Finally, it seems the wonderful Bill Nighy is getting his mainstream due. An accomplished figure on stage as well as on-screen, both big and small, Nighy was a bit of a late bloomer when his career jump-started. Initially gaining notoriety for his comedic work, Nighy has since found himself one of the most respected actors of his generation.
Known for his literacy, suavity, and sophistication, Nighy's previous awards include a BAFTA, a Golden Globe as well as a Tony nomination, having acted in plays for some of the greatest English playwrights including David Hare, Harold Pinter, and Tom Stoppard. Given Nighy was granted his first Oscar nomination for 2022's Living, so now seems an ideal time to retrospect on his exceptional career.
10 'Sometimes Always Never' (2018)
Sometimes Always Never seems as though it was made for Nighy's particular thespianic arsenal. A comedy-drama about a lexicologically adroit tailor, the movie weaves clever writing with an emotional payoff. Although only a meager box office success, the film was generally well received, with particular adulation aimed at the performances of the cast.
The movie is sometimes emotively stirring, always well observed and, unlike this sentence, never gets distracted by its gimmick. With Nighy at the helm, being the avatar for the movie's British gloom and idiosyncrasy, Sometimes Always Never makes for a meritorious addition to Nighy's filmography.
9 'Hope Gap' (2019)
William Nicholson's work can tend to be a bit melodramatic, but it certainly makes a fine stage for quality acting. Here, in Hope Gap, the flaws of the film are swept away as Nighy and co-star Annette Bening prove to be an electric duo. Circling a long-married couple whose lives upend when the husband decides to leave, the film makes little changes from Nicholson's original play.
Although it has some keen observations, some of the movie is thin. Despite this, Nighy and Bening make for absorbing viewing, with the Rotten Tomatoes website calling them "just about worth the price of admission." A small movie, grossing less than $120 000, Hope Gap allows Nighy to spread his wings and show off his fierce dramatic chops.
8 'The Constant Gardener' (2005)
If a movie has as much style as The Constant Gardener, it's only fitting Bill Nighy plays a role. One of the best political thrillers of the 2000s, The Constant Gardener merges a sharp and fluent script with the ravishing and delectable color palette of Fernando Meirelles. In the film, about a British diplomat who tries to solve the murder of his activist wife, Nighy plays a cunning Foreign Officer.
The artful dialogue rolls out of Nighy's mouth with such refinement as he spews lies and deceits. With his sharp features and knowing disposition, Nighy works so well in an evasive genre film such as this one. The Constant Gardener is one of the few films where Nighy gets to play a villain, and unsurprisingly, he does so with riveting skill.
7 'The Girl in the Café' (2005)
Earning Nighy a Golden Globe nomination, The Girl in the Café was one of the most-seen British made-for-television films of its year. Re-teaming Nighy with State of Play co-star Kelly Macdonald and director David Yates, the movie tackles complicated political questions with romantic, rosy-colored glasses, commenting on the nature of topics such as poverty and fair trade.
Nighy excels at both the romantic and political elements of the film, seeming exceedingly comfortable and at ease throughout. His performance would gather acclaim, with The New York Times' Alessandra Stanley commenting that "the awkward romance is compelling, mostly because Mr. Nighy is so good." With The Girl in the Café, Nighy finds himself as at ease as ever.
6 'Notes on a Scandal' (2006)
There is searing propulsion to Notes on a Scandal, an adaptation of the Zoe Heller novel. Starring Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench, the acting is of course A plus. But just as much, the story itself is fascinating, a psychologically hypnotizing tale of power and lust. Adapted by playwright Patrick Marber, the movie is an operatic and vicious delight.
Nighy plays Blanchett's slightly older husband. Every choice in the movie is right, even the way his character is introduced knowing the narrative lead-up. Nighy for his part is very good, displaying wreckage and desperation when he finally knows the film's truth. This is a capital G great movie, with Nighy a vital cog in one of the best movies of the noughties.
5 'Shaun of the Dead' (2004)
Some directors have a powerful investment in casting. Maybe they write with actors in mind, maybe they care about the meta-textual elements of the casting, or maybe they just want their favorite actors in their movies. Edgar Wright is one of those directors, and his first film Shaun of the Dead pays homage to many of his favorite things. A comedy-horror, Nighy has a memorable supporting part as the protagonist's dower stepfather.
With the role, Nighy harkens back to his comedic roots as he delivers deadpan lines and perfectly fits into the otherwise wild and eccentric film. Nighy's acceptance of the minor yet unforgettable part showed his refined taste in projects that have continued to set him apart as an actor.
4 'About Time' (2013)
In many ways, About Time opened Nighy up to a broader audience. A box office success, grossing over $88 million, the movie is right in line with many of Richard Curtis' other classic rom-coms, but with a fanciful twist. Concerning a young man in love who finds out he has the ability to time travel, Nighy plays one of the film's pivotal roles as the protagonist's father.
Nighy is perfectly cast as he offers his wisdom and whimsy. There is a magical quality about him as an actor, one who offers a feeling that what they speak has an unshakable, eternal truth. In About Time, Nighy is warm, paternal, and earnest, giving viewers a sense that maybe, possibly, the magic of the movie is possible in their own lives.
3 'Love Actually' (2003)
Perhaps the biggest movie Nighy has ever been a part of, Love Actually was, and remains a true phenomenon and an annual Christmas tradition for viewers. A vignetted gallery for writer-director Richard Curtis, the rom-com follows multiple interlinked characters as they navigate love at Christmastime. Alongside some of the foremost British actors, Nighy seems right at home.
As rock and roll legend Billy Mack, Nighy likens back to one of his early roles in Still Crazy. Whether this was intended or not is unknown, but it is known that it wasn't Curtis' idea. Although he had other actors in mind for the role, Curtis deferred to casting director Mary Selway to find an actor he wouldn't think to cast for the role. She came up with Nighy, who has become a mainstay in Curtis' films ever since.
2 'Worricker Trilogy' (2011 - 2014)
David Hare's Worricker Trilogy is essentially the culmination of Nighy as an actor. Spanning three films, 2011's Page Eight as well as 2014's Turks and Caicos and Salting the Battlefield, Nighy plays Johnny Worricker, a worldly and dashing MI5 agent. All three films are beyond excellent as Hare's heady and intoxicating dialogue fuses with dapper visual style and tasteful music choices.
Nighy was already fluent in Hare speak at this point, having led productions of his plays including Skylight and The Vertical Hour. Worricker, like Nighy in many ways, is a man out of time. Although shrewd and debonair, Worricker is filled with lamentations about our current age and his fledgling place in it. With the series, Nighy finds himself at the center of one of the great film trilogies, playing its iconic character.
1 'Living' (2022)
The film to finally earn Nighy his first Oscar nomination is a prophetic one. A remake of Akira Kurosawa's painful masterpiece Ikiru, which in turn was inspired by Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Living alters the setting to 1950s London. Adapted by eminent Japanese writer Kazuo Ishiguro, the movie is a devoted portrait of a dying man.
Living highlights some of Nighy's most distinct talents, his introspection, his ability to project meaningful kinships, and obviously, his sartorial splendor. Nominated for numerous other awards for his portrayal, Living will likely be the leading performance Nighy is going to be most remembered for, and if so it is a worthy one.