Known For
Acting
Known Credits
191
Gender
Male
Birthday
December 12, 1949 (76 years old)
Place of Birth
Caterham, Surrey, England, UK
William Francis Nighy (/naɪ/; born 12 December 1949) is a British actor. Known for his work on stage and screen, he has received various accolades, including two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Nighy started his career with the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, and made his London debut with the Royal National Theatre, starting with The Illuminatus! in 1977. He gained acclaim for his roles in David Hare's Pravda in 1985, Harold Pinter's Betrayal in 1991, Tom Stoppard's Arcadia in 1993, and Anton Chekhov's The Seagull in 1994. He received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor nomination for his role in Blue/Orange in 2001. He acted on Broadway in the David Hare plays The Vertical Hour (2006) and Skylight (2015), earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination for the latter.
Nighy's early film roles include the comedies Still Crazy (1998), Guest House Paradiso (1999) and Blow Dry (2001). He rose to international stardom with his role in Love Actually (2003), for which he won a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to portray Viktor in the Underworld film series (2003–2009) and Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series (2006–2007). His other films include Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), The Constant Gardener (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Hot Fuzz (2007), Valkyrie (2008), Wild Target (2010), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), About Time (2013), Emma (2020), and Living (2022), the last of which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Nighy has gained acclaim for his television roles, earning a BAFTA Award for his role in the BBC One series State of Play (2003), and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for the BBC film Gideon's Daughter (2007). He is also known for his roles in The Girl in the Café (2006), the BBC's Worricker trilogy, which includes Page Eight (2012), Turks & Caicos (2014), and Salting the Battlefield (2014), and the BBC's Ordeal by Innocence (2018).
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| 2026 | & Sonsas Andrew | |
| 2026 | Ride or Dieas The Director | |
| 2026 | 500 Milesas | |
| 2026 | Bulkas The Voice | |
| 2026 | Shelteras Manafort | |
| 2025 | Harlan Coben's Lazarusas Doctor Lazarus 'Dr L' | |
| 2025 | This Is the Beginningas | |
| 2024 | That Christmasas Lighthouse Bill (voice) | |
| 2024 | Joyas Patrick Steptoe | |
| 2024 | The Wild Robotas Longneck (voice) | |
| 2024 | Kent: Garden of Englandas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2024 | Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescueas Conrad (voice) | |
| 2024 | 10 Livesas Professor Craven (voice) | |
| 2024 | The First Omenas Cardinal Lawrence | |
| 2024 | The Beautiful Gameas Mal | |
| 2023 | Role Playas Bob | |
| 2023 | Darklingas | |
| 2023 | Spectre of the Bearas Bennett (voice) | |
| 2023 | Bloody Furyas Bloody's Consciousness (voice) | |
| 2023 | Norfolk & Suffolk: Coast & Countryas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2022 | The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later – A Diane Sawyer Specialas Self | |
| 2022 | Livingas Williams | |
| 2022 | LIGHT & MAGICas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2022 | The Man Who Fell to Earthas Thomas Jerome Newton | |
| 2021 | Christmas Magic at Kew Gardensas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2021 | Lotus: A New Dawnas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2021 | Iberia's Woodlands: Life on the Edgeas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2021 | Buckley's Chanceas Spencer | |
| 2021 | Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynastyas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2021 | World's Most Scenic River Journeysas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2021 | Natural History Museum: World of Wonderas Self - Narrator | |
