Lockerbie: A Search for Truth cast - Meet the characters
Colin Firth plays a justice-seeking father in five-part Sky Atlantic drama about the 1988 tragedy.
It’s been 36 years since Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing all 269 people on board and 11 residents on the ground in what remains the worst ever terrorist attack on UK soil. And now, just like last year’s double whammy of Prince Andrew vs. Emily Maitlis adaptations, the disaster is being delved into by two different broadcasters within a matter of months.
We’ll have to wait a while for Netflix’s six-parter Lockerbie. But the premiere of Sky Atlantic’s Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is only just around the corner.
Here’s a look at the latter’s impressive cast and the (mostly) real-life figures they’re portraying.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth cast
- Colin Firth as Jim Swire
- Catherine McCormack as Jane Swire
- Sam Troughton as Murray Guthrie
- Ardalan Esmaili as Abdelbaset al-Megrahi
- Guy Henry as Paul Channon
- Jemma Carlton as Cathy Swire
- Mudar Abbara as Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah
- Nabil Al Raee as Colonel Gaddafi
- Mark Bonnar as Roderick McGill
Read on to find out more about the cast and characters.
Colin Firth plays Jim Swire
Who is Jim Swire? Jim is the father of Flora Swire, a 23-year-old who lost her life on the ill-fated flight. In response to the tragedy, the former GP spearheads a support group, lobbies for the trial of the two Libyans accused and then advocates for the release of the only one convicted on the belief that he is in fact innocent of the crime.
Where have I seen Colin Firth before? Firth shot to fame emerging from a lake as the sopping wet Mr. Darcy in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice before landing roles in Oscar favourites The English Patient and Shakespeare in Love and crowd-pleasers Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually and Mamma Mia.
In 2011, he won an Academy Award for his performance as King George VI in The King’s Speech, and he’s since appeared in box office hits Kingsman: The Secret Service, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Mary Poppins Returns. Lockerbie is only his second major TV series this century, arriving three years after he portrayed Michael Peterson in true crime drama The Staircase.
Catherine McCormack plays Jane Swire
Who is Jane Swire? Jane is the wife of Jim Swire and mother of Lockerbie victim Flora who supports her husband on his quest to seek justice.
Where have I seen Catherine McCormack before? After playing Murron MacClannough in the Oscar winner Braveheart, McCormack appeared in several other British period dramas including The Land Girls and Dancing at Lughnasa before landing roles in Hollywood fare The Tailor of Panama and Spy Game.
She’s since impressed in apocalyptic horror 28 Weeks Later and Woody Allen’s Magic in the Moonlight. But McCormack’s most notable work of late has been on the small screen, whether guest spots in Sherlock and The Witcher, or the recurring roles of medical research scientist Beth in Temple and Russian sleeper agent Alex in Slow Horses.
Sam Troughton plays Murray Guthrie
Who is Murray Guthrie? One of only two key characters not explicitly based on a real-life figure, Murray is a local reporter who immediately heads down to the scene of the disaster.
Where have I seen Sam Troughton before? The grandson of former Doctor Who Patrick Troughton first caught attention as an archaeologist in sci-fi monster mash Alien vs Predator before playing Merry Man Much in the BBC’s Saturday teatime take on Robin Hood.
More recently, Troughton has worked with Mike Leigh on Peterloo, David Fincher on Mank and Ridley Scott on Napoleon, played Soviet engineer Aleksandr Akimov in Chernobyl and appeared in true crime dramas Stephen and Litvinenko. You can also currently see him as senior government figure Stephen Yarrick in Netflix’s buzzworthy spy drama Black Doves.
Ardalan Esmaili plays Abdelbaset al-Megrahi
Who is Abdelbaset al-Megrahi? Formerly head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines, Megrahi was the only man convicted for the Lockerbie bombing. Sentenced to life imprisonment, he was controversially released on compassionate grounds in 2009 and passed away from prostate cancer in 2012.
Where have I seen Ardalan Esmaili before? Iranian-born, Swedish-raised Esmaili first caught international attention in Brian De Palma’s action thriller Domino. He went on to appear in Netflix originals The Rain, Snabba Cash and Deliver Me, showed up as engineer Omid in sci-fi horror Sea Fever and most recently, played a thief in true crime miniseries The Helicopter Heist.
Guy Henry plays Paul Channon
Who is Paul Channon? Tory MP and Transport Minister Channon faced widespread criticism for going on holiday just days after the tragedy. Three months later, he was sacked.
Where have I seen Guy Henry before? Guy has been a small screen regular since the early ‘80s, playing Cassius in ancient epic Rome, Dr. John Monro in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and most famously, director of surgery Henrik Hanssen in Holby City. He’s also appeared in two massive film franchises, firstly as Pius Thicknesse in the final two Harry Potter films and then Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One.
Jemma Carlton plays Cathy Swire
Who is Cathy Swire? Having dropped her off at Heathrow, Cathy was the last member of the Swire family to see her sister Flora alive. Now a poet, she’s admitted to feeling silenced in her grief by her father Jim’s constant public campaigning.
Where have I seen Jemma Carlton before? In her first ever screen role, Carlton played Maxine Carr in the Channel 5 drama about the teaching assistant found guilty of perverting the course of justice in the Soham murders case. She’s since guested on sitcom The Cleaner and will next appear in the upcoming boxing drama A Thousand Blows.
The cast also includes:
Mudar Abbara plays Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah
Who is Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah? Previously a Libyan Arab Airlines’ station manager, Fhimah was accused alongside Megrahi of 270 counts of murder. But after it was determined that he was in Sweden at the time of the bombing, he was acquitted at the 2001 trial.
Where have I seen Mudar Abbara before? Abbara’s filmography has been largely restricted to short films so far. But he has guested on an episode of Holby City, enjoyed a minor role in Olympian refugee tale The Swimmers and played a bully in London drama The Burning Chicken.
Nabil Al Raee plays Colonel Gaddafi
Who is Colonel Gaddafi? The fearsome ruler of Libya from 1969 until his 2011 assassination, Colonel Gaddafi refused to hand over Fhimah and Megrahi to British police after they were named as chief suspects. Although he denied his country had any involvement, Libya paid the victims’ families $2.7 billion in 2009.
Where have I seen Nabil Al Raee before? His resume includes a minor role in talent show fable The Idol, race against time drama 200 Meters and war tale The Teacher.
Mark Bonnar plays Roderick McGill
Where have I seen Mark Bonnar before? Where haven’t you seen Bonnar before would probably be an easier question to answer! From Casualty and Catastrophe to Line of Duty and Law and Order: UK, name a British TV series from the past 20 years and chances are the Scotsman’s appeared in it.
After years of supporting roles, Bonnar made the step up to leading man in acclaimed hit-and-run drama Guilt. He’s also graced the big screen in Napoleon and Operation Mincemeat, starred in Quiz, The Rig and World on Fire and voiced video game characters in Battlefield 1 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is coming to Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 2nd January 2025 – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
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