There are few actors on the planet that once you see a film stars that individual, you automatically head towards Fandango to secure a ticket or set the DVR to record on the telly. Big screen or small, Bill Nighy is one of those individuals for me. Whether you’re talking about his recent small screen brilliance in State of Play or Page Eight on PBS’ Masterpiece Contemporary series, his most recent big screen bit of greatness in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, or any number of past big or small screen appearances in Love Actually, Doctor Who, Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead, Bill Nighy is acting perfection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1hGHdPVXlE

In this interview with The Independent, Tim Walker sits down with the great Bill Nighy prior to the upcoming release of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as he recalls a particular scene with fellow screen icon, Dame Judi Dench. Seems as though the scene called for Nighy to ride a motorcycle with Dench riding on the back. He quietly dreaded filming the scene given he’d have to ride a motorcycle for the first time. Nighy recalled: “I protected Dame Judi from this information before shooting the motorcycle scene, but I would wake up every morning dreading it. If you kill Judi Dench, you can’t go home. You could accidentally kill the Queen and sneak back into the country, probably. But kill Judi Dench and you’d be overseas for the rest of your natural life.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDY89LYxK0w

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel opens in the UK on 24 February and May 4 in the USA.