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 ODonnell in Hear My Song 1991 Nesbitt got his breakthrough television role playing Adam Williams in the romantic comedydrama Cold Feet 19982003 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 Murphys Law 20012007 as undercover detective Tommy Murphya 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 Moffats 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 Estevezs The Way 2011 and has been cast in Peter Jacksons The Hobbit 201213 Nesbitt is married to former actress Sonia ForbesAdam 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