| 2020 | Katherine Jenkins Christmas Spectacularas Self | |
| 2020 | Minamataas Robert "Bob" Hayes | |
| 2020 | Emma.as Mr. Woodhouse | |
| 2019 | The Kindness of Strangersas Timofey | |
| 2019 | StarDog and TurboCatas Sinclair (voice) | |
| 2019 | World's Most Scenic Railway Journeysas Narrator (voice) | |
| 2019 | Hope Gapas Edward | |
| 2019 | Pokémon Detective Pikachuas Howard Clifford | |
| 2019 | Sometimes Always Neveras Alan | |
| 2018 | Ordeal by Innocenceas Leo Argyll | |
| 2017 | The Bookshopas Mr. Brundish | |
| 2017 | Castlevaniaas Saint Germain (voice) | |
| 2017 | Red Nose Day Actuallyas Billy Mack | |
| 2017 | Their Finestas Ambrose Hilliard / Uncle Frank | |
| 2016 | The Limehouse Golemas John Kildare | |
| 2016 | Dad's Armyas Sergeant Wilson | |
| 2016 | Norm of the Northas Socrates (voice) | |
| 2015 | A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardmanas Self - 'Flushed Away' and 'Arthur Christmas' | |
| 2015 | The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotelas Douglas Ainslie | |
| 2014 | Prideas Cliff | |
| 2014 | National Theatre Live: Skylightas Tom Sergeant | |
| 2014 | Salting the Battlefieldas Johnny Worricker | |
| 2014 | Turks & Caicosas Johnny Worricker | |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyersas Self | |
| 2014 | I, Frankensteinas Naberius | |
| 2013 | About Timeas Dad | |
| 2013 | The World's Endas The Network (voice) | |
| 2013 | The Hungry Corpseas The Hungry Corpse | |
| 2013 | Great White Sharkas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2013 | Jack the Giant Slayeras General Fallon | |
| 2013 | Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greeneas Graham Greene (voice) | |
| 2012 | London: The Modern Babylonas Spoken Quotations (voice) | |
| 2012 | Total Recallas Matthias | |
| 2012 | Wrath of the Titansas Hephaestus | |
| 2012 | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelas Douglas Ainslie | |
| 2011 | Arthur Christmasas Grandsanta (voice) | |
| 2011 | Page Eightas Johnny Worricker | |
| 2011 | Astonish Meas The Professor | |
| 2011 | Real Creatures of Dirtas Self / Rattlesnake Jake | |
| 2011 | The Man with the Stolen Heartas Narrator | |
| 2011 | Rangoas Rattlesnake Jake (voice) | |
| 2011 | Chalet Girlas Richard Madsen | |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1as Rufus Scrimgeour | |
| 2010 | Wild Targetas Victor Maynard | |
| 2009 | 10 Minute Talesas Mr Jellaby | |
| 2009 | Glorious 39as Alexander Keyes | |
| 2009 | Astro Boyas Dr. Elefun / Robotsky (voice) | |
| 2009 | Live from Studio Fiveas Self | |
| 2009 | G-Forceas Leonard Saber | |
| 2009 | The Big Art Projectas Narrator | |
| 2009 | The Boat That Rockedas Quentin | |
| 2009 | Underworld: Rise of the Lycansas Viktor | |
| 2008 | Valkyrieas Friedrich Olbricht | |
| 2008 | Slapperas Arnold Percy | |
| 2007 | Conclusive: We Made Hot Fuzzas Self | |
| 2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's Endas Davy Jones | |
| 2007 | Hot Fuzzas Met Chief Inspector | |
| 2006 | Notes on a Scandalas Richard Hart | |
| 2006 | Flushed Awayas Whitey (voice) | |
| 2006 | Stormbreakeras Alan Blunt | |
| 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chestas Davy Jones | |
| 2006 | We Love Cigarettesas Narrator | |
| 2006 | Underworld: Evolutionas Viktor | |
| 2006 | Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of The Constant Gardeneras Self | |
| 2005 | Gideon's Daughteras Gideon Warner | |
| 2005 | Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'as Self | |
| 2005 | Meerkat Manoras Narrator | |
| 2005 | The Constant Gardeneras Sir Bernard Pellegrin | |
| 2005 | Inside 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'as Self | |
| 2005 | The Girl in the Caféas Lawrence | |
| 2005 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxyas Slartibartfast | |
| 2005 | Doctor Whoas Dr Black | |
| 2005 | The Magic Roundaboutas Dylan (voice) | |
