James Nesbitt

Born: 1965-01-15

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.


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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

as Bofur
Released: 2014-12-10

Immediately after the events of The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend...

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as Bofur
Released: 2012-12-12

Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey...

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

as Bofur
Released: 2013-12-11

The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has...

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Match Point

as Detective Banner
Released: 2005-10-26

Chris, a former tennis player, looks for work as an instructor. He meets Tom Hewett, a wealthy...

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as Tribune Sicinius
Released: 2011-02-14

Caius Martius, aka Coriolanus, is an arrogant and fearsome general who has built a career on...

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The Way

as Jack
Released: 2010-09-10

When his son dies while hiking the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees,...

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Millions

as Ronnie
Released: 2004-04-29

Two boys, still grieving the death of their mother, find themselves the unwitting benefactors of...

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Bloody Sunday

as Ivan Cooper
Released: 2002-01-16

The dramatised story of the Irish civil rights protest march on January 30 1972 which ended in a...

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Jude

as Uncle Joe
Released: 1996-02-06

In late 19th-century England, Jude aspires to be an academic, but is hobbled by his blue-collar...

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Welcome to Sarajevo

as Gregg
Released: 1997-05-09

Follow a group of international journalists into the heart of the once cosmopolitan city of...

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Five Minutes of Heaven

as Joe Griffin
Released: 2009-01-19

The story of former UVF member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe...

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Cherrybomb

as Crilly
Released: 2009-02-08

Teenagers Luke, Malachy, and Michelle embark on a wild weekend of drink, drugs, shop-lifting and...

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Waking Ned

as Pig Finn
Released: 1998-09-15

When a lottery winner dies of shock, his fellow townsfolk attempt to claim the money.

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Outcast

as Cathal
Released: 2010-12-10

When Mary and her teenage son, Fergal, move to yet another new home, it soon becomes clear they...

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Lucky Break

as James 'Jimmy' Hands
Released: 2001-08-24

Half-way through his 12-year prison sentence for an incompetent armed robbery, Jimmy Hands gets...

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Matching Jack

as Connor
Released: 2010-08-19

A woman struggles with her son's illness and her husband's infidelity, but, after a chance...

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The Coronation Concert

as Self
Released: 2023-05-07

Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and many...

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Go Now

as Tony
Released: 1995-09-16

Nick, is a young Scottish soccer player living in the big city. He meets Karen, and the two fall...

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Women Talking Dirty

as Stanley
Released: 2001-12-07

A lively, outspoken single mother develops an unlikely friendship with a shy cartoonist.

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The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell

as Yuri
Released: 1999-10-24

In the eighth film in the series, in August 1916, using the name "Henri Defense," 17-year-old...

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Hear My Song

as Fintan O'Donnell
Released: 1991-12-27

Singer Josef Locke fled to Ireland 25 years ago to escape the clutches of the tax man and police...

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Gold

as Frank McGunn
Released: 2014-02-20

An offbeat comedy about an estranged father who returns to his hometown after an absence of ten...

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The Most Fertile Man in Ireland

as 'Mad Dog' Billy Wilson
Released: 2000-06-08

Unimpressive, 24-year-old virgin, Eamonn (Kris Marshall) lives in Belfast with his mother,...

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Wild About Harry

as Walter Adair
Released: 2000-12-31

A sleazy chef is forced to face the truth about the man he has become and realizes that he has...

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Occupation

as Mike Swift
Released: 2009-06-15

Three ex-servicemen return to Basra, each for a different reason.

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The Cry

as B Special (uncredited)
Released: 1984-07-31

Ulster 1959. A young journalist visiting his quiet hometown is awakened by a scream in the...

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Wall of Silence

as uncredited
Released: 2004-01-12

The tale of a gang killing near a south-east London council estate.

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The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

as Self
Released: 2007-02-03

Boasting an amazing selection of the most watched, most influential and most highly acclaimed...

