Bill Nighy unaware of Oscars hype for Living

Bill Nighy is unaware of the Oscars buzz surrounding his new film 'Living'.

The 72-year-old actor plays the lead role of Mr. Williams in the 1950s set movie and his performance has been met with acclaim and tips for success at the Academy Awards, but the star isn't aware of the fuss.

Bill told Variety: "I don't get out much, so I really haven't heard anything about it.

"I'm not being cute, I assure you. If the film were honoured in that way, it would be absolutely marvellous. I want people to watch it. If the Academy were to decide to nominate us in any way, it would be an enormous thing for us."

The 'Love Actually' star admitted that he struggled with the period dress for the film, in which he plays a bureaucrat facing a fatal illness in 1953 London.

Bill explained: "I had to wear a bowler hat, and they are absolutely bizarre. How they caught on, I'll never know.

"If a brick fell on your head from a very great height, you'd be fine. If you fell off a horse or a motorbike, you'd emerge unscathed. You could go to war with that hat on and be well protected."

Nighy revealed that the "Englishness" of Mr. Williams was a big appeal in taking on the part.

He said: "I'm interested in what's usually referred to or what they call 'Englishness'.

"I don't think those characteristics are actually exclusive to England, but there is something about their chosen manners, their chosen style, the way they respond emotionally to things in Britain in the past century that is appealing.

"I am very interested in the degree of restraint that they showed. It's often disparaged as a kind of denial of emotion that is inauthentic. I disagree with that."