Profile photo of Bill Nighy

Bill Nighy

William Francis Nighy (born 12 December 1949) is an English actor. Known for his work on screen and stage, he has received numerous awards, including two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award and nominations for an Academy Award and a Tony Award. Nighy started his career with the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool and made his London debut with the Royal National Theatre starting with The Illuminatus! in 1977. There he gained acclaim for his roles in David Hare's Pravda in 1985, Harold Pinter's Betrayal in 1991, Tom Stoppard's Arcadia in 1993, and Anton Chekov's The Seagull in 1994. He received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor nomination for his performance in Blue/Orange in 2001. He made his Broadway debut in Hare's The Vertical Hour in 2006, and returned in the 2015 revival of Hare's Skylight earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. Early film roles include in the comedies Still Crazy (1998), and Blow Dry (1999) before his breakout role in Love Actually (2003) which earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He soon gained recognition portraying Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series (2006-2007), and Viktor in the Underworld film series (2003-2009). Other films include Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), The Constant Gardener (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Hot Fuzz (2007), Valkyrie (2008), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), About Time (2013), Emma (2020), and Living (2022), the last of these earning him his first career Academy Award nomination. Nighy has gained acclaim for his roles in television earning a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his performance in BBC One series State of Play (2003), and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for the BBC film Gideon's Daughter (2007). He's also known for his roles in HBO's The Girl in the Café (2006) and PBS's Page Eight (2012).

Filmography

2026
Shelter
Movie
2024
That Christmas

as Lighthouse Bill (voice)

Movie
2024
The Wild Robot

as Longneck (voice)

Movie
2020
Emma.

as Mr. Woodhouse

Movie
2019
Pokémon Detective Pikachu

as Howard Clifford

Movie
2013
About Time

as Dad

Movie
2013
The World's End

as The Network (voice)

Movie
2013
Jack the Giant Slayer

as General Fallon

Movie
2012
Total Recall

as Matthias

Movie
2012
Wrath of the Titans

as Hephaestus

Movie
2011
Arthur Christmas

as Grandsanta (voice)

Movie
2011
Rango

as Rattlesnake Jake (voice)

Movie
2010
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

as Rufus Scrimgeour

Movie
2008
Valkyrie

as Friedrich Olbricht

Movie
2007
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

as Davy Jones

Movie
2006
Flushed Away

as Whitey (voice)

Movie
2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

as Davy Jones

Movie
2006
Underworld: Evolution

as Viktor

Movie
2004
Shaun of the Dead

as Phillip

Movie
2003
Underworld

as Viktor

Movie
2003
Love Actually

as Billy Mack

Movie
1980
Little Lord Fauntleroy

as Officer

Movie