Bill Nighy

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This article is about the British actor. For the American science educator, see Bill Nye.
Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy Pride TIFF 2014.jpg
Born William Francis Nighy
(1949-12-12) 12 December 1949 (age 74)
Caterham, Surrey, England, UK
Nationality British
Occupation Actor
Years active 1976–present
Partner(s) Diana Quick (1980–2008)
Children Mary Nighy
Signature
Bill Nighy's signature.JPG

William Francis "Bill" Nighy (pronounced /naɪ/;[1] born 12 December 1949) is an English actor. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womaniser Prof. Mark Carleton.

Nighy became known for his performance in Love Actually. Other notable roles in cinema include his portrayal of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and its sequel, as well as Viktor in the Underworld film series.

He is also known for his roles in the films Lawless Heart, I Capture the Castle, Shaun of the Dead, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Notes on a Scandal, Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Rango and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. His performances were also acclaimed in the State of Play series and in the TV films The Girl in the Café, Gideon's Daughter and Page Eight, for which he earned Golden Globe nominations, winning one for Gideon's Daughter.

Early life and education

Nighy was born on 12 December 1949 in Caterham, Surrey. His mother, Catherine Josephine Nighy (née Whittaker), was a psychiatric nurse who was born in Glasgow,[2] and his English-born father, Alfred Martin Nighy, managed a car garage after working in the family chimney sweeping business.[3] Also of part Irish descent, Nighy was brought up as a Roman Catholic, serving as an altar boy.[4]

He has two elder siblings, Martin and Anna. Nighy attended the John Fisher School, a Roman Catholic grammar school in Purley, where he was a member of the school theatre group. He left the school with two O-levels and then took a job with The Croydon Advertiser as a messenger boy.[5] He went on to train at the Guildford School of Acting.[6]

Career

After two seasons at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, Nighy made his London stage debut at the National Theatre in an epic staging of Ken Campbell and Chris Langham's Illuminatus!, which opened the new Cottesloe Theatre on 4 March 1977, and went on to appear in two David Hare premieres, also at the National. During the 1980s, he appeared in several television productions, among them Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil, alongside John Shea and Tony Randall.

He has starred in many radio and television dramas, notably the BBC serial The Men's Room (1991). He claimed that the serial, an Ann Oakley novel adapted by Laura Lamson, was the job which launched his career.[7] More recently he has featured in the thriller State of Play (2003) and costume drama He Knew He Was Right (2004). He played Samwise Gamgee in the 1981 BBC Radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings (where he was credited as William Nighy), and appeared in the 1980s BBC Radio versions of Yes Minister episodes. He starred alongside Stephen Moore and Lesley Sharp in the acclaimed short radio drama Kerton's Story, first aired in 1996. He had a starring role in the 2002 return of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, portraying crooked politician Jeffrey Grainger. He has also made a guest appearance in the BBC Radio 4 series Baldi.

Two of Nighy's most acclaimed stage performances were in National Theatre productions. Taking the role of Bernard Nightingale, an unscrupulous university don, in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (1993), he engaged in witty exchanges with Felicity Kendal, playing the role of Hannah Jarvis, an author; and he played a consultant psychiatrist in Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange (2000), for which he won an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor, and which transferred to the West End at the Duchess Theatre the following year.

Nighy at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival

Nighy received some recognition by American audiences for his acclaimed portrayal of overaged rock star Ray Simms in the 1998 film Still Crazy. In 1999 he gained further prominence in the UK with the starring role in "The Photographer", an episode of the award-winning BBC-TV mockumentary comedy series People Like Us, playing Will Rushmore, a middle aged man who has abandoned his career and family in the deluded belief that he can achieve success as a commercial photographer.

In 2003, Nighy played the role of the Vampire Elder Viktor in the American production Underworld and returned in the same role for the sequel Underworld: Evolution in 2006 and again in the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans in 2009. In February 2004, he was awarded the BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as shameless, washed-up rocker Billy Mack in Love Actually (a role foreshadowed by his Still Crazy character) and followed this up at the BAFTA Television Awards in April with the Best Actor award for State of Play. He also appeared in the comedy Shaun of the Dead.

