FOR well-known Northern Irish actor, James Nesbitt, his new series Bloodlands will showcase his home country in a way never seen before
The gritty series, which kicks off on Sunday, stars James alongside Charlene McKenna.
The action follows Tom Brannick (Nesbitt), a Northern Irish police detective who finds what appears to be a suicide note in a car.
Before long he realises it could be connected to an old case he is inextricably caught up in.
However, for the actors the story being set in the fallout of The Troubles – a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted around 30 years, from the late 1960s until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 – was of upmost importance.
Nesbitt told The Sun’s TV Mag in an exclusive chat that not only did he love going back home to film, but relished in the fact Bloodlands will be shown in a “different context”.
“I’m loving being back in Belfast, I haven’t worked in Northern Ireland since The Secret [2016],” he explaned.
“And that in itself was one of the big attractions for me, to be able to come back and also for the first for Northern Ireland to be shown in a different context.”
He added” Yes, the troubles are kind of part of it. But I think we’re showing Northern Ireland kind of the good things about the agreement, we’re showing people going out and celebrating – we’re not bearing witness a lot to the sort of the sense of fear in the community, because Northern Ireland really isn’t like that.”
Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio, who serves as executive producer, echoed the sentiment.
“I hope that it will help people to have empathy with the Troubles and the aftermath of the Troubles and what people in Northern Ireland have been through,” he chimed in.
“And the real courage of the community which has now created this peace and prosperity which has allowed people like me to swan in over there and make cop shows.”
After a tough year for the industry, Nesbitt is remiding himself how much he loves his home and his job.
“I love Northern Ireland. I love acting, and I would like to be remembered as a Northern Irish actor, who loved where he came from and loved his job,” he said.
You can read the full interview in TV Mag, available only with The Sun every Saturday.
