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 Name: Bofur

 Alias: None

 Race: Dwarf of Khazad-dûm (not of Durin’s line)

 Played by: James Nesbitt

 Character description: Bofur wears a yellow hood and is the brother of Bombur, cousin of Bifur.

The actor chosen to play Bofur was James Nesbitt. James, or ‘Jimmy’ as he likes to be called, is originally from Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. At thirteen, he made his stage debut playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist. Although he dreamed of being a French teacher, he changed his mind while at university and dropped out of the course, having decided that he would much rather become an actor, and enrolled at the Central School of Speech & Drama in London.

James talked to Stuff.co.nz about why he changed his career ambitions, saying: ‘I got fed up writing essays and I’d done a bit of acting, so I packed in the degree. Drama school was a really good way of meeting girls [laughs] but then I started work the day after I left drama school and all of a sudden it was like “OK, I’m an actor”.

‘I think I was very lucky that I came from Northern Ireland at a time when a lot of drama was coming out of there because of the conflict. I remember (on my first day’s work), I got 250 quid a day (which is still bloody good money) and this was 1988. You see there’s an old Protestant work ethic in me: I don’t mind earning a few quid. And so I thought, “Right, I’ll stick with this.”’

He graduated in 1987 and began his career acting in plays and musicals before securing the part of talent agent Fintan O’Donnell in the 1991 movie Hear My Song. James is most famous for playing Adam Williams in the smash hit TV comedy–drama series Cold Feet (1997–2003) and Tommy Murphy in the TV drama Murphy’s Law. He has been nominated for over 20 awards, including a Golden Globe in 2008 for his portrayal of Tom Jackman in the TV series Jekyll. So far he has picked up eight awards, from a British Comedy Award to a British Independent Film Award, and from an Irish Film and Television Award to a Stockholm Film Festival Award.

In a press release to announce that James had been cast as Bofur, Peter Jackson said: ‘James’s charm, warmth and wit are legendary, as is his range as an actor in both comedic and dramatic roles. We feel very lucky to be able to welcome him as one of our cast.’