“He has to wade through hell to find some self-respect”
JAMES NESBITT STARS IN A NEW CRIME THRILLER AS A COPPER ON A MISSION TO DISCOVER WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF HIS DAUGHTER…
New eight-part crime thriller Suspect – adapted from the Danish series Forhøret – boasts a stellar cast, including James Nesbitt as detective Danny Frater.
Danny arrives at a hospital mortuary for a routine ID check on a young woman who, according to the post-mortem, has taken her own life. Only, when it turns out the body is that of his estranged daughter, Christina, he refuses to accept the results – and sets out on a quest for the truth by retracing her last steps in a frantic 24-hour chase. Here, James reveals more…
Hi, James! How would you describe Danny?
I don’t see him as a policeman; I see him as a person who has made some terrible decisions. He had a way out through his wife Susanna and their daughter Christina, but somehow messed it all up. He has never really forgiven himself for that.
Does he still have a sense of purpose?
His daughter’s death relights the fire in him, as he starts to question how and why she died. I hope we see the journey of a man who had descended to the worst place he could be, and somehow it takes wading through the worst hell to get to some kind of self-respect.
Why does he think Christina has been murdered?
Well, the cop in him has switched back on and he’s piecing things together. It’s about making sure justice is done, but a lot of it is him saying sorry to her and assuaging his guilt.
How did you find working opposite a different actor in each episode?
Imagine having the chance to work with actors like AnneMarie Duff or Richard E Grant! And Joely Richardson was a brilliant playing partner.
Everyone threw themselves at it, which I love.
Was it challenging filming all eight episodes in just eight weeks?
The real challenge was staying in the moment the whole time and being alert to what the other characters were saying to me, because each one has their own agenda. But it was thrilling, demanding and an affirmation of why I still love the job. And by the end of it, I was exhausted!
DANNY AS A PERSON WHO’S TERRIBLE DECISIONS…”