Nathan Braniff

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Nathan Braniff
EducationCampbell College, Belfast Italia Conti School of Arts
OccupationActor
Years active2023–present
TelevisionBlue Lights

Nathan Braniff is a stage and television actor from Belfast. He is known for his role in the BBC One series Blue Lights (2023).

Early life

Braniff grew up living in Belfast, where his parents run a fish and chip shop. He wanted to be an actor since he was ten years-old.[1] He was educated at Campbell College, Belfast.[2]

Career

He played the titular role of Bugsy Malone in a stage production at the Grand Opera House, Belfast in July 2011.[3] He later had a role in a production of Honk! at the same venue.[4]

Braniff relocated to south London at 18 where he attended Italia Conti school of performing arts. He attained is degree in Acting before graduating.

Braniff had his first screen role playing rookie cop Tommy Foster in BBC police drama Blue Lights.[5] For the role, he researched "body language of how police handle themselves in certain scenarios".[6] He has described his attempts on the show "the human side" of the police "with their good bits and bad bits”.[7] His mentor/pupil relationship with the actor Richard Dormer's character Gerry was explored in the series.[8] Speaking of his relationship with Dormer, Braniff said he will "speak to him regularly… [the way our characters were] that maybe spilled over into real life".[7] The series was renewed for a second series, airing April 2024.[9][10] Ahead of the second series, Braniff described attending a "police boot camp", and during filming on location in Belfast he was met with "positive" reactions from local people who had seen the first series.[11] Blue Lights was renewed for a third and fourth series in 2024.[12]

Personal life

Braniff trains in kick boxing.[6]

He has competed in both Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and continues to actively compete. Braniffs younger brothers are champion kick-boxers which is how he fell into the sport. The Brothers made history being the first 4 brothers to compete on the same fight card .

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2023–present Blue Lights Tommy Foster Lead role

References

  1. ^ "Nathan Braniff who plays Tommy Foster in Blue Lights". Press Party. March 23, 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  2. ^ Bunting, Claire (24 January 2023). "Old Campbellians return to support drama students". Old Campbellians. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Bugsy Malone Comes To The Grand Opera House!". Whats on NI. July 8, 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Drama success". Campbellcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  5. ^ Hibbs, James (1 May 2023). "Blue Lights cast: Meet the stars of BBC police drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Interview with Nathan Braniff who plays Tommy Foster in BBC One's Blue Lights". Press Party. April 9, 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b Halliday, Gillian (13 April 2024). "Blue Lights cast on series two: 'In NI, everybody has a different opinion on the police. We're trying to show the human side'". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  8. ^ Jones, Ellen E (23 March 2024). "'We lived on our nerves': how Belfast cop show Blue Lights captured a changed Northern Ireland". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  9. ^ O'Neill, Sean (6 April 2024). "Move over, Line of Duty — why Blue Lights is our best crime drama". The Times. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  10. ^ "BBC announces second series of Blue Lights". 20 April 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Davis, Rachael (12 April 2024). "Blue Lights series two will be 'explosive, moving and an authentic reflection of some parts of present-day Belfast', cast says". The Newsletter. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Blue Lights Series 3 and 4". Two Cities. Retrieved 2024-04-06.

External links