James Nesbitt
Born
January 15, 1965 (60 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
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.
Known For
The Heist Before Christmas
Bank Robber
2023
The Coronation Concert
Self
2023
James Nesbit: A Game of Two Halves
Himself
2020
Lost Lives
2019
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Bofur
2014
Gold
Frank McGunn
2014
River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand
Self
2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Bofur
2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Bofur
2012
Here Comes the Summer: The Undertones Story
Narrator
2012
Coriolanus
Tribune Sicinius
2011
Outcast
Cathal
2010
The Way
Jack
2010
Alex Higgins: The People's Champion
Narrator
2010
Matching Jack
Connor
2010
Occupation
Mike Swift
2009
Cherrybomb
Crilly
2009
Five Minutes of Heaven
Joe Griffin
2009
Blessed
Peter
2008
James Ellis: An Actor's Life
Himself
2007
Jekyll
Dr. Tom Jackman · (6 episodes)
2007
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Self
2007
Soccer Aid
(1 episode)
2006
Match Point
Detective Banner
2005
Big Dippers
Ray
2005
James Nesbitt Presents Eat My Goal
Presenter
2004
Quite Ugly One Morning
Jack Parlabane
2004
Millions
Ronnie
2004
Wall of Silence
Stuart Robe
2004
Top Gear
Self · (1 episode)
2002
Bloody Sunday
Ivan Cooper
2002
Women Talking Dirty
Stanley
2001
Lucky Break
James 'Jimmy' Hands
2001
Wild About Harry
Walter Adair
2000
The Most Fertile Man in Ireland
'Mad Dog' Billy Wilson
2000
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
Yuri
1999
Waking Ned
Pig Finn
1998
Resurrection Man
Ryan
1998
The James Gang
Graham Armstrong
1997
Welcome to Sarajevo
Gregg
1997
Jude
Uncle Joe
1996
Virtuoso
Young Man
1989
Ireland's Rugby Number 10
Narrator
Missing You
Dominic Calligan · (3 episodes)
2025
Missing You
Calligan · (5 episodes)
2025
Suspect
Danny Frater · (8 episodes)
2022
The John Bishop Show
Self · (1 episode)
2022
Stay Close
DS Michael Broome · (8 episodes)
2021
Bloodlands
DCI Tom Brannick · (10 episodes)
2021
DNA Journey
Self · (1 episode)
2019
James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain
(6 episodes)
2018
Stan Lee's Lucky Man: The Bracelet Chronicles
Harry Clayton · (1 episode)
2017
The Secret
Colin Howell · (4 episodes)
2016
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Self · (1 episode)
2016
Stan Lee's Lucky Man
Harry Clayton · (28 episodes)
2016
Babylon
Richard Miller · (6 episodes)
2014
The Missing
Tony Hughes · (8 episodes)
2014
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self · (1 episode)
2011
Monroe
Gabriel Monroe · (12 episodes)
2011
The Deep
Clem Donnelly · (5 episodes)
2010
Occupation
Mike Swift · (3 episodes)
2009
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Self · (1 episode)
2009
Midnight Man
Max Raban · (3 episodes)
2008
The Passion
Pilate · (6 episodes)
2008
Fairy Tales
(1 episode)
2008
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (4 episodes)
2007
The One Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2006
The One Show
Self · (1 episode)
2006
OFI Sunday
(1 episode)
2005
The Friday Night Project
Self - Host · (1 episode)
2005
Passer By
Joe Keyes · (2 episodes)
2004
Canterbury Tales
Nick Zakian · (1 episode)
2003
The Terry and Gaby Show
(1 episode)
2003
Tractor Tom
Matt (voice) · (54 episodes)
2002
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Self · (2 episodes)
2001
Murphy's Law
Thomas Murphy · (23 episodes)
2001
Cold Feet
Adam Williams · (61 episodes)
1998
Playing the Field
(32 episodes)
1998
Parkinson
Self · (2 episodes)
1998
This Is the Sea
Constable Hubert Porter
1997
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Ballykissangel
(4 episodes)
1996
Ballykissangel
Leo McGarvey · (11 episodes)
1996
Go Now
Tony
1995
Soccer AM
Self · (1 episode)
1995
Common As Muck
(1 episode)
1994
Love Lies Bleeding
Niall
1993
GMTV
Self · (2 episodes)
1993
Between the Lines
(1 episode)
1992
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
Yuri · (1 episode)
1992
Hear My Song
Fintan O'Donnell
1991
Soldier Soldier
Corporal Bryan Casey · (1 episode)
1991
The End of the World Man
Policeman
1986
Lovejoy
Jerry Boyle · (1 episode)
1986
The Cry
B Special (uncredited)
1984
The Hollywood Greats
(1 episode)
1977
The Late Late Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962
Run Away
Simon · (1 episode)