Bill Nighy has shared why he hasn’t watched himself on screen for more than 50 years. The actor, who has starred in the hit films Love Actually and Emma, as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter franchises, decided to avoid tuning into his own performances after one bad experience.
Bill, 76, began his career on stage in the 1960s, before landing his first TV role in 1976 in long-running BBC police drama called Softly, Softly. He played the character Albert Blake in the episode titled ‘Say It With Flowers’.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Bill said: “The first time I ever watched myself on screen was when I was in a cop show called Softly, Softly. I was living in a rooming house at the time and I made the mistake of saying, ‘Hey, everybody, I’m on TV tonight.’
“So we all sat down and watched it and it was absolutely dreadful. So I decided to never watch myself again, and my life is so much better for it.”
Despite Bill’s refusal to watch himself perform over the years, he has had a glowing career and received numerous accolades. They include two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
However, Bill seems to have a soft spot for certain roles. In 2023, he told This Morning that he’ll “never get sick” of talking about Love Actually, sharing that it was a “very big and important thing for me and it changed the way I get to work”.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesBill was in a relationship with actress Diana Quick from 1982 for 27 years until they split in 2008. In a statement released at the time, the couple, who have a daughter called Mary, said: “Bill and Diana separated amicably. They remain great friends.”
Before Bill and Diana got together, he was linked to actress Beth Morris, who passed away in 2018. In 2023, he was forced to deny reports that he was in a relationship with his good friend, former Vogue editor Anna Wintour, releasing a statement that read: “Bill and Anna have simply been friends for two decades. They are not in a relationship.”
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