Bill Nighy (born 12 December 1949) is a British actor of the stage and screen.
Film
Year Film Role(s) Note1979 Flower Delivery Boy (uncredited) 1980Death Watch Man in 'Harriet Scene' (uncredited) 1980Little Lord Fauntleroy Army officer (uncredited) 1981Eye of the Needle Squadron Leader Blenkinsop 1983Curse of the Pink Panther ENT Doctor1984 Al 1985Hitler's SS: Portrait in EvilHelmut HoffmannThirteen at DinnerRonald Marsh 1989Martin BartonMack the KnifeTiger Brown1994Being HumanJulian 1996True BlueJeremy SavilleIndian SummerTristan1997FairyTale: A True StoryEdward Gardner1998Still CrazyRay Simms1999Guest House ParadisoMr. Johnson 2001Blow DryRaymond "Ray" RobertsonLawless HeartDanLucky BreakRoger "Rog" Chamberlain2002AKAUncle Louis Gryffoyn 2003Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill Phil ParishLove ActuallyBilly MackI Capture the CastleJames MortmainUnderworldViktor 2004Shaun of the DeadPhilipEnduring LoveRobin 2005Dylan (voice)UK version onlySlartibartfastSir Bernard Pellegrin 2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestDavy JonesUnderworld: EvolutionViktorStormbreakerAlan BluntFlushed AwayWhitey (voice)Notes on a ScandalRichard Hart 2007Hot FuzzChief Inspector KennethPirates of the Caribbean: At World's EndDavy Jones 2008ValkyrieFriedrich OlbrichtThe Ringmaster 2009Underworld: Rise of the LycansViktorQuentinG-ForceLeonard SaberAstro BoyProfessor Simon Elefun/Robotsky (voices)Glorious 39Sir Alexander 2010Wild TargetVictor MaynardHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1Rufus Scrimgeour 2011RangoRattlesnake Jake (voice)Chalet GirlRichardArthur ChristmasGrandsanta (voice)Narrator (voice) 2012Douglas AinslieWrath of the TitansHephaestusTotal RecallMatthias Lair 2013Great White Shark 3DNarrator (voice)Jack the Giant SlayerFallon (voice)The Network (voice)About TimeJames Lake 2014I, FrankensteinNaberiusPrideCliffTurks & Caicos Johnny Worricker2015Douglas Ainslie 2016Dad's Army Sergeant WilsonNorm of the NorthSocrates (voice)Their FinestAmbrose Hilliard/Uncle Frank John Kildare 2017Edmund Brundish 2018Sometimes Always NeverAlan 2019 Timofey Detective Pikachu Howard Clifford/Mewtwo (voices) Hope Gap EdwardStarDog and TurboCat Sinclair (voice)2020 Emma. Mr. Woodhouse Minamata Robert Hayes 2021 Buckley's Chance Spencer2022 Living Mr. Rodney Williams2024 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 Dragonkeeper Danzi the Dragon (voice) That Christmas Bill (voice) 2025 & Sons Andrew Dyer 2026 Shelter Manafort 500 Miles John TBA Caine Filming Ibelin Filming The Turning Door (voice) Filming
Television
Year Title Role Notes1976Softly, Softly: Task ForceAlbert BlakeEpisode: "Say it with Flowers"1978–1982Play for TodayDave/William/Bill3 episodes1979PremierDeaseyEpisode: "Deasey" 1980AgonyVincent FishSeason 2FoxColin Street2 episodesBBC2 PlayhouseBrunoEpisode: "Standing in for Henry" 1982MinderOatesEpisode: "Looking for Micky"Play for TomorrowConnor MullenEpisode: "Easter 2016" 1983Reilly, Ace of SpiesGoschenEpisode: "1905: The Visiting Fireman"Jemima Shore InvestigatesDavid CullenEpisode: "A Model for Murder"1984Crown CourtLee SinclairEpisode: "The Son of His Father: Part 1"1985Cecil MearesMiniseries: 4 episodes1989Storyboard Sam Episode: "Making News" 1990Making News Sam Courtney 6 episodesScreenPlay Howard Nash Episode: "Antonia and Jane"TECX Brill Episode: "Writing on the Wall" 1991 Mark Carleton BBC serialBergerac BarryEpisode: "All For Love"Boon Steve ReevesEpisode: "Pillow Talk"1991–1993PerformanceRoger Maitland/Hugh Marriner2 episodes 1992ChillerTom DickensonEpisode: "The Cat Brought It In"John TraceyTelevision film 1993Eye of the StormTom Frewen6 episodesPeak PracticeAlan SinclairEpisode: "Growing Pains"Don't Leave Me This WayJohn TraceyTelevision film Roger Maitland BBC TV production1994WycliffeDavid CleeveEpisode: "The Four Jacks"1996Testament: The Bible in AnimationBelshazzar (voice)Episode: "Daniel" 1997InsidersMark GordonEpisode: "The Vat Man"Kavanagh QCGiles Culpepper QCEpisode: "Ancient History"1999–2000Kiss Me KateIan5 episodes1998–2000The Merchant 2 episodes1999People Like UsWill Rushmore Episode: "The Photographer" 2000LongitudeLord SandwichTelevision filmAnimated Tales of the WorldTiger (Voice) Episode: "A Story of Taiwan: Aunt Tiger" 2002Auf Wiedersehen, PetJeffrey GraingerSeason 3Alan Lockwood Episode: "Well Schooled in Murder" 2003State of PlayCameron Foster6 episodesReady When You Are, Mr. McGillPhil ParishTelevision filmArthur Bigge, 1st Baron StamfordhamJamesEpisode: "The Wife of Bath"Earl of ClinchamTelevision filmLife Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley FletcherNarrator (voice)2004He Knew He Was RightColonel Osborne3 parts 2005LawrenceTelevision filmGideon's DaughterGideon Warner 2006HorizonNarrator (voice)Episode: "The Great Robot Race" 200910 Minute TalesMr JellabyEpisode: "Statuesque"2010Doctor WhoDr BlackUncredited; episode: "Vincent and the Doctor"2011Page EightJohnny WorrickerTelevision films (The Worricker Trilogy) 2014Turks & CaicosSalting the Battlefield 2017 Red Nose Day Actually Billy Mack Television short film 2018 Ordeal by Innocence Leo Argyll 3 episodes 2019–present Narrator (voice) Television series 2020–2021Castlevania Saint Germain (voice) 14 episodes 2021–presentWorld’s Most Scenic River Journeys Narrator (voice) Television series 2022 Thomas Jerome Newton9 episodes 2024 Kent: The Garden of England Narrator (voice) Television series 2025 Lazarus Dr. Lazarus Television series 2026 Ride or Die The Director Television series; 7 episodes Jerry Filming; also executive producer Mr. Touchett Upcoming six-part series
