Bill Nighy speaks about acting, playing older roles, and the Robin Hood Tax

Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour) has spoken to The Big Issue and ShortList Magazine in a couple of recent interviews. Bill graces the cover of The Big Issue this week, and in an interview with the magazine, he spoke about the way he approaches acting. He said,

You don’t have to be creative to be an actor […] No! Not at all. I’ve never ever become someone else.”

He further said,

I don’t see any link between actors whatsoever. You’ll find the same range of people in biochemists and tap dancers. Nah. If you want erratic behaviour, look somewhere else. The stakes are too high.”

In the same interview, Bill also spoke about the Robin Hood Tax, which is a “Europe-wide banking transition tax” that the British Government wants to oppose. Bill has appeared in a number of videos in support of the tax, and he said,

“The phrase ‘the money never gets through’ has entered the language. And ‘There’s a lot of corruption’. These are catchphrases.

“I’ve been there when the water pumps arrive. I’ve been there when the grain barn is built, and they don’t have to walk 10 kilometres for a bag of maize at the risk of their child not making it back through the return journey.

“I also get, ‘You’re just another celebrity looking for publicity’. I need publicity like I need a gun in my mouth quite frankly.”

Bill has reprised his role as the banker in the videos for the campaign. Bill stars alongside fellow Potter actress Clemence Poesy (Fleur Delacour). The video, which is set ten years in the future, considers the impact of the tax being imposed. You can watch the full video here. To find out what else Bill had to say, check out the full interview with Bill in this week’s edition of The Big Issue.

In his interview with ShortList Magazine, Bill spoke about playing more mature roles, citing his role in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,

“‘A bunch of old people go to India’ shouldn’t really be box office dynamite, but in fact it took quite a lot of money. As a result, you were allowed, for a while, to explore the stories of people who were not 35.”

Bill also spoke about his role in Pirates of the Caribbean and being involved in huge franchises such as Harry Potter:

“It’s great, it’s a revelation. Pirates was a great part, great script, and those movies are beloved from kids to grown-ups. I don’t mind what genre, as long as it’s not going to be a nuisance in the world and there’s some dignity in it for everyone. If you call being a quid dignified. Which I do.”

Check out what else he said here.

What do you think of Bill’s view on acting? Let us know!