James Nesbitt
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Top Gear
Self
2002
Film
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Bofur
2014
Series
The One Show
Self - Guest
2006
Film
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Bofur
2012
Series
Screen Two
Young man
1985
Series
Fairy Tales
Hans M. Prince
2008
Film
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Bofur
2013
Series
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self
1996
Series
Parkinson
Self
1998
Series
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self
2011
Series
Soccer AM
Self
1995
Series
TFI Friday
1996
Series
GMTV
Self
1993
Series
Run Away
Simon Greene
2026
Series
Soldier Soldier
Corporal Bryan Casey
1991
Series
Lovejoy
Jerry Boyle
1986
Series
Missing You
Dominic Calligan
2025
Series
ScreenPlay
Niall
1986
Series
Between the Lines
1992
Series
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
Yuri
1992
Series
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Self
2001
Film
Match Point
Detective Banner
2005
Series
The Missing
Tony Hughes
2014
Series
Cold Feet
Adam Williams
1998
Series
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Self
2016
Series
Murphy's Law
DS Tommy Murphy
2001
Series
Ballykissangel
1996
Series
Ballykissangel
Leo McGarvey
1996
Series
Stay Close
DS Michael Broome
2021
The Terry and Gaby Show
2003
Series
Stan Lee's Lucky Man
Harry Clayton
2016
Series
The Late Late Show
Self
1962
Series
The Secret
Colin Howell
2016
Series
Suspect
Danny Frater
2022
Film
Five Minutes of Heaven
Joe Griffin
2009
Series
Bloodlands
DCI Tom Brannick
2021
Series
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Self
2009
Film
The Way
Jack
2010
Series
Jekyll
Dr. Tom Jackman
2007
Series
Babylon
Commissioner Richard Miller
2014
Series
Canterbury Tales
Nick Zakian
2003
Series
The Passion
Pilate
2008
Series
DNA Journey
Self
2019
Film
Coriolanus
Tribune Sicinius
2011
Series
Playing the Field
1998
Series
Soccer Aid
2006
Series
Monroe
Gabriel Monroe
2011
Series
The Hollywood Greats
1977
Series
Common As Muck
1994
Film
Bloody Sunday
Ivan Cooper
2002
Film
Waking Ned
Pig Finn
1998
Film
Jude
Uncle Joe
1996
Series
The Deep
Clem Donnelly
2010
Film
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Self
2007
Film
Cherrybomb
Crilly
2009
Series
Tractor Tom
Matt (voice)
2002
Series
The John Bishop Show
Self
2022
Film
Millions
Ronnie
2005
Film
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
Yuri
1999
Series
Occupation
Mike Swift
2009
Film
Welcome to Sarajevo
Gregg
1997
Series
Stan Lee's Lucky Man: The Bracelet Chronicles
Harry Clayton
2017
Film
Hear My Song
Fintan O'Donnell
1991
Film
The Coronation Concert
Self
2023
Film
Lucky Break
James 'Jimmy' Hands
2001
Series
Midnight Man
Max Raban
2008
Film
Women Talking Dirty
Stanley
2001
Series
James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain
2018
Film
Outcast
Cathal
2010
OFI Sunday
2005
Film
Resurrection Man
Ryan
1998
Film
The Heist Before Christmas
Bank Robber
2023
Film
Lost Lives
Self (voice)
2019
Film
This Is the Sea
Constable Hubert Porter
1997
Film
Wild About Harry
Walter Adair
2000
Film
So You're Going to Die
Liam Gallagher
Film
The Most Fertile Man in Ireland
'Mad Dog' Billy Wilson
2000
Film
Love Lies Bleeding
Niall
1993
Film
Go Now
Tony
1995
Film
Gold
Frank McGunn
2014
Quite Ugly One Morning
Jack Parlabane
2004
Film
James Ellis: An Actor's Life
Himself
2007
Series
Passer By
Joe Keyes
2004
Film
The End of the World Man
Policeman
1986
Film
Alex Higgins: The People's Champion
Narrator
2010
Film
Matching Jack
Connor
2010
Film
Blessed
Peter
2008
Film
The James Gang
Graham Armstrong
1997
James Nesbit: A Game of Two Halves
Himself
2020
Film
Ireland's Rugby Number 10
Narrator
Film
Wall of Silence
Stuart Robe
2004
Film
The Cry
B Special (uncredited)
1984
Film
Virtuoso
Young Man
1989
Film
River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand
Self
2013
Film
Occupation
Mike Swift
2009
Film
James Nesbitt Presents Eat My Goal
Presenter
2004
Series
The Friday Night Project
Self - Host
2005
Film
Here Comes the Summer: The Undertones Story
Narrator
2012
Film
Big Dippers
Ray
2005
Hercule