Bill Nighy on screen and stage

Bill Nighy at the Goya Awards in 2018

Bill Nighy (born 12 December 1949) is a British actor of the stage and screen.

Film

Bill Nighy in Ordeal by Innocence 2018
Year Film Role Notes
1979 The Bitch Flower Delivery Boy Uncredited
1980 Death Watch Man in 'Harriet scene' Uncredited
1980 Little Lord Fauntleroy Army officer Uncredited
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
Thirteen at Dinner Ronald Marsh
1989 The Phantom of the Opera Martin Barton
Mack the Knife Tiger Brown
1994 Being Human Julian
1996 True Blue Jeremy Saville
Indian Summer Tristan
1997 FairyTale: A True Story Edward Gardner
1998 Still Crazy Ray Simms
1999 Guest House Paradiso Mr Johnson
2001 Blow Dry Raymond "Ray" Robertson
Lawless Heart Dan
Lucky Break Roger "Rog" Chamberlain
2002 AKA Uncle Louis Gryffoyn
2003 Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill Phil Parish
Love Actually Billy Mack
I Capture the Castle James Mortmain
Underworld Viktor
2004 Shaun of the Dead Philip
Enduring Love Robin
2005 The Magic Roundabout Dylan (voice) UK version only
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Slartibartfast
The Constant Gardener Sir Bernard Pellegrin
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Davy Jones
Underworld: Evolution Viktor
Stormbreaker Alan Blunt
Flushed Away Whitey (voice)
Notes on a Scandal Richard Hart
2007 Hot Fuzz Chief Inspector Kenneth
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Davy Jones
2008 Valkyrie Friedrich Olbricht
A Fox's Tale The Ringmaster
2009 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Viktor
The Boat That Rocked Quentin
G-Force Leonard Saber
Astro Boy Professor Simon Elefun/Robotsky (voice)
Glorious 39 Sir Alexander
2010 Wild Target Victor Maynard
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Rufus Scrimgeour
2011 Rango Rattlesnake Jake (voice)
Chalet Girl Richard
Arthur Christmas Grandsanta (voice)
The Man with the Stolen Heart Narrator (voice) [1]
2012 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Douglas Ainslie
Wrath of the Titans Hephaestus
Total Recall Matthias Lair
2013 Great White Shark 3D Narrator (voice) [2]
Jack the Giant Slayer Fallon (voice)
The World's End The Network (voice)
About Time James Lake
2014 I, Frankenstein Naberius
Pride Cliff
Turks & Caicos Johnny Worricker
2015 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Douglas Ainslie
2016 Dad's Army Sergeant Wilson
Norm of the North Socrates (voice)
Their Finest Ambrose Hilliard / Uncle Frank
The Limehouse Golem John Kildare
2017 The Bookshop Edmund Brundish
2018 Sometimes Always Never Alan
2019 The Kindness of Strangers Timofey
Detective Pikachu Howard Clifford / Mewtwo (voice)
Hope Gap Edward
StarDog and TurboCat Sinclair (voice)
2020 Emma. Mr Woodhouse
Minamata Robert Hayes
2021 Buckley's Chance Spencer
2022 Living Mr Rodney Williams
2024 Role Play Bob
The Beautiful Game Mal
The First Omen Lawrence
10 Lives Professor Craven (voice)
Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue Conrad (voice)
The Wild Robot Longneck (voice)
Joy Patrick Steptoe
That Christmas Lighthouse Bill (voice)
2025 & Sons † Post-production
TBA 500 Miles † TBA Post-production[3]
Untitled Ric Roman Waugh film † TBA Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Softly, Softly: Taskforce Albert Blake Episode: "Say it with Flowers"
1978–1982 Play for Today Dave/William/Bill 3 episodes
