Bill Nighy's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (UK) Jeffrey Gra… Meerkat Manor Narrator State of Play (UK) Cameron Fos… Grumpy Old Men (UK) Bill Nighy The Armstrongs (UK) Narrator Fox (UK) Colin Street

Main Movie Roles 2011 - Rango 2010 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I 2009 - Astro Boy 2009 - Underworld: Rise of the Lycans 2009 - The Boat That Rocked 2009 - G-Force 2009 - Glorious 39 2008 - Valkyrie 2008 - Kis Vuk 2007 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 2007 - Hot Fuzz 2006 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 2006 - Notes on a Scandal 2006 - Underworld: Evolution 2006 - Flushed Away 2005 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 2005 - The Constant Gardener 2005 - The Magic Roundabout 2004 - Shaun of the Dead 2004 - Enduring Love 2003 - Underworld 2003 - I Capture the Castle 2003 - Love Actually 2001 - Blow Dry 1999 - Guest House Paradiso 1998 - Still Crazy 1997 - FairyTale: A True Story 1989 - The Phantom of the Opera 1984 - The Little Drummer Girl 1983 - Curse of the Pink Panther 1981 - Eye of the Needle

BIOGRAPHY:

Bill Nighy was born on December 12th 1949 in Caterham, Surrey. His father managed a garage in Croydon and his mother worked as a psychiatric nurse. At school he gained 'O'-levels in English Language and English Literature and enjoyed reading, particularly Ernest Hemingway. On leaving school he wanted to become a journalist but didn't have the required qualifications. He eventually went on to work as a messenger boy for the Field magazine. He stayed in Paris for a while because he wanted to write "the great novel", but he only managed to write the title. When he ran out of money, the British consul shipped him home. A girlfriend suggested that he should become an actor, so he trained at Guildford School of Dance and Drama. Since then he has found continuous work as an actor, on stage, screen and radio. His stage work includes National Theatre roles in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia in 1993, David Hare's Skylight and Blue Orange. Bill's partner was actress Diana Quick (he asked her to marry him but she said: "don't ask me again", he called her his wife because anything else would have been too difficult). They have a daughter, Mary Nighy, who is studying at university and contemplating an acting career. She has already began to appear on TV dramas and radio programs.


TRIVIA:

• In _Notes on a Scandal (2006)_ (qv), he appears opposite 'Cate Blanchett' (qv). 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 (I)' (qv)'s films.
• 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.
• Was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in June 2004.
• Appears in _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)_ (qv), the sequel to _Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)_ (qv), opposite 'Orlando Bloom' (qv), who appeared in the Lord of the Rings films. Nighy appeared in the radio version.
• 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.
• Played the part of "Sam Gamgee" in the original BBC radio production of The Lord of the Rings alongside 'Ian Holm' (qv) as "Frodo". 'Peter Jackson (I)' (qv) (director of the _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)_ (qv)) gave this version to those members of his cast who hadn't read the book.
• 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.
• Daughter, 'Mary Nighy' (qv) (born July 17, 1984) with 'Diana Quick' (qv) who was his long-time partner.