In early 2004, The Sunday Times reported that Nighy was on the shortlist for the role of the Ninth Doctor in the 2005 revival of the BBC television series Doctor Who.[8] Christopher Eccleston ultimately filled the role.

In 2005, he appeared as Slartibartfast in the film adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He also appeared in the one-off BBC One comedy-drama The Girl in the Café. In February 2006, he appeared in scriptwriter Stephen Poliakoff's one-off drama, Gideon's Daughter. Nighy played the lead character, Gideon, a successful events organiser who begins to lose touch with the world around him. This performance won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-series or TV Film in January 2007. Also in 2006, Nighy made his Broadway debut at the Music Box Theatre alongside Julianne Moore in The Vertical Hour, directed by Sam Mendes.

In 2006, Nighy played the principal villain, Davy Jones, in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, although his face was entirely obscured by computer-generated makeup; he voiced the character with a Scots accent. He reprised the role in the 2007 sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which his real face was briefly revealed in one scene. He also provided the narration for the Animal Planet series Meerkat Manor. In 2006 he played the role of Richard Hart in Notes on a Scandal, for which he was nominated for a London Film Critics' Circle award. Nighy also appeared as General Friedrich Olbricht, one of the principal conspirators, in the 2008 film Valkyrie. He had played an SS officer in the 1985 Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil. Nighy starred in the film Wild Target in 2010.[9]

In July 2009, he announced that he would play Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.[10] Nighy had already worked with director David Yates twice, and with the majority of the Harry Potter cast in previous films. He has said of his role as Rufus Scrimgeour that it meant he was no longer the only English actor not to be in Harry Potter.[10]

Nighy voiced Grandsanta in the 2011 CGI animated film Arthur Christmas.[11] In 2012, he starred in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Wrath of the Titans, and the remake of Total Recall.[12] In 2013, he played a role in Darkside, Tom Stoppard's radio drama based on Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon.[13]

Personal life

Nighy had a 27-year-relationship with English actress Diana Quick, with whom he has a daughter, actress Mary Nighy. The couple amicably separated in 2008.[14]

He is a supporter of Crystal Palace and is the Patron of the CPSCC (Crystal Palace F.C. Fast Results & Information Service) Children's Charity, and of the Ann Craft Trust.[15] He is also one of the Honorary Patrons of the London children's charity Scene & Heard.[16] He has Dupuytren's contracture, a condition which causes the ring and little finger of each hand to be permanently bent inwards towards the palm.[6]

Nighy is also a patron for the Milton Rooms, a new arts centre in Malton, North Yorkshire, along with Imelda Staunton, Jools Holland and Kathy Burke.[17]

Nighy is known for his bespoke navy suits; he was listed as one of the fifty best-dressed over 50s by The Guardian in March 2013[18] and one of GQ's 50 best dressed British men in 2015.[19]

