James Nesbitt

Acclaimed Irish actor James Nesbitt earned a reputation as one of England's finest talents for decades prior to attracting much deserved attention across the Atlantic. After gaining substantial experience on the stages of London and with the occasional screen role in films like "Hear My Song" (BBC, 1991), Nesbitt broke out as one of the leads on the popular romantic comedy series "Cold Feet" (ITV, 1998-2003). More light-hearted turns in such films as "Waking Ned Devine" (1998) eventually gave way to increasingly dramatic fare after the versatile actor impressed audiences and critics with his performance in Paul Greengrass' acclaimed docudrama "Bloody Sunday" (2001). Quickly rising in the ranks as one of Britain's foremost performers, Nesbitt began appearing in works as diverse as Woody Allen's "Match Point" (2005) and the macabre fantasy series "Jekyll" (BBC One, 2007). Other notable efforts included a co-starring role opposite Liam Neeson in the factual-fictional hybrid "Five Minutes of Heaven" (2009) and as the star of the medical drama "Monroe" (ITV, 2011- ). In one of the most high-profile endeavors of his career, Nesbitt joined Peter Jackson for the first of a trilogy of highly-anticipated films based on the Tolkien novel, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012). Equally adept in comedic or dramatic roles, Nesbitt continued to break fresh creative ground and attract new admirers with each project.