1979 Premier Deasey Episode: "Deasey"
1980 Agony Vincent Fish Season 2
Fox Colin Street 2 episodes
BBC2 Playhouse Bruno Episode: "Standing in for Henry"
1982 Minder Oates Episode: "Looking for Micky"
Play for Tomorrow Connor Mullen Episode: "Easter 2016"
1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Goschen Episode: "1905: The Visiting Fireman"
Jemima Shore Investigates David Cullen Episode: "A Model for Murder"
1984 Crown Court Lee Sinclair Episode: "The Son of His Father: Part 1"
1985 The Last Place on Earth Cecil Meares Miniseries: 4 episodes
1989 Storyboard Sam Episode: "Making News"
1990 Making News Sam Courtney 6 episodes
ScreenPlay Howard Nash Episode: "Antonia and Jane"
TECX Brill Episode: "Writing on the Wall"
1991 The Men's Room Mark Carleton BBC serial
Bergerac Barry Episode: "All For Love"
Boon Steve Reeves Episode: "Pillow Talk"
1991–1993 Performance Roger Maitland/Hugh Marriner 2 episodes
1992 Chiller Tom Dickenson Episode: "The Cat Brought It In"
A Masculine Ending John Tracey Television film
1993 Eye of the Storm Tom Frewen 6 episodes
Peak Practice Alan Sinclair Episode: "Growing Pains"
Don't Leave Me This Way John Tracey Television film
The Maitlands Roger Maitland BBC TV production
1994 Wycliffe David Cleeve Episode: "The Four Jacks"
1996 Testament: The Bible in Animation Belshazzar (voice) Episode: "Daniel"
1997 Insiders Mark Gordon Episode: "The Vat Man"
Kavanagh QC Giles Culpepper QC Episode: "Ancient History"
1999–2000 Kiss Me Kate Ian 5 episodes
1998–2000 The Canterbury Tales The Merchant 2 episodes
1999 People Like Us Will Rushmore Episode: "The Photographer"
2000 Longitude Lord Sandwich Television film
Animated Tales of the World Tiger (Voice) Episode: "A Story of Taiwan: Aunt Tiger"
2002 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Jeffrey Grainger Season 3
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Alan Lockwood Episode: "Well Schooled in Murder"
2003 State of Play Cameron Foster 6 episodes
Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill Phil Parish Television film
The Lost Prince Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham
The Canterbury Tales James Episode: "The Wife of Bath"
The Young Visiters Earl of Clincham Television film
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher Narrator (voice)
2004 He Knew He Was Right Colonel Osborne 3 parts
2005 The Girl in the Café Lawrence Television film
Gideon's Daughter Gideon Warner
2006 Horizon Narrator (voice) Episode: "The Great Robot Race"
2009 10 Minute Tales Mr Jellaby Episode: "Statuesque"
2010 Doctor Who Dr Black Uncredited; episode: "Vincent and the Doctor"
2011 Page Eight Johnny Worricker Television films (The Worricker Trilogy)
2014 Turks & Caicos
Salting the Battlefield
2017 Red Nose Day Actually Billy Mack Television short film
2018 Ordeal by Innocence Leo Argyll 3 episodes[4]
2019–present The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys Narrator (voice) Television series
2020–2021 Castlevania Saint Germain (voice) 14 episodes
2021–present World’s Most Scenic River Journeys Narrator (voice) Television series
2022 The Man Who Fell to Earth Thomas Jerome Newton 9 episodes
2024 Kent: The Garden of England[5] Narrator (voice) Television series
2025 Lazarus † Dr. Lazarus Filming[6]
TBA Ride or Die † The Director Filming[7]
California Avenue † Jerry Filming; also executive producer[8]