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Notes
1981 Eye of the Needle Squadron Leader Blenkinsop
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther ENT Doctor
1984 The Little Drummer Girl Al
1985 Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil Helmut Hoffmann
1985 Thirteen at Dinner Ronald Marsh
1989 The Phantom of the Opera: The Motion Picture Martin Barton
1994 Being Human Julian
1996 True Blue Jeremy Saville
1997 FairyTale: A True Story Edward Gardner
1998 Still Crazy Ray Simms
1999 Guest House Paradiso Mr. Johnson
2001 Blow Dry Raymond "Ray" Robertson
2001 Lawless Heart Dan
2001 Lucky Break Roger "Rog" Chamberlain
2002 AKA Uncle Louis Gryffoyn
2003 Ready When You Are, Mr McGill Phil Parish
2003 Love Actually Billy Mack
2003 I Capture the Castle James Mortmain
2003 Underworld Viktor
2004 Shaun of the Dead Phillip
2004 Enduring Love Robin
2005 The Magic Roundabout Dylan Voice only (UK version)
2005 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Slartibartfast
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Davy Jones
2005 The Constant Gardener Sir Bernard Pellegrin
2006 Underworld: Evolution Viktor
2006 Stormbreaker Alan Blunt
2006 Flushed Away Whitey Voice only
2006 Notes on a Scandal Richard Hart
2007 Hot Fuzz Ch. Insp. Kenneth
2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Davy Jones
2008 Valkyrie Friedrich Olbricht
2008 A Fox's Tale The Ringmaster
2009 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Viktor
2009 The Boat That Rocked Quentin
2009 G-Force Leonard Saber
2009 Astro Boy Professor Simon Elefun/Robotsky Voice only
2009 Statuesque Mr. Jellaby Short film
2009 Glorious 39 Sir Alexander
2010 Wild Target Victor Maynard
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Rufus Scrimgeour
2011 Rango Rattlesnake Jake Voice only
2011 Chalet Girl Richard
2011 Arthur Christmas Grandsanta Voice only
2011 The Man with the Stolen Heart Narrator[20] Voice only
2012 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Douglas Ainslie
2012 Wrath of the Titans Hephaestus
2012 Total Recall Matthias Lair
2013 Great White Shark 3D Narrator[21] Voice only
2013 Jack the Giant Slayer Fallon (Big Head) Voice only
2013 The World's End The Network Voice only
2013 About Time James Lake
2014 I, Frankenstein Naberius
2014 Pride Cliff
2015 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Douglas Ainslie
2016 Dad's Army Sergeant Wilson
2016 Norm of the North Socrates Voice
2016 Their Finest Hour and a Half Filming
2016 The Limehouse Golem John Kildare In post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Softly, Softly: Taskforce Albert Blake Episode: "Say it with Flowers"
1978–82 Play for Today Dave/William/Bill 3 episodes
1979 Premier Deasey Episode: "Deasey"
1980 Agony Vincent Fish Season 2
1980 Fox Colin Street 2 episodes
1980 BBC2 Playhouse Bruno Episode: "Standing in for Henry"
1982 Minder Oates Episode: "Looking for Micky"
1982 Play for Tomorrow Connor Mullen Episode: "Easter 2016"
1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Goschen Episode 3: "1905: The Visiting Fireman"
1983 Jemima Shore Investigates David Cullen Episode: "A Model for Murder"
1985 The Last Place on Earth Cecil Meares
1989 Storyboard Sam Episode: "Making News"
1990 Making News Sam Courtney
1990 Screenplay Howard Nash Episode: "Antonio and Jane"
1991 The Men's Room Mark Carleton BBC serial
1991 Bergerac Episode: "All for Love"
1991–93 Performance Roger Maitland/Hugh Marriner 2 episodes
1992 Chillers Tom Dickenson Episode: "The Cat Brought It In"
1993 Eye of the Storm Tom Frewen 6 episodes
1993 Peak Practice Alan Sinclair Episode: "Growing Pains"
1993 The Maitlands Roger Maitland BBC TV production of Ronald Mackenzie's 1930s play
1994 Wycliffe David Cleeve Episode: "The Four Jacks"
1995 Llety Piod
1996 Testament: The Bible in Animation Belshazzar Episode: "Daniel"
1997 Insiders Mark Gordon Episode: "The Vat Man"
1997 Kavanagh QC Giles Culpepper QC Episode: "Ancient History"
1998 Kiss Me Kate Cameron
1998-00 The Canterbury Tales The Merchant 2 episodes
1999 People Like Us Will Rushmore Episode: "The Photographer"
2000 Longitude Lord Sandwich
2000 Animated Tales of the World Tiger Episode: "A Story of Taiwan: Aunt Tiger"
2002 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Jeffrey Grainger Season 3
2002 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Episode: "Well Schooled in Murder"
2003 State of Play Cameron Foster
2003 The Lost Prince Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham
2004 He Knew He Was Right Colonel Osborne
2005 The Girl in the Café Lawrence
2005 Gideon's Daughter Gideon Warner
2010 Doctor Who Dr. Black Uncredited; Episode: "Vincent and the Doctor"
2011 Page Eight Johnny Worricker
2014 Turks & Caicos Johnny Worricker
2014 Salting the Battlefield Johnny Worricker

Video games

Year Title Voice
2009 G-Force Leonard Saber
2013 Disney Infinity Davy Jones
2014 The Elder Scrolls Online High King Emeric
2014 Destiny The Speaker[22]
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Davy Jones[23]