Theatre YearTitleRolePlaywrightVenue1969Plaza SuiteAsst. Stage ManagerNeil SimonWatermill Theatre, Newbury1969The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here AnymorePerformer Tennessee Williams Watermill Theatre, Newbury1971Landscape and SilencePerformer Harold PinterGateway Theatre, Chester1971Entertaining Mr SloaneMr. SloaneJoe Orton Gateway Theatre, Chester1971Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are DeadPerformerTom Stoppard Arts Theatre, Cambridge1971The ImmoralistPerformerAndré GideHampstead Theatre 1971Speak NowTimmy Olwen WymarkTraverse Theatre, Edinburgh1971Under New ManagementHarold Chris BondEveryman Theatre, Liverpool1972Freedom of the CitySkinnwe Brian FrielEveryman Theatre, Liverpool 1976Occupy!PlayerEveryman Theatre, Liverpool 1977Illuminatus!PerformerKen Campbell/Chris LanghamNational Theatre, LondonNational Theatre archive cast and production listing. 1978Comings and GoingsVernon Mike StottHampstead Theatre Club 1979The WarpPerformerNeil Oram/ Ken CampbellInstitute of Contemporary Arts, London 1980IlluminationsGorman Arthur RimbaudLyric Hammersmith 1983A Map of the WorldStephen Andrews David Hare National Theatre, London 1985Pravda Eaton Sylvester David Hare/ Howard Brenton National Theatre, London 1986King Lear EdgarWilliam Shakespeare National Theatre, London 1987Mean TearsJulianPeter Gill National Theatre, Cottesloe 1991BetrayalJerryHarold Pinter Almeida Theatre, London 1993ArcadiaBernard NightingaleTom Stoppard National Theatre, London 1994The Seagull TrigorinAnton Chekhov National Theatre, London 1995–1997SkylightTom SergeantDavid Hare National Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre UK tour 1998A Kind of AlaskaHornbyHarold PinterDonmar Warehouse 2000–2001Blue/Orange RobertJoe Penhall National Theatre, Cottesloe Duchess Theatre, London 2006The Vertical Hour Oliver Lucas David Hare Music Box Theater, Broadway 2014SkylightTom SergeantDavid HareWyndham's Theatre, West End 2015John Golden Theatre, Broadway
Radio Date Title Role Station 1981 The Lord of the Rings Sam Gamgee BBC Radio 4 1983 Yes Minister Frank Weisel BBC Radio 41990PravdaEaton SylvesterBBC Radio 3 1993 Arcadia Bernard Nightingale BBC Radio 3 1994 Ancient Enemies BBC Radio 41996BeaumarchaisChevalier d'Éon/Lia de BeaumontBBC Radio 4 Extra 1999 So Much Blood Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play 2002 Blue/Orange 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 Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2007 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder Unprompted Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2008 I Wish to Apologise for My Part in the Apocalypse Keith BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 2008 A Charles Paris Mystery: Dead Side of the Mic Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2009 Educating Rita Frank BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play 2010 Private Lives Elyot BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play 2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Cast in Order of Disappearance Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2010 A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder in the Title Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2011 The Bat Man Christopher BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 2013 DarksideThe Witch Finder / Doctor Antrobus BBC Radio 22016 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Decent Interval Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2019 A Charles Paris Mystery: Star Trap Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2020 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Doubtful Death Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2021 A Charles Paris Mystery: A Deadly Habit Charles Paris BBC Radio 4 2023 A Charles Paris Mystery: So Much Blood Charles Paris BBC Radio 4
Video games Year Title Voice2009G-ForceLeonard Saber2013Disney InfinityDavy Jones 2014The Elder Scrolls OnlineHigh King EmericDestinyThe Speaker 2015The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel UnlimitedHigh King EmericDisney Infinity 3.0Davy Jones 2017The Elder Scrolls Online: MorrowindHigh King EmericDestiny 2The Speaker2018The Elder Scrolls Online: SummersetHigh King Emeric2019The Elder Scrolls Online: ElsweyrHigh King Emeric2020The Elder Scrolls Online: GreymoorHigh King Emeric2020KosmokratsNarrator2021The Elder Scrolls Online: BlackwoodHigh King Emeric
Theme park attractions Year Title Role Venue 2006 Pirates of the Caribbean Davy Jones Disneyland Walt Disney World
Audio drama Year Title Role Author Production company Notes 2021 The Sandman: Act II Odin Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs Audible
Music video +YearSongArtistRole2022"Free"Florence + The MachineFlorence Welch's anxiety
See also List of British actors List of British Academy Award nominees and winners List of actors with Academy Award nominations References
External links
Bill Nighy: A Life in Pictures Interview at BAFTA
Silk Sound Books