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Resurrection Man

as Ryan
Released: 1998-02-13

Belfast, in 1970s. Victor Kelly is a young protestant man who hates the Catholics so much that...

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Blessed

as Peter
Released: 2008-10-24

A successful city trader suddenly loses everything he truly cares about. Seeking comfort in...

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Lost Lives

as uncredited
Released: 2019-10-10

This poignant testament to the physical and emotional cost of war, centres on the Troubles in...

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The Heist Before Christmas

as Bank Robber
Released: 2023-12-24

After a bank robber dressed as Santa Claus holds up a bank, a child disillusioned with Christmas...

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James Ellis: An Actor's Life

as Himself
Released: 2007-07-02

Documentary tracing the life of James Ellis, one of Northern Ireland’s best loved actors.

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Love Lies Bleeding

as Niall
Released: 1993-06-14

Conn, a member of the IRA and a former hunger striker, is serving a life sentence for murder....

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Here Comes the Summer: The Undertones Story

as Narrator
Released: 2012-09-07

In 1978 the Undertones released Teenage Kicks, one of the most perfect and enduring pop records...

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The James Gang

as Graham Armstrong
Released: 1997-11-07

After an audacious jewellery robbery the whole James family heads for home on the run with the...

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This Is the Sea

as Constable Hubert Porter
Released: 1997-09-15

The film is set in Northern Ireland shortly after 1994 cease-fire. Hazel is a Protestant and...

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Ireland's Rugby Number 10

as Narrator
Released:

The number 10 in rugby is arguably the most important player on the pitch. They are the master...

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River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand

as Self
Released: 2013-12-25

James Nesbitt moved to New Zealand in 2011 when he landed the role of Bofur in Peter Jackson's...

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James Nesbitt Presents Eat My Goal

as Presenter
Released: 2004-11-22

Eat My Goal is the search for the ultimate moment of footballing humiliation. Join die hard...

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Alex Higgins: The People's Champion

as Narrator
Released: 2010-09-01

One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age - Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins....

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Virtuoso

as Young Man
Released: 1989-02-12

In 1962, the young pianist, John Ogdon wins international success in Moscow and embarks on a...

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The Graham Norton Show

as Self
First aired: 2007-02-22

Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on...

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Top Gear

as Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car
First aired: 2002-10-20

This fast-paced and stunt-filled motor show tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary,...

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The One Show

as Self - Guest
First aired: 2006-08-14

A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD....

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The One Show

as Self
First aired: 2006-08-14

A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD....

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The Jonathan Ross Show

as Self
First aired: 2011-09-03

The Jonathan Ross Show is a British chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast...

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Never Mind the Buzzcocks

as uncredited
First aired: 1996-11-12

Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme. The show...

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GMTV

as Self
First aired: 1993-01-01

GMTV is the name of the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor/licensee,...

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Michael McIntyre's Big Show

as Self
First aired: 2016-04-16

Michael McIntyre's Big Show is a British variety and stand-up comedy television series,...

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Soccer AM

as uncredited
First aired: 1995-08-12

Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based...

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Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

as Self
First aired: 2001-11-02

Jonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from...

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The Missing

as Tony Hughes
First aired: 2014-10-28

A gripping anthological relationship thriller series exploring the emotional fallout of a...

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The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

as Yuri
First aired: 1992-03-04

At the dawn of the 20th century, Indiana Jones discovered the world. From globetrotting family...

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Lovejoy

as Jerry Boyle
First aired: 1986-01-10

The adventures of the eponymous Lovejoy, a likeable but roguish antiques dealer based in East...

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Cold Feet

as Adam Williams
First aired: 1998-11-15

Follow the lives and loves of a group of thirtysomethings in a heart-warming comic drama as they...

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Chris Moyles' Quiz Night

as Self
First aired: 2009-03-22

Chris Moyles' Quiz Night is a British television comedy panel game show, presented by Chris...

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Stan Lee's Lucky Man

as Harry Clayton
First aired: 2016-01-22

London cop and compulsive gambler Harry Clayton is on the verge of losing everything. On the...

