Northern Irish actor born in Coleraine in 1966. "Acting was never my vocation I sort of fell into it and there's not a day goes by that I don't feel privileged and thankful for what's happened to me," Nesbitt said in one interview. In another, he states that his two ambitions as a boy were to play for Manchester United or to be a singer. His first serious career plan was to be a teacher - however, one of his own teachers persuaded him to take an apprenticeship at a local theatre. Later he moved to England and graduated from a London drama school.
Nesbitt's big break was the hit comedy drama series Cold Feet, where he stars alongside Helen Baxendale as her partner Adam. Like his character, Nesbitt is a devoted football fan and has been a Man United supporter since the age of four.
"I booked time off Cold Feet last year before the European Cup final, hoping United would get to Barcelona. Two days before, I still didn't have a ticket. I heard ITV had commissioned a new series of Cold Feet, so I told them I wouldn't do it unless they got me a ticket for the match. About 10 minutes later I had one," said Nesbitt in a "My team" interview with the Guardian Observer.
In the first feature film made about the events of Bloody Sunday in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Nesbitt plays the leading role as civil rights leader Ivan Cooper. The actor stated in an interview that he would "die happy" if the movie could in some way bring "some sort of closure to a very painful chapter in our collective history". The movie was awarded the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival.
Nesbitt has been married to Sonya since 1993, they have a daughter named Peggy. Oh, and he was elected 4. sexiest man in Ireland January 2002 - after musician Jim Corr of The Corrs, actor Colin Farrell, and dj Gerry Ryan.
Filmography from imdb.com:
Bloody Sunday (2002) .... Ivan Cooper
Murphy's Law (2001) (TV) .... Tommy Murphy
Lucky Break (2001) .... Jimmy
Wild About Harry (2000) .... Walter Adair
The Most Fertile Man In Ireland (1999) .... 'Mad Dog' Billy Wilson
Women Talking Dirty (1999) .... Stanley
"Cold Feet" (1998/II) TV Series .... Adam Williams
Waking Ned (1998)
"Touching Evil II" (1998) (mini) TV Series
"Playing the Field" (1998) (mini) TV Series
This Is the Sea (1998)
Resurrection Man (1998) .... Ryan
"Touching Evil" (1997) (mini) TV Series .... David Laney
Jumpers (1997)
The James Gang (1997) .... Graham Armstrong
Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) .... Gregg
Cold Feet (1997) (TV) .... Adam Williams
Jude (1996) .... Uncle Joe
"Ballykissangel" (1996) TV Series .... Leo McGarvey (1996)
Go Now (1995) .... Tony
Love Lies Bleeding (1994) .... Niall
Sailortown (1993) (TV) .... Skeeball
Hear My Song (1991) .... Fintan O'Donnell
Sources:
http://www.observer.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,404583,00.html
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/interviews/james_nesbitt.html