Were Bill Nighy and Anna Wintour in a relationship? What the longtime pals have said about dating speculation 

In 2023, Bill Nighy dismissed ongoing speculation about a romantic relationship with Dame Anna Wintour following their joint appearance on the Met Gala red carpet. Their appearance together at fashion’s most high-profile event reignited long-standing dating rumors.

However, a representative for the actor issued a firm denial at the time, stating that:

“Bill and Anna have simply been great friends for two decades. They are not in a relationship.”

The dating rumors had previously resurfaced in 2021, after Nighy and Wintour were seen having dinner together in Italy. The Italy sighting had prompted renewed interest in the nature of their bond.

Bill Nighy’s connection with Anna Wintour: What we know

Anna Wintour and Bill Nighy shared a low-key yet enduring friendship that stretched back over two decades. The pair reportedly first met in the early 2000s, navigating overlapping social circles tied to Britain’s stage scene.

Wintour’s connection to the theatre ran deep. Her father founded the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and she never shied away from showing her support for the performing arts. In 2006, she was in the crowd at the Broadway premiere of The Vertical Hour, in which Bill Nighy starred.

They remained close over time. By the late 2000s, they were regularly spotted together during Wintour’s visits to London. In 2009, they were even seen slipping out of a theatre performance before intermission to dine together, prompting speculation and curiosity about their relationship.

In 2011, Wintour extended her support even further by hiring Nighy’s daughter, Mary, to create a short film for Vogue inspired by that year’s Met Gala. That gesture was another public sign of their friendship.

Throughout the following years, the two were seen attending fashion shows side by side. They often seen sharing affectionate greetings, cheek kisses, whispers, and knowing smiles.

At one point, Bill Nighy's comments fueled further speculations. In 2015, when The Wall Street Journal asked Nighy whether he was seeing someone, he replied:

“Well, I have obviously nothing to say about that.”

Then came the kicker:

“There are a lot of rumours about me and probably about Anna Wintour.”

Inside Anna Wintour’s romantic history and long-term partnerships:

Per Metro, Anna Wintour’s dating life over the decades has included several long-term partnerships and a few headline-making romances.

Her first public link came in her teens, when she briefly dated author Piers Paul Read. At the time, she was just 15, while he was 24. She later became involved with British gossip columnist Nigel Dempster, with the two becoming a fixture on the London nightlife scene.

In 1984, Wintour tied the knot with child psychiatrist David Shaffer. The couple welcomed their son, Charles, in 1985, followed by their daughter, Katherine, in 1987. The marriage ended in divorce by 1999.

That same year, Wintour reportedly began a relationship with entrepreneur Shelby Bryan, whom she met at a New York City Ballet benefit. The pair, having both exited previous marriages, moved in together in Greenwich Village and regularly attended high-profile events as a couple. They ended their relationship in 2020.

Inside Bill Nighy’s two-decade relationship with Diana Quick:

In 1982, Bill Nighy and Diana Quick began a relationship after appearing together in David Hare’s A Map of the World. Two years later, they became parents to a daughter, Mary.

Though never married, their bond lasted for over 20 years. Being together for so many years led many to believe they were unshakable. But in 2008, after decades together, the couple quietly separated.

The split was kept out of public view for well over a year. A close friend of Nighy’s, speaking to the Daily Mail at the time, reflected on what may have gone wrong:

“It’s pretty well-known among his friends that Bill has had a bit of a funny turn,” the friend said.

“I suppose you could call it a delayed midlife crisis. After years of muddling through, he found huge success pretty late in life, and he hasn’t dealt with it especially well. He’s been working himself silly, and it’s not good for him. He neglected Diana for years, and I think she finally got sick of it. There was some sort of ultimatum, and she left.” they added.