As far as non-LGBTIQ+ mainstream films from the early 000's go, Bend It Like Beckham was pumping with lesbian energy.
The film starred Keira Knightley as the sporty Jules Paxton and Parminder Nagra as Jess Bhamra, a teenager rebelling against her Sikh family by playing football against their wishes.
Jess and Jules became fast friends in the 2002 film, even sneaking the odd hand-hold, but stopped short of giving queer audiences the love story they so desperately wanted - despite rumours that an alternative, more romantic ending was written.
When informed by Pride Source that some LGBTIQ+ fans had wanted Jess and Jules to get together, Knightley replied: “F**k yeah! That would’ve been amazing. I think they should’ve been too."
She added: “I think that would’ve been great. We need a sequel.”
Knightley is currently on a promotional tour for the upcoming film Collette, in which she plays the titular character - bisexual author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, who agrees to ghostwrite a semi-autobiographical novel for her husband.
