Bill Nighy stars as a reclusive novelist in the new film "& Sons". His character, AN Dyer, is an elderly writer who refuses to leave his sofa or answer phone calls. Nighy, who is 76, recently discussed the film and his life in a phone interview from north-west London. He describes himself as an enthusiastic texter with strong opinions about modern communication. While he once opposed emojis on philosophical grounds, he has since made exceptions for certain choices like the flamingo, purple dahlia, and leaping shark. He will occasionally use a golfer emoji to congratulate someone but refuses to use smiley face emojis, which he finds rather tacky.
The actor has firm boundaries when it comes to work arrangements. He has completely given up Zoom calls, stating they made him unhappy, and he also avoids working lunches where conversation inevitably turns to business. When asked if anything would make him turn down an acting role, his answer came quickly: togas. In "& Sons", Nighy portrays a difficult father who believes his literary genius excuses his emotional absence. Off screen, Nighy has a daughter, Mary Nighy, who is both an actor and director, and he freely admits that parenting involves constant improvisation, mistakes, and course corrections.
Nighy is celebrated for memorable roles in films such as "Love Actually", the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, and "Living", which earned him his first Oscar nomination. Though he achieved acting success, writing was his original ambition. A teacher first planted the idea when he was 14, and he later worked at a fishing magazine before travelling to Paris to become a writer. That dream did not materialise; he ended up begging at the Trocadéro before eventually turning to acting. He never abandoned the writing idea entirely but admits he excels at procrastination. Today he hosts a podcast called "Ill-Advised", where he serves as an informal agony uncle, answering listener questions on topics ranging from fashion to social etiquette, all completely off the cuff.