Bill Nighy: “Now I’m Irish, I’m going to have to rebrand”
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Who is Bill Nighy and what are his notable films?
I'm delighted to be joined by one of the coolest actors around, Bill Nighy. You're very welcome to the show. Thank you. Bill, people will know you from all kinds of great films. Love, actually, obviously, The Exquisite Living from a few years ago, Pirates of the Caribbean films even. But you've made this real little gem of an Irish film now. Tell me about 500 Miles.
500 Miles came to me a while back, and it was not a complicated decision to make. It was a lovely script and a great cast, and it was an opportunity to come to Ireland, and we shot in a beautiful summer. I think it was summer. It was certainly beautiful, and it was on the Wicklow Coast coast, The story, I won't want to tell you too much about it because it's difficult to talk about without spoiling it. But Morgan Matthews, the director, who's a very up and coming young director in England, you know, he's he was very that reassured me. And I thought I was in good hands, you know.
Is this your first time? You play a grandad of the two fantastic young actors, actually, but you're playing Irish. Is this your first time playing Irish accent?
What is the story behind Bill Nighy's film '500 Miles'?
It's not my first time, actually. I once, years ago... On English television years ago, you might be just about old enough to remember, they did a series of plays called Play for Today. And it would be an hour-long single play every week, something you wouldn't be able to get away with now because the marketeers would deny you that opportunity. But they also did a short season of six plays for tomorrow. And I did a play in probably the 70s, which was... set in 2016. And I played Irish in an otherwise completely Irish cast, which was, you know, no pressure.
But you would identify as Irish.
I do identify as Irish because when Brexit happened, like a million other British or English people, I applied for citizenship. Both my grandparents on my mother's side were born in Ireland. and therefore I qualify. So I am now an Irish citizen. I am a half Irishman or whatever you want to call it.
Okay, but do you carry an Irish passport?
I traveled here today on my shiny, relatively new Irish passport, which I'm very proud of, and I cruise through security. Everyone welcomes the Irish, you know what I mean?
Did they say welcome home when you arrived in Dublin?
I thought there'd be a brass band or something, but no, there was nothing. There were no flags.
Listen, know that once the news of this gets out, we'll be claiming you and then we'll get offended when anyone calls you British and everything. Absolutely. Yeah. But it is odd because you are seen in many ways as, you know, through acting, if nothing else. But I think in yourself as well as the classic kind of English dude. I know. Did you inherit any Irish traits from your mother, do you think?
Any other traits? Any Irish traits? Any Irish traits? I don't think so. Maybe I don't know what Irish traits are really, you know, as opposed to anybody else. But I am sometimes described as, you know, somehow a quintessential Englishman, which I have not striven for that profile. I don't quite know how that happened. It must be because, as you suggest, you know, parts I've played.
Yeah.
A woman in not long ago in the street who was, I think, Italian. And she just came up to me and she said, you are so. And then she couldn't think of a word. And then she said for quite a long time she struggled. And then she said, English. And I was thinking, what's more English about me than anybody else? I'm just standing here in normal clothes. I'm not, you know, I wasn't wearing a bowler hat or anything. But I've seemed to have for something. I never look at anything. I never watch films. I mean, I never read press that I've done. I never listen to, you know, I will never hear this interview. I've never do. You know, I just keep a blockade because I'm not stupid. And and therefore I never know. And I'm not on social media of any kind.
So which thrills me every time I think about it. So you have no idea what people think about Bill Nye. I only get bits and pieces. I don't own a car and I walk about everywhere.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Who is Bill Nighy and what are his notable films?
0:00–1:15
2
What is the story behind Bill Nighy's film '500 Miles'?
1:15–8:18
3
How does Bill Nighy connect with his Irish heritage?
8:18–13:07
4
What personal traits does Bill Nighy attribute to his Irish background?
13:07–20:43
5
How does Bill Nighy handle anxiety in his life and career?
20:43–27:43
6
How has Bill Nighy's fame impacted his daily life?
27:43–29:55