Christopher Eccleston's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Heroes Claude Doctor Who (UK) The Doctor Doctor Who Confidential (UK) Christopher… The Shadow Line Joseph Bede Accused (UK) Willy Houli… Cracker (UK) DCI David B…

Main Movie Roles 2009 - G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra 2009 - Amelia 2007 - The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising 2002 - Lost in La Mancha 2002 - 28 Days Later 2001 - The Others 2000 - Gone in Sixty Seconds 1999 - eXistenZ 1998 - Elizabeth 1998 - A Price Above Rubies 1996 - Jude 1992 - Death and the Compass

BIOGRAPHY:

Born in Salford, Lancashire. He often returns there to fight for local issues and is a patron of the arts for the area. Christopher Eccleston trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and first came to public attention as Derek Bentley in Let Him Have It (1991). However, it was a regular role in the TV series "Cracker" (1993) that made him a recognizable figure in the UK. He appeared in the low-budget thriller Shallow Grave (1994) and in the same year won the part of Nicky Hutchinson in the epic BBC drama serial "Our Friends in the North" (1996). It was the transmission of the latter series on BBC Two that really made him into a household name in the UK.

In his film career he has starred as a leading man alongside a number of major actresses, such as Renée Zellweger in A Price Above Rubies (1998), Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth (1998), and Cameron Diaz and Jordana Brewster in The Invisible Circus (2001), and Nicole Kidman in "The Others".

In addition to his successful film career, he has continued to work in his favourite medium, appearing in some of the most challenging and thought-provoking British television dramas of recent years. These have included "Clocking Off" (2000) and Flesh and Blood (2002) (TV) for the BBC and Hillsborough (1996) (TV), the Iago character in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello", and the religious epic "The Second Coming" (2003), playing Steve Baxter, the son of God.

His stage career, while not as extensive as his screen credits, has nevertheless shown him to be a formidable actor. He's given intense, focused performances in such plays as "Hamlet", "Electricity" and "Miss Julie", for which he received excellent reviews.

A very highly regarded actor, Eccleston has twice been nominated in the Best Actor category at the BAFTA Television Awards, the UK's premiere TV awards ceremony. His first nomination came in 1997 for "Our Friends in the North". Although he didn't win those awards, he did, however, triumph in the Best Actor categories at the 1997 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards and the Royal Television Society Awards, winning for "Our Friends in the North". He won the RTS Best Actor award for a second time in 2003, this time for his performance in "Flesh and Blood". In 2005 he received the Most Popular Actor award in the National Television Awards for Doctor Who.


TRIVIA:

• Often collaborates with 'Phyllida Lloyd' (qv) on stage.
• Of the ten actors to play the Doctor in _"Doctor Who" (1963)_ (qv), _Doctor Who (1996) (TV)_ (qv) and _"Doctor Who" (2005)_ (qv), he is the only one who has never worked with 'Nicholas Courtney' (qv), who played Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the former from 1968 to 1989 as well as in numerous Big Finish audio dramas.
• He has retained his Lancashire accent.
• Turned down a role in Steven Spielberg's _Saving Private Ryan (1998)_ (qv).
• He is the younger brother of twins 'Alan Eccleston (I)' (qv) and 'Keith Eccleston' (qv).
• A very keen runner.
• Uncle of 'Peter Eccleston (I)' (qv) and 'Rebecca Eccleston' (qv), who acted with him in _Let Him Have It (1991)_ (qv).
• He is a vegetarian.