Theatre

Year Title Role Playwright Venue Ref.
1969 Plaza Suite Asst. Stage Manager Neil Simon Watermill Theatre, Newbury [9]
1969 The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore Performer Tennessee Williams Watermill Theatre, Newbury [10]
1971 Landscape and Silence Performer Harold Pinter Gateway Theatre, Chester [10]
1971 Entertaining Mr Sloane Mr. Sloane Joe Orton Gateway Theatre, Chester [10]
1971 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead Performer Tom Stoppard Arts Theatre, Cambridge [11]
1971 The Immoralist Performer André Gide Hampstead Theatre [11]
1971 Speak Now Timmy Olwen Wymark Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh [11]
1971 Under New Management Harold Chris Bond Everyman Theatre, Liverpool [10]
1972 Freedom of the City Skinnwe Brian Friel Everyman Theatre, Liverpool [12]
1976 Occupy! Player Everyman Theatre, Liverpool [13]
1977 Illuminatus! Performer Ken Campbell/Chris Langham National Theatre, London [14]
1978 Comings and Goings Vernon Mike Stott Hampstead Theatre Club [15]
1979 The Warp Performer Neil Oram/ Ken Campbell Institute of Contemporary Arts, London [13]
1980 Illuminations Gorman Arthur Rimbaud Lyric Hammersmith [16]
1983 A Map of the World Stephen Andrews David Hare National Theatre, London
1985 Pravda Eaton Sylvester David Hare/ Howard Brenton National Theatre, London [17]
1986 King Lear Edgar William Shakespeare National Theatre, London [18]
1987 Mean Tears Julian Peter Gill National Theatre, Cottesloe [19]
1991 Betrayal Jerry Harold Pinter Almeida Theatre, London
1993 Arcadia Bernard Nightingale Tom Stoppard National Theatre, London [20]
1994 The Seagull Trigorin Anton Chekhov National Theatre, London [21]
1995–97 Skylight Tom Sergeant David Hare National Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre UK tour
1998 A Kind of Alaska Hornby Harold Pinter Donmar Warehouse [22]
2000–01 Blue/Orange Robert Joe Penhall National Theatre, Cottesloe
Duchess Theatre, London 		[13]
2006 The Vertical Hour Oliver Lucas David Hare Music Box Theater, Broadway [13]
2014 Skylight Tom Sergeant David Hare Wyndham's Theatre, West End [23]
2015 John Golden Theatre, Broadway [23]

Radio

Date Title Role Station
1981 The Lord of the Rings Sam Gamgee[24] BBC Radio 4
1983 Yes Minister Frank Weisel BBC Radio 4
1990 Pravda Eaton

Sylvester

BBC Radio 3
1993 Arcadia Bernard Nightingale BBC Radio 3
1994 Ancient Enemies Un­known BBC Radio 4
1999 So Much Blood Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2002 Blue/Orange Un­known BBC Radio 4
2003 Baldi: The Book Case O'Connor BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
2003 Turtle Diary William BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2004 A Series of Murders Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2004 All Fingers and Thumbs Tom BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
2006 A Charles Paris Mystery: Sicken and So Die[25] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2007 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder Unprompted[26] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2008 I Wish to Apologise for My Part in the Apocalypse[27] Keith BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
2008 A Charles Paris Mystery: Dead Side of the Mic[28] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2009 Educating Rita[29] Frank BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2010 Private Lives[30] Elyot BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play
2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Cast in Order of Disappearance[31] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder in the Title[32] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2011 The Bat Man[33] Christopher BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
2013 Darkside[34] The Witch Finder / Doctor Antrobus BBC Radio 2
2016 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Decent Interval[35] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2019 A Charles Paris Mystery: Star Trap[36] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2020 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Doubtful Death[37] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2021 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Deadly Habit[38] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
2023 A Charles Paris Mystery: So Much Blood[39] Charles Paris BBC Radio 4

Video games

Year Title Voice
2009 G-Force Leonard Saber
2013 Disney Infinity Davy Jones
2014 The Elder Scrolls Online High King Emeric
Destiny The Speaker[40]
2015 The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited High King Emeric
Disney Infinity 3.0 Davy Jones[41]
2017 The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind High King Emeric
Destiny 2 The Speaker
2018 The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset High King Emeric
2019 The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr High King Emeric
2020 The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor High King Emeric
2020 Kosmokrats Narrator
2021 The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood High King Emeric

Audio drama

Year Title Role Author Production company Notes
2021 The Sandman: Act II Odin Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs Audible [42]

Music video

Year Song Artist Role
2022 "Free"[43] Florence + The Machine Florence Welch's anxiety

