Keira praised her "amazing" spouse for taking time out from his music career to take on as many parenting duties as he can when it comes to looking after their three-year-old girl.

Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: "He has been amazing. He's been travelling with me since we had her. He's largely put his life on hold to make sure that I'm still at work and that we're keeping together as a family unit.

"I'm super lucky, I can afford child care. I have a wonderful nanny that has travelled with us as well. When she's there, I feel completely safe that Edie is good. And my mum, whenever my husband can't be there, has flown to wherever we are.

Adding: "They say it takes a village to raise a child - it takes a village to keep a woman at work as well. But if that's where she should be then everybody is very supportive and it's possible."