Kieran O'Brien (born 1973) is an English actor.

Early life and education Born in Oldham, Lancashire, O'Brien grew up in nearby Royton, and was educated at the Bishop Henshaw Roman Catholic Memorial High School in Rochdale.

Career O'Brien began acting at an early age and was the star of BBC TV series Gruey by the time he was 15. He also featured in several other series at the time in one-off or recurring roles including several episodes of Jossy's Giants.

He played two roles in Coronation Street, Joe Egerton in 1990 and Craig Lee in 1993. In 1993 he also played the role of Lee Jones in Children's Ward, and became a regular in the detective series Cracker, as the titular character's son.

In 1999, O'Brien appeared in his first feature film, Virtual Sexuality. In 2001, he played the role of Private Allen Vest in HBO's acclaimed series Band of Brothers where he played a prominent part in the episode "The Last Patrol". He also appeared in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People. In 2003, he appeared in the Cooper Temple Clause music video "Promises, Promises" and can be seen saying he got 'laid' in the Millennium Dome in the making of the video.

In 2004, O'Brien appeared in the controversial film 9 Songs. According to The Guardian, 9 Songs was the most sexually explicit mainstream-film to date, largely because it includes several scenes of real, sexual acts between the two lead actors. His role is highly unusual in that he had unsimulated and very graphic sex with his co-star Margo Stilley, including genital fondling, female masturbation with and without a vibrator, penetrative vaginal sex, cunnilingus, footjob, and fellatio. During a scene in which Stilley stimulates his penis with her hand after performing fellatio on him, he became the only mainstream British actor who has been shown ejaculating in a mainstream UK-produced feature.

O'Brien strongly defended the film during the controversy that followed, saying that he saw no problem with having sex for a film. He said: "People who say they find it offensive are liars. If they say they find it shocking, I don't believe them. It's only sex. To me they were just scenes we were shooting, to be honest, and I was surprised how ordinary and how natural it was. But it's a different thing for a girl than it is for a lad. I didn't fancy her—I felt protective towards her. On set she was the only woman with a crew of four lads. I know how difficult it was for her. You can't get away from the fact she's a young girl."

To date, O'Brien continues both his television and film acting careers. Recent appearances have been made in The Road to Guantánamo (2006) and Totally Frank (2005–06), as well as a reprise of his role in Cracker.

O'Brien was also one of the stars of the BBC's police drama HolbyBlue, appearing from the first episode until the third episode of the second series.

In 2013, O'Brien toured the UK in a stage production of Simon Beaufoy's 1997 comedy-drama film The Full Monty, in which he plays the "absurdly over-endowed" guy.

Personal life O'Brien was in a relationship with Brookside actress Nicola Stephenson for eight years until 1999.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1987 Bellman and True The Boy 1999 Virtual Sexuality Alex Thorne 2001 My Kingdom Photographer 2002 24 Hour Party People Nathan 2004 9 Songs Matt 2005 A Cock and Bull Story Gary Goal! Hughie McGowan 2006 The Road to Guantánamo Voice Over 2007 Goal II: Living the Dream Hughie McGowan 2008 Genova Reading Sonnet Voice2012 Spike Island Poster Vendor 2013 The Look of Love Jimmy Humphries 2018 Peterloo Farrier Holmes & Watson Lestrade's P.C. Smalls

Television Year Title Role Notes1986 Jossy's Giants Cheeky Boy 2 uncredited episodes1987 One by One Neville 2 episodesBulman Peter Malin Episode: "W.C. Fields Was Right"1988 The Return of the Antelope Newsboy Episode: "Emily"1988–1989 Gruey Gruey Main role1989 Dramarama Trotter Episode: "Ghost Story"The Jim Henson Hour Matt Banting Episode: "Monster Maker"1990–1991 Children's Ward Lee Jones Main role1990–1993 Coronation Street Craig Lee / Joe Egerton 15 episodes1991–1993 Casualty Billy/Chris Miller 2 episodes1991, 1998 The Bill Gary Lee / Paul Mears 2 episodes1992 Kappatoo Tau 4 7 episodes1993 Medics David Episode #3.2The Lodge Giblet 4 episodesHeartbeat Neil Episode: "Speed Kills"1993–1995 Cracker Mark Fitzgerald Main role1997 Born to Run Ryan Flitch 6 episodes1998 Harry Enfield & Chums Episode: "Harry Enfield's Yule Log Chums"2000 Jason and the Argonauts Actor 2 episodesHearts and Bones Robbie Rose 6 episodes2001 Messiah Eric Metcalfe 2 episodesBand of Brothers Allen E. Vest 3 episodes2002 Stig of the Dump Damian Episode: "Undercover"Always and Everyone Michael 2 episodes2002, 2008 Holby City Neil Stevenson / PC Robert Clifton 2 episodes2003 Messiah 2: Vengeance Is Mine Eric Metcalfe 2 episodesBurn It Andy Grimshaw Episode #1.62004 Dalziel and Pascoe Chris Mattis Episode: "Soft Touch"2005 Bloodlines Mark Hopkin TV filmNew Tricks Michael Jacobs Episode: "Eyes Down for a Full House"2005–2006 Totally Frank Joe 15 episodes2006 Elizabeth David: A Life in Recipes Charles Gibson Cowan TV filmThe Afternoon Play Sean Tyler Episode: "Tea with Betty"Cracker: Nine Eleven Mark Fitzgerald TV film2007 Life on Mars Davie Mackay Episode #2.72007–2008 HolbyBlue PC Robert Clifton Main role2008 The Last Enemy Wafa 2 episodesSurvivors John Episode #1.52009 Blue Murder Terry Camerton 2 episodes2010 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Al Episode #3.5Moving On Shane Episode: "Trust"2011 Vera Bobby Salter Episode: "Little Lazarus"Death in Paradise Danny Fernandez Episode: "An Unhelpful Aid"2012 Love Life Dez 3 episodes2014 The Assets Randy Episode: "Jewel in the Crown"Bluestone 42 Nutsack 2 episodesSilk Sean 3 episodesGrantchester Arthur Evans Episode #1.3Glue Thomas Bray 2 episodesThe Passing Bells Frank Episode #1.22015 The Syndicate Andy Stevenson Recurring rolePrey Phil Prentice 2 episodes2016 Shield 5 Doyle Short film-exclusive to InstagramThe Watchman Lee TV film2017 No Offence DI Stone Episode #2.3In the Dark DS Gary Kenny 2 episodes2018 Cuckoo Goran Episode: "Ivy Nanny"2019 Chernobyl Valery Khodemchuk Episode: "Vichnaya Pamyat"Years and Years Woody 2 episodes2020 Isolation Stories Stranger's Husband Episode: "Mel"; VoiceCursed Reith 2 episodesThe Cars That Made the World Narrator Voice2020–2023 Ted Lasso James Tartt 5 episodes2022 Andor Pegla 3 episodes2023 The Family Pile Stuart 6 episodes

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