Bill Nighy

British actor Bill Nighy is a bit of a late bloomer, at least in the United States, where audiences have only gotten to know him through his later films such as Love Actually (2003), Underworld (2003) and The Constant Gardener (2005).

Born Dec. 12, 1949, in Caterham, England, Nighy wasn't exactly a household name in his native country, either, until in 2002 he began playing a controversial politico in the TV series "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet." Despite his relative anonymity, Nighy has enjoyed a career dating back to the '70s, when -- after studying at the Guildford School of Dance and Drama -- he began to land small roles on television and in movies.

Earlier films of note for Nighy include Eye of the Needle (1981), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), The Phantom of the Opera (1989), Being Human (opposite Robin Williams, 1993) and Still Crazy (1998).

Filmography