A Life in Pictures: Bill Nighy

14 June 10

• Hear how Bill Nighy stumbled into an 'unlikely' career in acting
• Listen to his thoughts on co-stars and colleagues including Jonnie Depp and Stephen Poliakof
• Discover why he hates to watch himself act on screen

On 14 June 2010 BAFTA hosted a Life in Pictures event with actor Bill Nighy. A two time BAFTA winner and star of countless hit TV shows and films, Nighy has become a treasure of British cinema.

In this interview with presenter Francine Stock, the Love Actuially and Wild Target star displays a humble attitude towards his success revealing that he cannot bear to see himself on screen and very rarely watches his own films.

Watch Nighy recount tales of how he never took a career in acting particularly seriously having floated through drama school learning very little and “trying not to get busted”. He admits to retaining a distinct lack of interest in playing overtly classical roles particularly Shakespeare.

I had spectacularly low expectations so everything else has been a bonus...

Despite such a low opinion of his own talents, Nighy goes on to praise the skills of his previous co-stars and colleagues including Jonnie Depp and Stephen Poliakof.

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More About Bill Nighy

Bill Nighy's performance as womanizer Professor Mark Carleton in the TV drama serial The Men’s Room (1991) brought him a first taste of notable attention from which his roles and name have continued to grow.

His first BAFTA win was for his performance as a news paper editor in the cult series State of Play (2003), and he’s starred in two television films for writer/director Peter Poliakoff: The Lost Price (2003), and Gideon’s Daughter (2005).

It was Nighy’s performance as an aging rock vocalist Ray Simms in Still Crazy (1998) that established his cinema profile and perhaps paved the way rather neatly to his scene stealing performance as washed-up pop star Billy Mack in Love Actually (2003), for which he won his second BAFTA, for Supporting Actor.

Now over 60 years of age, Nighy’s film career continues to go from strength to strength. Wild Target, a comedy in which Nighy stars alongside Emily Blunt was released in June 2010. Cinemagoers young and old are also anticipating his first appearance as Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts I and II).

Alfred Dunhill BAFTA A Life in Pictures

Following actor Viggo Mortensen and director James Cameron , this event was the third in a new series of Life in Pictures events in partnership with luxury menswear brand, Alfred Dunhill.

• Find out more about Alfred Dunhill at www.dunhill.com

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