#365 - Bill Nighy - Actor - A very British Christmas Special

We all perceive his captivating presence on screen, teetering between grace and awkwardness, the  intentional and the spontaneous. 
Bill Nighy's humor embodies the essential qualities of British comedy while also showcasing remarkable versatility. 
Born in Caterham, United Kingdom in 1949, Bill Nighy always dreamt of becoming a writer. However, life had other plans for him. After giving up his ambitions  of becoming a writer, his comedic genius has been celebrated worldwide, earning him an Oscar for Best Actor, a BAFTA Award for Best Actor, and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama.
He started his career on the stage of Liverpool's Everyman Theatre and made his London debut with the Royal National Theatre in the late 1970s. He then appeared on British television and radio, relishing the opportunity to play "anyone, because on the radio your appearance doesn't matter."
His career reached a turning point in 2003 marked by his involvement in the film “Underworld” where he played the vampire Elder Viktor, and especially by the role that brought him international recognition: the jaded rocker Billy Mack in “Love Actually”.
Almost two decades later, he proved equal skills in a role that resonated more closely with him: the character of Mr. Williams, a mundane bureaucrat in “The Living'”(2022), who discovers a new zest for life. This performance comes highly recommended.
Convinced that his impressive career is the result of chance and lucky encounters, Bill Nighy is a modest workaholic, embodying the epitome of British self-deprecation.
In this once-in-a-lifetime episode, we delve into:

Tribalism and football clubs,
How Bill procrastinated his entire writing career and inadvertently became an award-winning actor,
How self-doubt fuels procrastination,
The few times he escaped England to visit Paris and Marseille as a teenager,
Theater-induced anxiety and not throwing up before stepping onto the stage,
Mod fashion

A unique conversation marked by Bill's elegance, quirkiness, subtlety, charm, and kindness.
Merry Christmas !

TIMELINE :   

OO:00:00 Just call him Bill 
00:17:00 Bill Nighy’s latest movie, The Living (2022)
00:23:50 Procrastination
00:38:14 Work is not giving into despair or self-doubt
00:45:40 Theatre & managing stage-induced anxiety
00:59:50 The relationship Bill has with (not) writing
01:12:05 Acting on the radio & drama school
01:21:40 All the times Bill ran away to France
01:31:30 The influence of Bill’s father on his career
01:36:40 Playing leading roles
01:41:16 2003,Underworld, and Love Actually - a turning point
01:58:00 Words for the younger Bill
02:00:40 Fashion
02:12:15 Bill’s hands - the Dupuytren contracture


Bill and I quoted several old GDIY episodes:

#344 - Robert Plomin
 #158 Edgar Grospiron
#228 Nicola Julia 
 #74 Romain Raffard 
#305 Paul Mouginot


Bill and I talked about :

His filmography

The Living
Love Actually
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Boat That Rocked
Harry Potter
Underworld


Sir David Hair
Modernist fashion icons

Paul Wheeler, lead singer of The Jam 
Martin Freeman
Françoise Hardy


David Frost’s show That was the news that was


Bill recommends you read :

Lou Reed’s biography
Bob Dylan’s biography


How do you like the theme music? We owe it all to Morgan Prudhomme! Contact him at: https://studio-module.com. 
You want to sponsor Génération Do It Yourself or suggest a partnership? Contact my label Orso Media via this form.