James Nesbitt
Birth : 1965-01-15, Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
History
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.
After a bank robber dressed as Santa Claus holds up a bank, a child disillusioned with Christmas encounters a man in the woods who, also dressed as Santa, claims to have fallen out of his sleigh. The pair strike up a friendship and go on an adventure.
Self
Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and many more perform live from Windsor Castle in celebration of Their Majesties' coronation.
Bofur
Bilbo Baggins is chosen by Gandalf to embark on a quest with 13 Dwarves to reclaim the lost kindgom of Erebor. Thorin Oakenshield leads the company to the mountain and the beast that laid waste to his people and claimed their land. Through mountains, forests and unforseeable dangers, witness the epic quest to reclaim a homeland through the eyes of a Hobbit as he learns the value of courage and friendship in the face of darkness.
Himself
James Nesbitt travels round the globe to see the impact of Soccer Aid across the world.
This poignant testament to the physical and emotional cost of war, centres on the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Bofur
Immediately after the events of The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.
Frank McGunn
An offbeat comedy about an estranged father who returns to his hometown after an absence of ten years in order to reconnect with his daughter and ex-wife but unwittingly finds himself responsible for almost destroying all their lives.
Self
James Nesbitt moved to New Zealand in 2011 when he landed the role of Bofur in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, but he says the country remains largely unknown to him. Travelling more than 1,000 miles from the tip of the North Island down to the South, the actor finds out more about the place he has called home, visiting areas of natural beauty and learning about the nation's history and traditions. Along the way, he meets former All Blacks player the late great Jonah Lomu, takes a trip around film star Sam Neill's vineyards in Queenstown, catches up with Peter Jackson and goes Base-jumping from the tallest building in Auckland.
Bofur
The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
Bofur
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
Narrator
In 1978 the Undertones released Teenage Kicks, one of the most perfect and enduring pop records of all time - an adolescent anthem that spoke to teenagers all over the globe. It was the first in a string of hits that created a timeless soundtrack to growing up, making the Undertones one of punk rock's most prolific and popular bands.
Tribune Sicinius
Caius Martius, aka Coriolanus, is an arrogant and fearsome general who has built a career on protecting Rome from its enemies. Pushed by his ambitious mother to seek the position of consul, Coriolanus is at odds with the masses and unpopular with certain colleagues. When a riot results in his expulsion from Rome, Coriolanus seeks out his sworn enemy, Tullus Aufidius. Together, the pair vow to destroy the great city.
Cathal
When Mary and her teenage son, Fergal, move to yet another new home, it soon becomes clear they live their lives on the run, hiding from someone or something, terrified of being found. Their hunter, Cathal, soon picks up the trail. Intent on tracking Mary and Fergal, he will go to any lengths to succeed in his quest, often using dark arts to aid him. Mary’s only defence is to use an ancient form of her own magic to protect her only son. When local residents begin to be brutally murdered by an unknown life force, the sense of fear escalates. Is Cathal the beast responsible for the killing? Or is it the beast that he is trying to destroy?
Jack
When his son dies while hiking the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees, Tom flies to France to claim the remains. Looking for insights into his estranged child’s life, he decides to complete the 500-mile mountain trek to Spain. Tom soon joins up with other travelers and realizes they’re all searching for something.
Narrator
One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age - Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins. This poignant documentary charts the remarkable rise and fall of the snooker genius, from his early days growing up in Belfast to his climb to the top of the sport as two-time world champion.
Connor
A woman struggles with her son's illness and her husband's infidelity, but, after a chance encounter with an Irish sailor and his son, her life is turned upside down in a love story that defies explanation and breaks all the rules.
Mike Swift
Three ex-servicemen return to Basra, each for a different reason.
Crilly
Cherry Bomb follows teenagers Luke, Malachy, and Michelle as they embark on a wild weekend of drink, drugs, shop-lifting and stealing cars. But what starts out as a game turns deadly serious when the three discover that they can't get off the wild ride they've set in motion.
Joe Griffin
The story of former UVF member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffen's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two.
Peter
A successful city trader suddenly loses everything he truly cares about. Seeking comfort in isolation on a remote island, his life is turned upside down by the arrival of a little girl.
Himself
Documentary tracing the life of James Ellis, one of Northern Ireland’s best loved actors.
Self
Boasting an amazing selection of the most watched, most influential and most highly acclaimed programmes ever made, The 50 Greatest Television Dramas presents a long overdue assessment of the rich heritage television drama has to offer. Channel 4 invited over 200 of Britain's top television drama professionals – writers, directors, producers and commissioners – to take part in an exclusive poll to discover what they consider the finest dramas ever produced.
Detective Banner
Chris, a former tennis player, looks for work as an instructor. He meets Tom Hewett, a wealthy young man whose sister Chloe fall in love with Chris. But Chris has his eye on Tom's fiancee Nola.
Ray
Two small time crooks steal a briefcase and are amazed to find it contains £2million. But when it seems that the money was going to be used to pay the ransom for a kidnapped boy they try to get the money back to the owner.
Presenter
Eat My Goal is the search for the ultimate moment of footballing humiliation. Join die hard footie fan James Nesbitt as he celebrates the lighter side of the noble game with the quest to unearth the true highs and the very, very lows of life as a professional footballer. From hilarious own goals, impossible misses, stunning showboating & unbelievable score lines, this is the greatest collection of humiliation on the football field ever assembled. And at the end of the programme James concludes the search for the worst humiliation of them all with his very own top 10. What will be the no. 1....and will you agree with him ? Eat My Goal.....because football can make utter fools out of anyone.