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Category Result
1998 Still Crazy Satellite Award Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Nominated
2001 Lawless Heart Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor Won
2001 Lawless Heart BIFA Award Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film Nominated
2002 AKA Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor Won
2003 Love Actually BAFTA Award BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Won
2003 Love Actually Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor Won
2003 Love Actually Evening Standard British Film Awards Peter Sellers Award for Comedy Won
2003 Love Actually Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Won
2003 Love Actually Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Cast Nominated
2003 Love Actually Satellite Award Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Nominated
2003 I Capture the Castle Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor Won
2003 State of Play British Academy Television Award Best Actor Won
2003 The Lost Prince Satellite Award Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won
2005 The Girl in the Café Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated
2006 Gideon's Daughter Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Won
2006 Gideon's Daughter Satellite Award Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Won
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean Teen Choice Awards Choice Sleazebag Won
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean MTV Movie Award MTV Movie Award for Best Villain Nominated
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean Saturn Award Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2007 Pirates of the Caribbean Teen Choice Awards Choice Sleazebag Won
2011 Arthur Christmas Annie Award Voice Acting in a Feature Production Won
2011 Page Eight Golden Globe Award Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
2011 Page Eight Satellite Award Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
2015 Skylight Tony Award Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play Nominated

Selected performances

Theatre

Radio

Date Title Role Author Director Station
8 March 1981 – 30 August 1981 The Lord of the Rings Sam Gamgee J.R.R. Tolkien dramatised by Brian Sibley and Michael Bakewell Jane Morgan and Penny Leicester BBC Radio 4
18 October 1983 – 15 November 1983 Yes, Minister Frank Weisel Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn adapted for radio by Pete Atkin Pete Atkin BBC Radio 4
26 December 1993 Arcadia Bernard Nightingale Tom Stoppard David Benedictus BBC Radio 3
30 April 1994 Ancient Enemies Elizabeth North BBC Radio 4
21 August 1999 So Much Blood Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Bert Coules Gaynor Macfarlane BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
6 January 2002 Blue/Orange Joe Penhall BBC Radio 4
21 March 2003 Baldi: The Book Case O'Connor Simon Brett Mark Lambert BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
19 April 2003 Turtle Diary William Russell Hoban Gaynor Macfarlane BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
25 September 2004 A Series of Murders Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
29 December 2004 All Fingers and Thumbs Tom Alan Stafford Dirk Maggs BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
30 August 2006 – 20 September 2006 A Charles Paris Mystery: Sicken and So Die[25] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4
19 October 2007 – 9 November 2007 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder Unprompted[26] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4
17 July 2008 I Wish to Apologise for My Part in the Apocalypse[27] Keith Duncan Macmillan Sam Hoyle BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
10 December 2008 – 31 December 2008 A Charles Paris Mystery: Dead Side of the Mic[28] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4
26 December 2009 Educating Rita[29] Frank Willy Russell Kirsty Williams BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2 January 2010 Private Lives[30] Elyot Noël Coward Sally Avens BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
29 January 2010 – 19 February 2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Cast in Order of Disappearance[31] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4
22 November 2010 – 13 December 2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder in the Title[32] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4
20 April 2011 The Bat Man[33] Christopher Amelia Bullmore Mary Peate BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
26 August 2013 Darkside[13] The Witch Finder / Doctor Antrobus Tom Stoppard BBC Radio 2
9 March 2016 – 30 March 2016 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Decent Interval[34] Charles Paris Simon Brett dramatised by Jeremy Front Sally Avens BBC Radio 4

References

  1. ↑ Bill Nighy – Nighy Accepts Surname Mispronunciation. contactmusic.com. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Bill Nighy: the thinking woman's bagel The Independent, 19 February 2006; Family Detective The Daily Telegraph.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bill Nighy, Hello magazine, undated, accessed 23 November 2009.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ BBC – Doctor Who (David Tennant and Billie Piper)- News at the Wayback Machine (archived April 8, 2008)
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Roberts, Laura. "It's not Love Actually after all as star Nighy splits with partner of 27 years", Daily Mail, 25 August 2008.
  15. ↑ Crystal Palace Supporters Children's Charity accessed 2 Jun 2007; Ann Craft Trust homepage
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ National Theatre archive cast and production listing.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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