Bill Nighy reveals why he brought a miniature Sylvanian Families plastic bunny to the Oscars

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Bill Nighy attended the Oscars after having received his first nomination for his role in Living.

While the Oscars always sparks  a variety of talking points and lots of raised eyebrows, this year might have seen one of the more peculiar, and precious, occurrences; why did 73-year-old Bill Nighy appear at the awards ceremony with a small plastic rabbit?

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As the English actor appeared at the Academy Awards after scoring his first ever nomination for his role in the film Living, he was spotted in the company of a Sylvanian Families bunny, seemingly stained with what appeared to be blood or ketchup, causing many fans to speculate on social media.

“Is there a reason Bill Nighy is carrying around a murdered (?) Sylvanian bunny”, asked one user on Twitter along with a photo of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor. Another said: “‘Someone tell me the story behind Bill Nighy’s lil bunny please.”

In a statement to Metro.co.uk, the Love Actually star finally let us in on the reason for his red carpet companion: ”My granddaughter’s schedule intensified and I was charged with rabbit-sitting responsibilities. I wasn’t prepared to leave her unattended in a hotel room.

“The stakes are too high.Where I go, she goes…”

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Bill Nighy and his rabbit companion at the 2023 Academy Awards.Bill Nighy and his rabbit companion at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Bill Nighy and his rabbit companion at the 2023 Academy Awards. | Getty Images

It seems like not even an Academy Award nomination relieves you of grandfather duties. And while the Best Actor award ended up going to Brendan Frasier for his role in The Whale, rather than to Mr Nighy, he sure made his mark on the evening.

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