Bill Nighy: A Life in Pictures

20 December 11

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

In the full video - available to watch now on BAFTA Guru - Nighy recounts 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...

Nighy's 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.

Watch the Bill Nighy interview now on BAFTA Guru

_{BAFTA Guru is the Academy's online resource: inspiring minds in film, TV and games. Featuring the best in-depth video and podcasts from figures across the industries.}

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