US – Friday, March 19
Published 00:38, November the 18th, 2009
 
Bill Nighy stars in Richard Curtis’ “Pirate Radio.”Bill Nighy stars in Richard Curtis’ “Pirate Radio.”
Photo: ALEX BAILEY
 

From a squid to a ship’s captain

Boat by any name

“It’s ‘The Boat That Rocked’ in England. In Germany, it was ‘Rock Revolution.’ In France, it was ‘Good Morning England,’ and it was different in Denmark, I think,” Nighy says of the many name changes his new movie has gone through. “Anyway, here it’s called ‘Pirate Radio.’”

 

Bill Nighy has played a plethora of different characters — and species — over his long career, and it’s something he’s rather proud of. “I’ve been a vampire, a zombie, a squid. I’ve been a stoned-out rabbit who sings ‘You’ve Really Got Me’ by the Kinks. I’ve been an albino ex-lab rat with brain damage. I get around,” he says. “I don’t mind when it gets a bit stupid. I kind of like it. And I feel very blessed that I’m able to play a range of parts. Often you don’t.”

For his next trick, Nighy has re-teamed with writer/director Richard Curtis, the man behind classic British romantic-comedies like “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Love Actually” for “Pirate Radio,” which follows the crew of a ship broadcasting rock music from the water off the coast of England, with Nighy as the ship’s captain.

“We do stupid things,” Nighy says.

 
 
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MMMpod
The March MMMpod features conversation and music from Surfer Blood and The Allman Brothers Band (There's a double-bill you're not too likely to see. However, Gregg Allman does mention Hannah Montana!). We also speak with Vampire Weekend and the Dropkick Murphys.
 
 
 
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