James Nesbitt lived an "isolated life" to get into character for ‘The Missing’.
The 49-year-old actor revealed that he became a social recluse whilst he was filming for his new BBC One drama, where he stars as Tony, the father of a child that gets abducted.
Speaking about his preparation for the role, James told the Radio Times magazine: "I tried to live as isolated a life as I could. What was helpful was that I didn’t live in a hotel in Brussels, I lived in an apartment. And I got the art department to send me all the things Tony would have had access to, all the newspaper clippings and files. So I was surrounded by all that stuff in my flat.
"And I tried not to be social with the crew or cast. I would go out and eat by myself , and I would have these files with me. And I pounded the streets like Tony did, went into bars to have a couple of drinks. So, very much his world – because Tony was totally alone."
The actor – who has previously starred in the television shows ‘Cold Feet’ and ‘Murphy’s Law’ – admitted that the intense storylines and being parted from his two daughters – Mary, 12, and Peggy, 17 – did affect his mental state.
He shared: "What would occasionally get to me was the sense of isolation, the sense of being on your own. Being away from my kids, that was not easy. But the strengths of it were almost the negatives of it. It was very helpful for the piece. But certainly at times it was, ah, difficult."
James Nesbitt was ‘isolated’ on The Missing
