Acting
James Nesbitt
James Nesbitt (born 15 January 1965) is a Northern Irish actor. Born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Nesbitt grew up in the nearby village of Broughshane, before moving to Coleraine, County Londonderry. He wanted to become a teacher, like his father, so began a degree in French at the University of Ulster. He dropped out after a year when he decided to become an actor, and transferred to the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating in 1987, he spent seven years performing in plays that varied from the musical Up on the Roof (1987, 1989) to the political drama Paddywack (1994). He made his feature film debut playing talent agent Fintan O'Donnell in Hear My Song (1991). Nesbitt got his breakthrough television role playing Adam Williams in the romantic comedy-drama Cold Feet (1998–2003), which won him a British Comedy Award, a Television and Radio Industries Club Award, and a National Television Award. His first significant film role came when he appeared as pig farmer "Pig" Finn in Waking Ned (1998). With the rest of the starring cast, Nesbitt was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In Lucky Break (2001), he made his debut as a film lead playing prisoner Jimmy Hands. The next year, he played Ivan Cooper in the television film Bloody Sunday, about the 1972 shootings in Derry. A departure from his previous "cheeky chappie" roles, the film was a turning point in his career. He won a British Independent Film Award and was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. Nesbitt has also starred in Murphy's Law (2001–2007) as undercover detective Tommy Murphy—a role that was created for him by writer Colin Bateman. The role twice gained Nesbitt Best Actor nominations at the Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA). In 2007, he starred in the dual role of Tom Jackman and Mr Hyde in Steven Moffat's Jekyll, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination in 2008. Nesbitt has since appeared in several more dramatic roles; he starred alongside Liam Neeson in Five Minutes of Heaven (2009), and was one of three lead actors in the television miniseries Occupation (2009) and The Deep (2010). He also starred in the movies Outcast (2010) and Emilio Estevez's The Way (2011), and has been cast in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit (2012/13). Nesbitt is married to former actress Sonia Forbes-Adam, with whom he has two daughters. He is a patron of numerous charities and in 2010 accepted the ceremonial position of Chancellor of the University of Ulster.
Filmography
Run Away
Series · 2026
Missing You
Series · 2025
The Coronation Concert
Film · 2023
The Heist Before Christmas
Film · 2023
The John Bishop Show
Series · 2022
Suspect
Series · 2022
Bloodlands
Series · 2021
Stay Close
Series · 2021
James Nesbit: A Game of Two Halves
Film · 2020
Lost Lives
Film · 2019
DNA Journey
Series · 2019
James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain
Series · 2018
Stan Lee's Lucky Man: The Bracelet Chronicles
Series · 2017
Stan Lee's Lucky Man
Series · 2016
The Secret
Series · 2016
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Series · 2016
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Film · 2014
Gold
Film · 2014
The Missing
Series · 2014
Babylon
Series · 2014
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Film · 2013
River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand
Film · 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Film · 2012
Here Comes the Summer: The Undertones Story
Film · 2012
Coriolanus
Film · 2011
The Jonathan Ross Show
Series · 2011
Monroe
Series · 2011
Matching Jack
Film · 2010
The Way
Film · 2010
Outcast
Film · 2010
Alex Higgins: The People's Champion
Film · 2010
The Deep
Series · 2010
Cherrybomb
Film · 2009
Five Minutes of Heaven
Film · 2009
Occupation
Film · 2009
Occupation
Series · 2009
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Series · 2009
Blessed
Film · 2008
The Passion
Series · 2008
Midnight Man
Series · 2008
Fairy Tales
Series · 2008
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Film · 2007
James Ellis: An Actor's Life
Film · 2007
Jekyll
Series · 2007
The Graham Norton Show
Series · 2007
Soccer Aid
Series · 2006
The One Show
Series · 2006
Millions
Film · 2005
Big Dippers
Film · 2005
Match Point
Film · 2005
OFI Sunday
Series · 2005
The Friday Night Project
Series · 2005
Quite Ugly One Morning
Film · 2004
Wall of Silence
Film · 2004
James Nesbitt Presents Eat My Goal
Film · 2004
Passer By
Series · 2004
Parkinson
Series · 2004
The Terry and Gaby Show
Series · 2003
Canterbury Tales
Series · 2003
Bloody Sunday
Film · 2002
Top Gear
Series · 2002
Tractor Tom
Series · 2002
Lucky Break
Film · 2001
Women Talking Dirty
Film · 2001
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Series · 2001
Murphy's Law
Series · 2001
Wild About Harry
Film · 2000
The Most Fertile Man in Ireland
Film · 2000
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
Film · 1999
Resurrection Man
Film · 1998
Waking Ned
Film · 1998
Cold Feet
Series · 1998
Playing the Field
Series · 1998
Parkinson
Series · 1998
Welcome to Sarajevo
Film · 1997
This Is the Sea
Film · 1997
The James Gang
Film · 1997
Jude
Film · 1996
Ballykissangel
Series · 1996
Ballykissangel
Series · 1996
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Series · 1996
TFI Friday
Series · 1996
Go Now
Film · 1995
Soccer AM
Series · 1995
Searching
Series · 1995
Common As Muck
Series · 1994
Love Lies Bleeding
Film · 1993
GMTV
Series · 1993
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
Series · 1992
Between the Lines
Series · 1992
Hear My Song
Film · 1991
Soldier Soldier
Series · 1991
Virtuoso
Film · 1989
The End of the World Man
Film · 1986
Lovejoy
Series · 1986
ScreenPlay
Series · 1986
Boon
Series · 1986
Screen Two
Series · 1985
The Cry
Film · 1984
The Hollywood Greats
Series · 1977
The Late Late Show
Series · 1962
Ireland's Rugby Number 10
Film
So You're Going to Die
Film
Hercule
Series