Bill Nighy: the thinking woman’s bagel

Three years ago, Bill Nighy was just another jobbing actor. Now he’s a national pin-up and a rising Hollywood star. And he just can’t believe his luck.

But he is at a loss to explain his recent sky-rocketing fortunes. “The odds are against it, aren’t they?” says Nighy, pushing his thick-rimmed glasses back up on to the bridge of his nose. “You work away and try to keep your nose clean. I’ve had a healthy career for some years. Touch wood, I’ve always had a gig, and I’ve been very lucky that it’s accelerated mightily in recent years. But I’m not secretly thinking it’s because I’m incredibly talented. I haven’t suddenly become the greatest actor in the world. I don’t know why it’s happened. I could speculate to be sociable, but I just look up to the skies and thank my lucky stars.

Read this very nice interview with Bill Nighy on The Independent website.

And remember to see ‘Gideon’s Daughter’ on BBC1 on Sunday 26 February.