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The Late Late Show

as Self
First aired: 1962-07-06

The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the initialism...

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Between the Lines

as uncredited
First aired: 1992-09-04

Detective Superintendent Tony Clark is an ambitious member of the Complaints Investigation...

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Ballykissangel

as uncredited
First aired: 1996-02-11

Ballykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern...

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Ballykissangel

as Leo McGarvey
First aired: 1996-02-11

Ballykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern...

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Stay Close

as DS Michael Broome
First aired: 2021-12-31

When Carlton Flynn vanishes 17 years to the night after Stewart Green did, it sets off a chain...

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Bloodlands

as DCI Tom Brannick
First aired: 2021-02-21

Northern Irish police officer DCI Tom Brannick connects a suicide note with an infamous cold...

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Murphy's Law

as Thomas Murphy
First aired: 2001-09-24

Murphy's Law is a BBC television drama starring James Nesbitt as an undercover police officer,...

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The Passion

as Pilate
First aired: 2008-03-16

The Passion is a television drama serial that tells the story of the last week in the life of Jesus.

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The Hollywood Greats

as uncredited
First aired: 1977-08-04

Hollywood Greats was a BBC Television series, which began in 1977. The film critic Barry Norman...

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The Secret

as Colin Howell
First aired: 2016-04-29

The true story of a Sunday school teacher and respectable dentist and pillar of the community,...

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Playing the Field

as uncredited
First aired: 1998-03-08

The on-the-field trials and tribulations and the off-the-field lives, loves and infidelities of...

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The John Bishop Show

as Self
First aired: 2022-01-08

Every week John Bishop will be doing his trademark everyman stand-up and shooting the breeze...

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Jekyll

as Dr. Tom Jackman
First aired: 2007-06-16

Tom Jackman is learning to cope with his alter ego, the dark and mysterious Hyde, who threatens...

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The Deep

as Clem Donnelly
First aired: 2010-08-03

As the world's energy supplies dwindle, the Orpheus, a research submarine, delves into the deep...

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Suspect

as Danny Frater
First aired: 2022-06-19

A Veteran detective is called to a hospital mortuary to identify a corpse only to find it is his...

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Canterbury Tales

as Nick Zakian
First aired: 2003-09-11

The Canterbury Tales is a series of six single dramas that originally aired on BBC One in 2003....

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Soccer Aid

as uncredited
First aired: 2006-05-22

Soccer Aid is a biennial British charity event that has raised £6.5 million in aid of UNICEF UK...

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Fairy Tales

as uncredited
First aired: 2008-01-10

Four contemporary adaptations of classic fairy tales, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Emperor's New...

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Babylon

as Richard Miller
First aired: 2014-11-13

London's police force is in need of a public image revamp. And Chief Constable Richard Miller...

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Midnight Man

as Max Raban
First aired: 2008-05-08

Disgraced journalist Max Raban is reduced to raking though bins for celebrity stories, a...

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Common As Muck

as uncredited
First aired: 1994-09-07

Common As Muck is a gritty BBC comedy drama serial focusing on the lives of a crew of bin men...

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Stan Lee's Lucky Man: The Bracelet Chronicles

as Harry Clayton
First aired: 2017-02-15

The history of DI Harry Clayton's lucky bracelet is explored , as his brother Rich investigates...

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Monroe

as Gabriel Monroe
First aired: 2011-03-10

Monroe is a brilliant and unusual neurosurgeon. A flawed genius who never lets anyone forget his...

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Occupation

as Mike Swift
First aired: 2009-06-16

A powerful, affecting drama that spans the five years following the invasion of Iraq in 2003....

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James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain

as uncredited
First aired: 2018-03-19

This six-part series unpicks the events that led to the most devastating disasters of the past...

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Passer By

as Joe Keyes
First aired: 2004-03-28

Joe Keyes ignores a woman in distress in his rush to get home to his family. His decision to...

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