Jack Parlabane
Investigative reporter Jack Parlabane stumbles across the aftermath of a murder scene in Edinburgh, and when he shows little sign of shock at the gruesome killing of a respected doctor, Detective Inspector McGregor suspects that he is the killer and Parlabane must clear his name.
Ronnie
Two boys, still grieving the death of their mother, find themselves the unwitting benefactors of a bag of bank robbery loot in the week before the United Kingdom switches its official currency to the Euro. What's a kid to do?
The tale of a gang killing near a south-east London council estate.
Ivan Cooper
The dramatised story of the Irish civil rights protest march on January 30 1972 which ended in a massacre by British troops.
Stanley
A lively, outspoken single mother develops an unlikely friendship with a shy cartoonist.
James 'Jimmy' Hands
Half-way through his 12-year prison sentence for an incompetent armed robbery, Jimmy Hands gets a lucky break: he's transferred to a prison from which he can probably escape. He convinces the governor to stage a musical in an old chapel next to the prison's outer wall. He rounds up volunteer actors and puts his escape plan into production. Two other barriers, besides the wall, confront him: the arrival of a nasty inmate, John Toombes, who insists on joining the escape, and Jimmy's feelings of attraction for Anabel, a social worker who agrees to appear in the play. Opening night approaches: is this Jimmy's breakout performance?
Walter Adair
A sleazy chef is forced to face the truth about the man he has become and realizes that he has the chance to begin again.
'Mad Dog' Billy Wilson
Unimpressive, 24-year-old virgin, Eamonn (Kris Marshall) lives in Belfast with his mother, during the Troubles. Local girl, Mary Malloy (Tara O'Neil) decides that since she has probably slept with every man in town Eamonn should be next on her list. He proves to be quite a catch... and Mary gets pregnant even though she took precautions. A doctor discovers that Eamonn has a very high sperm count and, with the birth rate in Ireland decreasing, Millicent (Bronagh Gallagher) decides to hire out Eamonn to women whose husbands have been firing blanks; all with the blessing of the local Catholic church which sees it as morally better than artificial means.
Pig Finn
When a lottery winner dies of shock, his fellow townsfolk attempt to claim the money.
Ryan
Belfast, in 1970s. Victor Kelly is a young protestant man who hates the Catholics so much that one night he begins to brutally murder them. A reporter soon tries to uncover the murder and obtained prestige for himself, while Victor sinks deeper into madness.
Graham Armstrong
After an audacious jewellery robbery the whole James family heads for home on the run with the obsessive detective Julia Armstrong in hot pursuit.
Constable Hubert Porter
The film is set in Northern Ireland shortly after 1994 cease-fire. Hazel is a Protestant and Malachy a Catholic. Romance between them is threatened by Rohan (leader in militant underground and pal of Malachy's brother Padhar), who wants Malachy to be recruited and fight for the cause and by Hazel's brother Jef, who spies on her meetings.
Gregg
Follow a group of international journalists into the heart of the once cosmopolitan city of Sarajevo—now a danger zone of sniper and mortar attacks where residents still live. While reporting on an American aid worker who’s trying to get children out of the country, a British correspondent decides to take an orphaned girl home to London.
Uncle Joe
In late 19th-century England, Jude aspires to be an academic, but is hobbled by his blue-collar background. Instead, he works as a stonemason and is trapped in an unloving marriage to a farmer's daughter named Arabella. But when his wife leaves him, Jude sees an opportunity to improve himself. He moves to the city and begins an affair with his married cousin, Sue, courting tragedy every step of the way.
Tony
Nick, is a young Scottish soccer player living in the big city. He meets Karen, and the two fall in love and move in together. Soon after, Nick exhibits signs of serious illness. As his body slowly succumbs to multiple sclerosis, he experiences a wide sweep of jagged emotions, and in the process gives himself and those who love him the strength to carry on.
Niall
Conn is an IRA murderer serving a life sentence in an Irish prison. He is given a 24 hour home leave during which he goes from point to point in Belfast looking to revenge his lover's murder.
Fintan O'Donnell
Singer Josef Locke fled to Ireland 25 years ago to escape the clutches of the tax man and police Chief Jim Abbott. What he also left behind was the love of his life Cathleen Doyle. Now, Micky O’Neill is desperate to save both his ailing Liverpool nightclub ‘Heartly’s’ and his failing relationship with the beautiful Nancy, Cathleen’s daughter. The solution? Book the infamous Josef Locke.
Young Man
(from AllMovie, written by Hal Erickson) "British character actor Alfred Molina contributes another top-rank characterization in Virtuoso. Molina essays the role of real-life concert pianist John Ogden. The film touches briefly upon Ogden's performing genius, then takes a dark turn by concentrating on his descent into mental illness. Alison Steadman co-stars in this made-for-British-TV production."
Policeman
When some Belfast children find out that city planners intend to "develop" a wooded area called the Glen that the girls use as a retreat from the pressures of city life, they decide to fight back - but in their own way.
B Special (uncredited)
Ulster 1959. A young journalist visiting his quiet hometown is awakened by a scream in the night. He catches sight of a youth being beaten up and dragged away. When he investigates, witnesses seem to melt away, and life-long friends reveal a sinister indifference. Or is it fear?
Narrator
The number 10 in rugby is arguably the most important player on the pitch. They are the master tactician and the playmaker, the goal kicker and the person who calls the shots. The number 10 shirt carries responsibility, respect and a sense of prestige and the pressure is intense both on and off the pitch. It's the Irish fascination with the selection of who should wear the number 10 shirt which has produced great debate across the decades and created some of the most intense rivalries in world sport, such as that between Ollie Campbell and Tony Ward or Ronan O'Gara and David Humphreys.
