Bill Nighy facts for kids

This page is about the English actor. For the American science educator, see Bill Nye.

"Nighy" redirects here. For his daughter, the English actress and filmmaker, see Mary Nighy.

Quick facts for kids Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy at the Berlinale in 2020
Born	William Francis Nighy (1949-12-12) 12 December 1949 (age 75) Caterham, Surrey, England
Alma mater	Guildford School of Acting
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1969–present
Works	Full list
Partner(s)	Diana Quick (1982–2008)
Children	Mary Nighy
Awards	Full list

William Francis Nighy (born 12 December 1949) is a well-known English actor. He has starred in many plays, TV shows, and movies. Bill Nighy has won several important awards, like a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award. He has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award.

Nighy began his acting journey at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. He first performed in London at the Royal National Theatre in 1977. He became famous for his roles in plays like Pravda (1985), Betrayal (1991), and Arcadia (1993). He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in Blue/Orange in 2001. He also acted on Broadway in New York City.

Bill Nighy's early movie roles included comedies like Still Crazy (1998) and Blow Dry (2001). He became internationally famous for his role in the movie Love Actually (2003). For this role, he won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He then played Viktor in the Underworld movies (2003–2009). He also played Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean films (2006–2007).

Some of his other popular movies include Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010). He also starred in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) and About Time (2013). More recently, he appeared in Emma (2020) and Living (2022). His role in Living earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Nighy has also received praise for his TV roles. He won a BAFTA Award for the BBC series State of Play (2003). He also won a Golden Globe Award for the BBC film Gideon's Daughter (2007). He is known for The Girl in the Café (2006) and the Worricker spy trilogy.

Early Life and Education
Acting Career
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Bill Nighy was born on 12 December 1949 in Caterham, Surrey, England. His mother, Catherine, was a nurse. His father, Alfred, managed a car garage. Bill was raised as a Roman Catholic and was an altar boy in church. He has two older siblings, Martin and Anna.

He went to the John Fisher School, a Catholic school in Purley. There, he was part of the school's theatre group. After leaving school, he worked as a messenger for a newspaper. Later, he went to the Guildford School of Acting to train to become an actor.

Acting Career

Starting Out (1969–1984)

In his early twenties, Bill Nighy performed in many local theatre shows. A friend suggested he try out for the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool. He worked with other famous actors there, like Julie Walters. He was also part of a traveling theatre group called Van Load.

Nighy made his first London stage appearance at the Royal National Theatre in 1977. He acted in plays by David Hare, a writer he often worked with. He also appeared in three episodes of the British TV series Play For Today. In 1981, he voiced Samwise Gamgee in a BBC Radio version of The Lord of the Rings.

Gaining Fame (1985–1999)

After his London debut, Nighy became more recognized for his stage performances. He acted in plays like Pravda (1985) and Anton Chekov's The Seagull (1994). He performed alongside famous actors such as Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench. One of his most praised roles was in Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia (1993).

He played a psychiatrist in Blue/Orange (2000), which earned him an Olivier Award nomination. In 1997, he starred in David Hare's Skylight. On TV, he played a disc jockey in the 1980 comedy series Agony.

One of Nighy's first big TV roles was in the BBC series The Men's Room (1991). He said this show really helped his career. American audiences started to notice him for his role as rock star Ray Simms in the 1998 film Still Crazy. He also starred in a BBC comedy series called People Like Us. Since 1999, Nighy has played a detective named Charles Paris in many BBC Radio 4 shows.

Becoming a Star (2000–2009)

Bill Nighy at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival in Canada

In 2003, Bill Nighy played the vampire leader Viktor in the American movie Underworld. He returned for the sequels in 2006 and 2009. In the same year, he played Billy Mack, a rock-and-roll legend, in the romantic comedy Love Actually. This role won him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In 2004, he won a BAFTA Television Award for his role in State of Play. He also appeared in the zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead.

In 2005, he played Slartibartfast in the movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He also starred in the drama The Constant Gardener. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in the BBC film The Girl in the Café. In 2006, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in Gideon's Daughter.

In 2006, Nighy played the main villain, Davy Jones, in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. His face was hidden by computer effects. He used a Scottish accent for the character. He played Davy Jones again in the 2007 sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. He also narrated the TV series Meerkat Manor. In 2008, he played General Friedrich Olbricht in the film Valkyrie. In 2009, he announced he would play Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Becoming an Established Actor (2010–2019)

Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy in 2016

In 2010, he had a small role in the TV show Doctor Who. Nighy voiced Grandsanta in the animated movie Arthur Christmas (2011). In 2012, he starred in the comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The cast received a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. He also appeared in the action films Wrath of the Titans and Total Recall.

Nighy played MI5 agent Johnny Worricker in a series of three films: Page Eight (2011), Turks & Caicos (2014), and Salting the Battlefield (2014). For his role in Page Eight, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2014, he starred in a new version of David Hare's play Skylight in London. He later took the play to Broadway in New York, where he was nominated for a Tony Award.

Bill Nighy in 2018

In 2016, he acted in the war film Their Finest, where critics praised his performance. He also appeared in the comedy Dad's Army and the animated film Norm of the North. In 2017, he starred in the drama The Bookshop. That same year, he reprised his role as Billy Mack in the short film Red Nose Day Actually, which was made for charity. In 2018, he starred in the BBC series Ordeal by Innocence, based on an Agatha Christie novel.

Recent Work (2020–Present)

In 2020, Bill Nighy played Mr. Woodhouse, Emma's father, in the film Emma. Critics really liked his casting in the movie. In 2020, it was announced that Nighy would star in Living. This film is an English version of a Japanese drama called Ikiru. The movie premiered in 2022, and Nighy's acting received high praise. He was nominated for an Academy Award for this role.

In the 2022 TV series The Man Who Fell to Earth, Nighy played Thomas Newton, an alien. This role was originally played by David Bowie in the 1976 film. Nighy is also the narrator for the Channel 5 travel show The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys. In 2022, Nighy started working as a DJ on BBC 6 Music, filling in for other hosts.

Personal Life

Bill Nighy was in a relationship with actress Diana Quick starting in 1982. They have a daughter, Mary Nighy, who is also an actress and filmmaker. Mary was born in 1984, and Bill has two grandchildren. Bill and Diana separated in 2008.

Nighy has a condition called Dupuytren's contracture. This condition can cause fingers, usually the ring and little fingers, to bend inwards.

Bill Nighy is a big fan of the Crystal Palace F.C. football team. He supports several charities, including the CPSCC (Crystal Palace Children's Charity) and the Ann Craft Trust. He is also a patron of the London children's charity Scene & Heard.

He supports the Robin Hood tax campaign, which aims to tax financial transactions. Nighy believes in "total gender equality." He has said that knowing about gender inequality in the film industry has influenced his choice of roles. He also cherishes his role in Pride, a film about how miners and gay rights groups supported each other in the 1980s.

In 2004, Nighy was a guest on the radio show Desert Island Discs. He chose "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who so he could practice his hobby of air guitar. For his luxury item, he chose a set of blues harp harmonicas.

Nighy is known for his stylish, custom-made navy suits. He has been listed as one of the best-dressed men in Britain by magazines like The Guardian and GQ.

Bill Nighy became a fan of the Pokémon games and shows while working on the movie Detective Pikachu. He played Howard Clifford in the film. He has said that Mew is his favorite Pokémon.

Bill Nighy lives in Pimlico, London.