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Man with the Stolen Heart". Charlotte Film Festival. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Great White Shark 3D". Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  3. ^ Calnan, Ellie (14 October 2024). "Morgan Matthews' '500 Miles' starring Bill Nighy, Maisie Williams begins filming in Ireland". Screen Daily.
  4. ^ Billen, Andrew (31 March 2018). "Ordeal by Innocence: the Christie Mystery that almost got away". The Times. No. 72497. Saturday Review. pp. 4–5. ISSN 0140-0460.
  5. ^ "Kent: The Garden of England". tv.apple.com. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  6. ^ Seddon, Dan (16 February 2024). "Harlan Coben's new show gets first look at cast filming". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  7. ^ Schneider, Michael (27 February 2025). "Bill Nighy Joins Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham in Amazon Prime Video Action Series 'Ride or Die' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  8. ^ "BBC announces California Avenue, a new drama from Hugo Blick starring Bill Nighy, Helena Bonham Carter, Erin Doherty, and Tom Burke". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  9. ^ BWW News Desk. "The Watermill Celebrates 50 Years of Producing Theatre and Three London Transfers in 2017". BroadwayWorld.com.
  10. ^ a b c d Blackhall, Sue (26 December 2010). Billy Nighy – The Unauthorised Biography. Kings Road Publishing. ISBN 9781784185176 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ a b c Billy Nighy – the Unauthorised Biography. Kings Road. 26 December 2010. ISBN 9781784185176.
  12. ^ Billy Nighy – the Unauthorised Biography. Kings Road. 26 December 2010. ISBN 9781784185176.
  13. ^ a b c d "Bill Nighy". IMDb.
  14. ^ National Theatre archive Archived 21 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine cast and production listing.
  15. ^ Billy Nighy – the Unauthorised Biography. Kings Road. 26 December 2010. ISBN 9781784185176.
  16. ^ Billy Nighy – the Unauthorised Biography. Kings Road. 26 December 2010. ISBN 9781784185176.
  17. ^ "In Conversation With Bill Nighy".
  18. ^ "King Lear (1986): National Theatre, Olivier Theatre | BBA Shakespeare". bbashakespeare.warwick.ac.uk.
  19. ^ Clum, John M. (4 May 2018). Staging Gay Lives: An Anthology of Contemporary Gay Theater. Routledge. ISBN 9780429965753 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ Coveney, Michael (18 April 1993). "Arcadia: Michael Coveney's review". The Observer. London.
  21. ^ "THEATRE / Every picture tells a story: Paul Taylor on The Seagull". The Independent. 9 July 1994.
  22. ^ Wolf, Matt (8 June 1998). "3 by Harold Pinter".
  23. ^ a b "'Skylight' Theater Review: Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy Bring New Fire to an Old Romance". 3 April 2015.
  24. ^ Green, Willow (29 November 2001). "Lord of the Radio". Empire (Cinemas). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  25. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Sicken and So Die". BBC. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  26. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Murder Unprompted". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  27. ^ "BBC – Afternoon Play – I Wish to Apologise for My Part in the Apocalypse". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  28. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Dead Side of the Mic". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  29. ^ "BBC – Saturday Play – Educating Rita". BBC. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  30. ^ "BBC – Saturday Play – Private Lives". BBC. 2 January 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  31. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Cast in Order of Disappearance". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  32. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Murder in the Title". BBC. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  33. ^ "BBC – Afternoon Play – The Bat Man". BBC. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  34. ^ "Pink Floyd album inspires Sir Tom Stoppard radio play". BBC. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  35. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – A Decent Interval". BBC. March 2016.
  36. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – Star Trap". BBC. March 2019.
  37. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – A Doubtful Death". BBC. May 2020.
  38. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – A Deadly Habit". BBC. May 2021.
  39. ^ "BBC – A Charles Paris Mystery – So Much Blood". BBC. June 2023.
  40. ^ Destiny – End Credits – IGN Video. IGN Video. 11 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  41. ^ Avalanche Software. Disney Infinity 3.0. Scene: Closing credits, 5:39 in, Featuring the Voice Talents of.
  42. ^ "'The Sandman: Act II' on Audible Premiere Date Set, James McAvoy Returns to Lead Star-Studded Cast". 22 July 2021.
  43. ^ Florence + The Machine – Free, 20 April 2022, retrieved 3 May 2022
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