Lorraine: Colin Firth discusses portraying Jim Swire
Colin Firth was visibly emotional as he discussed the true stories that inspired the new Sky Drama, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth. The series delves into the tragic events following the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988, which claimed the lives of 270 people, marking it as Britain's deadliest terror attack.
The 64-year-old actor takes on the role of Dr Jim Swire, a father who lost his daughter Flora in the disaster as she was en route to celebrate Christmas with friends in the United States.
During an appearance on Lorraine Kelly's ITV show on Monday (January 6), alongside co-star Catherine McCormick, who plays Jane Swire, Jim's wife, Colin shared his feelings about portraying such a deeply affected individual.
Lorraine remarked on the resilience of Jim Swire, saying, "He's an amazing man Jim Swire, isn't he? He's extraordinary and he just never gave up."
Colin, clearly touched, responded by expressing his profound respect and empathy for Swire's relentless pursuit of truth and justice, despite the immense personal pain: "The admiration I had for his tenacity and sympathy as well because he wouldn't have chosen this, he wouldn't have chosen to go on campaigns, he wouldn't have chosen to take the risk to go and meet Gaddafi.
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"He wouldn't have chosen to have to keep questioning what he was told and I feel this is something that goes very deep and it's trying to fathom the unfathomable," reports the Mirror.
He further commented: "I found that quite emotionally challenging to engage with really but I think one of things that propelled him as well wasn't just tenacity it wasn't just 'I've got an answer that's not enough I want more' - the answers didn't feel right to him."
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Catherine confessed that assuming the role felt like a 'huge responsibility', stating: "The scripts were brilliant and we really wanted to be a part of it but when you are playing someone, what the Swires had been through and portraying a real person who is still alive today and very much going through whatever that process of grief was and is for the family."
She continued: "That I found quite daunting and there's a huge responsibility there so you can only hope that once you have said yes to it that you did some kind of justice."
Lorriane airs weekdays from 9am on ITV and ITVX
