Bill Nighy Biography

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flixster.actor.standard.01.162652300 - flixsterBill Nighy biography:

Birth Name: William Francis Nighy

Date of Birth: 12 December 1949, Caterham, Surrey, England, UK




Bill Nighy quote: I used to think that prizes were demeaning and divisive, until I got one, and now they seem sort of meaningful and real. (On winning a Golden Globe in 2007).

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Career Highlights
Non-acting careers:
Big break:
Defining characters:
Best movies: Still Crazy, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At the World's End, Love Actually, Notes on a Scandal, Valkyrie, Underworld.
Best TV: Gideon's Daughter, The Lost Prince, The Girl in the Café.
Stage credits:

2001 - Played Robert in "Blue/ Orange", a new play by Joe Penhall - National Theatre, London (2000)/ Duchess Theatre, London (2001).

Played Mr Wisel in the radio production of "Yes, Minister" in the episode "Open Government", with Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne.

(November 2006) Played on Broadway with Julianne Moore in "The Vertical Hour", a new play by David Hare, directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes.

Played in "Occupy!" - Everyman Theatre, Liverpool (1976).

Played in "Illuminatus!" based on the novels by Ken Campbell - Liverpool Theatre of Science Fiction (1975)/ National Theatre, London (1977).

Played Vernon in "Comings & Goings" by Mike Stott - Hampstead Theatre Club, London (1978).

Played in "The Warp" by Neil Oram & Ken Campbell - Institute of Contemporary Arts, London/ Everyman Theatre, Liverpool (1979).

Played Gorman in "Illuminations" by Peter Jenkins - Lyric Hammersmith, London (1980).

Played Stephen Andrews in "Map of the World" - National Theatre, London (1983).

Played Eaton Sylvester in "Pravda" - National Theatre, London (1985).

Played Edgar in Shakespeare's "King Lear" - National Theatre, London (1986).

Played Julian in "Mean Tears" - National Theatre, London (1987).

Appeared in "Betrayal" by Harold Pinter - Almeida Theatre, London (1991).

Played Bernard Nightingale in "Arcadia", a new play by Tom Stoppard - National Theatre, London (1993).

Played Trigorin in Chekhov's "The Seagull" - National Theatre, London (1994).

Played Andy in "A Kind of Alaska" by Harold Pinter - Donmar Warehouse, London (1998).

Played Timmy in "Speak Now" - Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (2004).

Played Tom in "Skylight" by David Hare - Vaudeville Theatre, London (1995)/ UK tour (1997).

(1980) He acted in Peter Jenkins' play, "Illuminations," was performed at Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, London, England with Paul Eddington CBE, Nigel Stock, Judy Loe, and directed by Richard Cottrell.

(1998) He acted in Harold Pinter's "The Collection, The Lover," and "A Kind of Alaska," at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London, England with Penelope Wilton OBE, Harold Pinter CBE, Douglas Hodge, Lia Williams, Colin McFarlane, directed by Joe Harmston.
Endorsements:
Other notable appearances/credits:
Top awards: Won BAFTA Film Award (2004) for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for: Love Actually (2003) Won BAFTA TV Award (2004) for Best Actor for: "State of Play" (2003) Won Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (2004) for Love Actually (2003) Won Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (1999) for Still Crazy (1998) Won Golden Globe (2007) for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television for Gideon's Daughter (2005) (TV)
Other: He is 6' 2" (1.88 m)

Bill Nighy Relationships
Family:
Daughter, Mary Nighy (born July 17, 1984) with Diana Quick who was his long-time partner.
Romance(s):
Frequent collaborator(s):
Other affiliations:

Fun Facts About Bill Nighy

Played the part of "Sam Gamgee" in the original BBC radio production of The Lord of the Rings alongside Ian Holm as "Frodo". Peter Jackson (director of the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)) gave this version to those members of his cast who hadn't read the book.
He is a huge fan of The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Actor in his performance of Blue/Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe Stage.
Was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in June 2004.
Only two BBC radio productions have also been turned into major motion pictures: The Lord of the Rings and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Nighy appeared in the radio version of Rings and the film version of Hitchhiker's Guide.
Appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), opposite Orlando Bloom, who appeared in the Lord of the Rings films. Nighy appeared in the radio version.
Has Dupuytren's Contracture, a hereditary condition which causes the ring and little fingers of each hand to be permanently bent inwards towards the palm.
He has played three different undead characters. He was a zombie in Shaun of the Dead. He was a vampire in Underworld and Underworld: Evolution. He plays Davy Jones in the two Pirates of the Caribbean sequels.
In Notes on a Scandal (2006), he appears opposite Cate Blanchett. He and Blanchett have both appeared in adaptations of The Lord of the Rings. Nighy played Sam Gamgee in the BBC Radio broadcast, while Blanchett plays Galadriel in Peter Jackson's films.
Daughter, Mary Nighy (born July 17, 1984) with Diana Quick who was his long-time partner.
Bill Nighy's Awards & Honors
Year
 Award
 Category/Recipient(s)
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Bill Nighy's Upcoming Projects
  1. Underworld 4 (2011) (announced) (rumored) .... Viktor
  2. Statuesque (2009) (TV) (pre-production)
  3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (2011) (filming) .... Rufus Scrimgeour
  4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010) (filming) .... Rufus Scrimgeour
    ... aka The Deathly Hallows (USA: short title)
  5. Rango (2011) (post-production)
  6. Wild Target (2009) (completed) .... Victor Maynard






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