Since the premiere of Playing Nice last week, James Norton has been the centre of attention for his leading role in the ITV drama, and his off-screen life is equally intriguing.
In the four-part series, viewers watch as James’ character’s world is shattered when he learns that his toddler was accidentally swapped with another child at birth.
The Happy Valley actor, 39, has spoken about the “challenge” of taking on such a complex part. “The role is emotionally challenging to play, and it takes you to a dark yet unusual place,” he shared.
“Stories about bereavement, heartbreak or grief are more familiar. This is a story which encapsulates all of those various forms of pain, but to find out that your child is not your own, is not an experience which people have often.”
But Playing Nice isn’t the only demanding role for James. During his performance in A Little Life, the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s novel in London, he recounted how he suffered “panic attacks”.
In a conversation with The Sunday Times, James revealed: “It was the hardest thing I’ve done.”
He admitted he was “naïve” thinking he could separate work from personal life, saying: “I thought I would be able to apply my philosophy to split work and life, but without sounding overly worthy, it felt so important because some people who came to see the play were survivors of abuse.”
He also mentioned becoming a “catatonic mess” and experiencing “panic attacks”, but noted that by the end of the run, he “felt incredible”.
London native James recently made headlines when he featured on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, reading a book aimed at helping children and their families understand diabetes. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in his early twenties, James has previously described the experience as “traumatic”.
“It was traumatic, because I’m a terrible hypochondriac anyway,” he once told the Irish Daily Mail. “But it was also manageable because I had the best role model in my sister, who was training to be a doctor. I called her so many times, worrying about things, which was strange, because I’d always been the protective older brother, keeping an eye on Jessie [his sister] at parties.
“Having type 1 was particularly hard for her through her teenage years when she had so many other things to contend with. But then, when it was my turn, she got me through it, too.”
In terms of his personal life, James was previously engaged to Hollywood actress Imogen Poots.
The couple confirmed their relationship in December 2017 and announced their engagement in February 2022. However, by February 2024, reports suggested they had parted ways due to “growing apart”.
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