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James Nesbitt tackles war's complexities in 'Occupation'

Published online on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009

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PASADENA -- On the surface, James Nesbitt's latest TV project could be dismissed as just another war story. The BBC America presentation of "Occupation" focuses on three British soldiers serving in Iraq. Fortunately, Nesbitt's the kind of actor who digs deep below the surface.

"I saw this as a people story," Nesbitt says during an interview at the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa. "What we did, through drama, was press the pause button on everything we get in the news and really explore what affect serving has on these men both together and apart."

Nesbitt, a Northern Ireland native who is a bigger star in England than the U.S. (cable subscribers may remember his work in "Jekyll" that earned him a Golden Globe nomination), plays Mike Swift, a good soldier and a great friend. He and two of his mates survive their tour only to discover life away from the conflict is just as difficult. Swift's marriage falls apart as he pursues a love affair with an Iraqi doctor.

In researching the role, Nesbitt discovered many soldiers found more of a sense of security when they were in their uniforms than when they slipped back into civilian attire. "They are trained to be soldiers. Were not really trained to be humans," Nesbitt says. "And I think that the rhythm that war gives them with the camaraderie which we discovered was so important to them -- that they can confide in each other, that they are completely together -- is in stark contrast to them coming away from that situation losing the uniform, going back into a family life where they feel terribly displaced because of what they've seen and what they've gone through."

Nesbitt was struck by how so many soldiers feel like they don't belong in their own home, a scenario that plays out with his character in "Occupation."

Over the past 25 years, Nesbitt has played a variety of film and TV roles. "Occupation" appealed to him because it was a chance to play an average guy, which he thinks makes the character accessible to the viewer -- both civilians and soldiers.

"I think people will understand the human frailties of these men. What I thought was fascinating about Mike's journey is like something is released in him that he was not familiar with at all," Nesbitt says.

"He totally thought his life was fine. He finds in that terrible mess a reason for living, a reason worth fighting for. I loved that out of this chaos, someone can find something that transforms their life and ultimately destroys them."

As for concern with the general apathy toward war films and TV shows: Nesbitt's convinced the human elements will make "Occupation" appealing to viewers.