Jekyll, Five Minutes, Occupation James Nesbitt

—jekyll writer steven moffat on nesbitt

at end of 2005, nesbitt , agent met bbc controller of fiction jane tranter discuss new series of murphy s law. @ meeting s conclusion, tranter offered nesbitt first episode script of jekyll, television series steven moffat updated strange case of dr jekyll , mr hyde. nesbitt spent 3 hours reading script before accepting role of tom jackman—and alter-ego mr hyde. after signing on role, met moffat , hartswood films executive producer beryl vertue discuss character, , had several make-up tests. anticipation part heightened because filming not scheduled begin until september 2006. nesbitt spent hour each day being made hyde; wig altered hairline , prosthetics added chin, nose , ear lobes. wore black contact lenses make hyde soulless , though cgi used show transformation jackman in close-ups. series broadcast on bbc 1 in june , july 2007. role secured him nomination hollywood foreign press association golden globe award best performance actor in mini-series or motion picture made television, , nomination rose d or best entertainer.

nesbitt in july 2008

in 2008, portrayed pontius pilate in passion, bbc/hbo adaptation of last week in life of jesus. had rejected script due other filming commitments, accepted role after agent told him re-read before making final decision. pleased learn serial being produced nigel stafford-clark, bleak house adaptation had enjoyed, , appearing jekyll co-star denis lawson. contrary previous portrayals of pilate, nesbitt played biblical figure nice , and—as when playing jack parlabane—used own accent. serial broadcast in uk during easter week 2008. shortly after filming passion, filmed part of journalist max raban in carnival films thriller midnight man, shown on itv in may 2008. won him joint nomination (along 2007 series of murphy s law) itv3 crime thriller award best actor. @ end of year, had starring role in low-budget independent film blessed. writer , director mark aldridge scripted character of peter nesbitt in mind play him. film had limited release throughout 2008 , 2009 before bbc screened on television in 2010. nesbitt said, role of peter have dreamed playing, wait whole life opportunity , when comes have grab it.

the following year, nesbitt co-starred liam neeson in fact-based television film 5 minutes of heaven (oliver hirschbiegel, 2009). first part of film dramatises real-life murder of jim griffin alistair little in 1970s lurgan; second part features fictional meeting between little (neeson) , jim s brother joe (nesbitt) 33 years later. nesbitt met griffin before filming began learn how brother s murder affected him. film broadcast on bbc 2 in april 2009. starred colour sgt. mike swift in peter bowker s three-part bbc/kudos television serial occupation. in occupation, set on 6 years, nesbitt s character 1 of 3 british soldiers return basra, iraq after tours have concluded. researched role speaking territorial army soldiers in belfast, , raf officers in morocco, serial filmed. both performances commended independent journalist hugh montgomery; in review of 2009 s television, montgomery named nesbitt face of year , writing, had james nesbitt written off gurning embodiment of mediocre british tv drama, produced 2 stonking performances, transfixingly harrowed sergeant in occupation, , nervily vengeful victim s relative in irish-troubles piece 5 minutes of heaven. give man bafta. nesbitt not nominated bafta award, though did receive nomination best actor broadcasting press guild both performances.