| 2004 | Bottom Mindless Violenceas Mr. Johnson (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2004 | Enduring Loveas Robin | |
| 2004 | Ready When You Are, Mr McGillas Phil Parish | |
| 2004 | Peter Ustinov: The Parkinson Interviewsas Self - Narrator | |
| 2004 | He Knew He Was Rightas Colonel Osborne | |
| 2004 | Shaun of the Deadas Phillip | |
| 2004 | Burstas Maxwell's Fan 22 | |
| 2003 | Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcheras Self - Narrator | |
| 2003 | The Young Visitersas Earl of Clincham | |
| 2003 | Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Piratesas | |
| 2003 | Grumpy Old Menas Self | |
| 2003 | Underworldas Viktor | |
| 2003 | Canterbury Talesas James | |
| 2003 | Love Actuallyas Billy Mack | |
| 2003 | State of Playas Cameron Foster | |
| 2003 | I Capture the Castleas James Mortmain | |
| 2003 | The Lost Princeas Stamfordham | |
| 2002 | Timeshiftas self (voice) | |
| 2002 | Lawless Heartas Dan | |
| 2002 | The Inspector Lynley Mysteriesas Lockwood | |
| 2002 | AKAas Uncle Louis Gryffoyn | |
| 2001 | Richard & Judyas Self | |
| 2001 | Lucky Breakas Roger | |
| 2001 | Blow Dryas Ray Robertson | |
| 2000 | Black Booksas Man at bar | |
| 2000 | Longitudeas Lord Sandwich | |
| 2000 | Longitudeas Lord Sandwich | |
| 1999 | Guest House Paradisoas Mr. Johnson | |
| 1999 | The Bass Playeras | |
| 1999 | People Like Usas Will Rushmore | |
| 1998 | Still Crazyas Ray Simms | |
| 1998 | Parkinsonas Self | |
| 1997 | FairyTale: A True Storyas Edward Gardner | |
| 1996 | True Blueas Jeremy Saville | |
| 1996 | Alive and Kickingas Tristan | |
| 1996 | Testament: The Bible in Animationas Belshazzar (voice) | |
| 1995 | Kavanagh Q.C.as Giles Culpepper QC | |
| 1994 | Wycliffeas David Cleeve | |
| 1994 | Being Humanas Julian | |
| 1993 | The Maitlandsas Roger Maitland | |
| 1993 | Don't Leave Me This Wayas John Tracey | |
| 1993 | Peak Practiceas Alan Sinclair | |
| 1993 | Eye of the Stormas Tom Frewen | |
| 1993 | Unnatural Causesas Oliver Latham | |
| 1992 | A Masculine Endingas John Tracey | |
| 1991 | Absolute Hellas Hugh Marriner | |
| 1991 | Performanceas Hugh Marriner | |
| 1991 | Performanceas Roger Maitland | |
| 1990 | Antonia and Janeas Howard Nash | |
| 1990 | Making Newsas Sam Courtney | |
| 1990 | Chillersas Tom Dickenson | |
| 1989 | The Phantom of the Operaas Martin Barton | |
| 1989 | Mack the Knifeas Tiger Brown | |
| 1988 | South of the Borderas Tony Freason | |
| 1988 | This Morningas Self | |
| 1985 | Thirteen at Dinneras Ronald Marsh | |
| 1985 | The Last Place on Earthas Cecil Meares | |
| 1985 | Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evilas Helmut Hoffmann | |
| 1984 | The Little Drummer Girlas Al | |
| 1983 | Auf Wiedersehen, Petas Jeffrey Grainger | |
| 1983 | Reilly: Ace of Spiesas Goschen | |
| 1983 | Curse of the Pink Pantheras ENT Doctor | |
| 1983 | Storyboardas Sam | |
| 1982 | Easter 2016as Connor Mullan | |
| 1982 | Under the Skinas Dave | |
| 1981 | Eye of the Needleas Squadron Leader Blenkinsop | |
| 1980 | Standing in for Henryas Bruno | |
| 1980 | Little Lord Fauntleroyas Officer | |
| 1980 | Foxas Colin Street | |
| 1980 | Foxas Colin Street | |
| 1980 | Death Watchas Katherine's Co-worker (uncredited) | |
| 1980 | Dreams of Leavingas William | |
| 1979 | Deasey (Desperate)as Deasy | |
| 1979 | Minderas Oates | |
| 1979 | Agonyas Vincent Fish | |
| 1978 | Soldiers Talking, Cleanlyas Bill | |
| 1977 | Premiereas Deasey | |
| 1976 | Occupy!as Player in Everyman Theatre Company, Liverpool | |
| 1974 | Playhouseas Bruno | |
| 1970 | Play for Todayas Dave | |
| Ibelinas Mats Steen | ||
| A Town in Nova Scotiaas Leon | ||
| Welcome to Paradiseas Hooker Duck Host (voice) | ||
| Heart of Darknessas (voice) | ||
| Caineas | ||
| The Turning Dooras (voice) | ||
| California Avenueas Jerry |
| 2019 | Sometimes Always Never...Executive Producer | |
| 2011 | Page Eight...Executive Producer | |
| California Avenue...Executive Producer |
