Yes – Bill Nighy has seen your stories about bumping into him in London

There’s an unwritten rule if you’re a Londoner. At some point, when you’re just going about your day, strolling around town, running errands or having a coffee, you will spot Bill Nighy.

For me, it happened about a decade ago, before I was an entertainment journalist. I was walking along the street when I saw a group of builders having a photo with a man who I presumed must be famous. As he turned and walked my way, I had a complete mind blank and I couldn’t think of his name, despite knowing that I recognised his face. 

As he saw me staring at him, he smiled, nodded and carried on. Moments later, I realised it was the Bill Nighy.

10 years later, it felt surreal to sit down with him for Metro to discuss his new Amazon Prime series Ride or Die. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask if he was aware of the phenomenon of Londoners saying that they’ve bumped into him, and the many heartwarming anecdotes that people share about their experiences on social media.

‘I have heard about it. It’s because I don’t own a car, and I don’t actually make any concessions to the fact that I am maybe visible in that way. Because if I can’t walk about, and if I can’t go to bookshops and go to the coffee shop, then the game’s up. You know, what’s it all about?’ the 76-year-old shared.

‘So I do that, and it’s fine. There’s no great heat, I’m not Tom Cruise or anything. Nobody’s going to run down the street.’

Bill – whose celebrated performances include starring in About Time, Pride, Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Wild Target, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and so many more – recalled when a journalist put out a call for people to share stories of meeting him in the street.

‘I think 1,000 people responded, because I walk about a lot, and I’m quite old, so I’ve been walking about for a long time,’ he said. 

‘The fact that there was nobody who said “Yes, I met him, and he was an absolute a******e” is very gratifying.

‘I don’t go out trying not to be an a******e. I just do whatever you would do, or anybody would do, it’s just a normal thing. People say hi, you say hi.’

If you search ‘Bill Nighy London’ on X, you’ll find all sorts of tales of people seeing Bill out and about, or simply sharing their excitement over the fact that it finally happened to them.

‘You are not a Londoner until you’ve seen Bill Nighy,’ RebeccaCNReid tweeted. ‘After a long hiatus for me, am pleased to report a particularly glorious Bill Nighy sighting in London this evening,’ northnorth_west wrote.

SquidyUK said: ‘You know how it’s a rule of London how you’ll see Bill Nighy everywhere all the time and never to bother him? Well, I saw him 20 odd minutes ago in Soho and, f**k it, pulled out my headphones, raised my coffee, and said “Congratulations!”. I swear, first time I’ve seen him smile.’

Anitathetweeter also once shared: ‘All the replies from people who have seen Bill Nighy around London. I’ve seen him in the street at least twice. Is there a more spot-able celebrity?’

After asking Bill if he was aware of the stories, I mentioned that I was one of the people who’d had an encounter with him too, and how nice it was that he smiled at me when he caught me staring at him gormlessly.

‘That’s the other thing – you never know when people smile at you, or they look at you a bit longer, you don’t know if it’s because they know you or because they’re just dreaming, so sometimes it backfires, because you’ll say good morning, and they’re like, “What? Who are you?”’ he replied.

Despite his humility, I’m sure the vast majority of people know exactly who he is.

In his latest project Ride or Die, Bill stars opposite Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer as The Director, the head of a mysterious assassination agency.

The Director brings Judith (Hannah) into the fold when she’s just a teenager, recruiting her from an orphanage and transforming her into a lethal, living weapon.

Debbie (Octavia) is Judith’s best friend, who has no idea about her pal’s secret profession until she’s inadvertently embroiled in a dangerous plot that puts her life at risk.

‘I didn’t know anything about Hannah before I met her, other than that she was very celebrated and very good,’ Bill said of working opposite the Ted Lasso star.

‘When I met her, she was just absolutely charming, and you could tell within seconds that you were in the presence of somebody gracious and welcoming and professional. 

‘I know this is the cliché to end them all, but it does come from the top, and Hannah’s general, her sensibility, and her way of conducting herself sets the tone, which is very, very important in a leading performer.’

He also praised writer Tessa Coates for the masterful way that she managed to blend comedy with action for a series that’s truly a blast to watch from start to finish.

‘I think it’s a sublime blend for the viewer, and I think [creator] Tessa Coates has pulled off something really special, because it honours the genre in every respect, but it also moves it on a touch,’ he shared.

‘It’s not just funny, it’s properly funny, and the action is for real. So, I think she’s done a brilliant job. She’s a very remarkable person.’

Ride or Die is available to stream on Amazon Prime.