Bill Nighy says he relies on music "to get by".

The British actor constantly listens to his favourite music acts. Bill claims certain albums inspire his career and even give him the courage to make important decisions.

"I rely on music to get by. Since I discovered the shuffle facility on my iPod there's a continuous soundtrack," he told GQ magazine. "Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye if you're being sociable. I left home on the strength of the first Bob Dylan album. I literally threw my suitcase out of the window."

The 61-year-old star has enjoyed success with a host of movies, including Love Actually and most recently Page Eight. However, Bill admits he may have ended up on a very different career path because of an ex-girlfriend.

"I met a girl who was going to drama college, and she suggested I become an actor," he smiled. "She could have said astronaut and I would have given it a shot."