Christopher Eccleston is an English actor whose work has encompassed Hollywood blockbusters and arthouse films, television dramas, Shakespearean stage performances and science fiction.

Eccleston's professional stage debut was as Pablo Gonzalez in the Bristol Old Vic's April-May 1989 production of A Streetcar Named Desire. His first on-screen role was in the 1990 BBC thriller Blood Rights. Eccleston's film debut, playing Derek Bentley in Let Him Have It (1991), was his breakout role. A regular part as DCI Bilborough in the crime drama Cracker (1993–94) brought him widespread recognition in the UK. Following a role in Danny Boyle's film Shallow Grave (1994), he was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for playing Nicky Hutchinson in the BBC Two television drama Our Friends in the North (1996). He also starred in Jimmy McGovern's television film Hillsborough (1996).

Eccleston subsequently appeared in a wide variety of British and American films, such as Michael Winterbottom's Jude (1996) and 24 Hour Party People (2002), Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) and Revengers Tragedy (2002). Eccleston played the lead role in Hamlet at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2002. He received a second BAFTA nomination for playing Stephen Baxter, a Mancunian everyman who learns he is the son of God, in the ITV television drama serial The Second Coming (2003).

Eccleston found international popularity with his lead role as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2005). He was nominated for a Broadcasting Press Guild Award and a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Actor, and was voted Most Popular Actor at the National Television Awards. He left the role after one series, and since 2021 has reprised the role in a series of licensed audio dramas for Big Finish Productions. Eccleston won an International Emmy Award for starring in a 2010 episode of McGovern's anthology drama Accused. He played villainous roles in the action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Thor: The Dark World (2013).

He starred as Matt Jamison on the HBO drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017), earning two consecutive nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics' Choice Television Awards. He was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his role in the television miniseries Come Home (2018). Eccleston played the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Macbeth in 2018. From 2016 to 2020, he played Maurice Scott in the drama series The A Word. Since 2022, he played Fagin in the BBC family comedy drama series Dodger.

Film YearTitleRole1991Let Him Have ItDerek Bentley1993AnchoressPriest1994Shallow GraveDavid Stevens1996JudeJude Fawley1998A Price Above RubiesSender HorowitzElizabethDuke of Norfolk1999HeartGary EllisExistenzSeminar LeaderWith or Without YouVincent Boyd2000Gone in 60 SecondsRaymond Calitri2001The OthersCharles StewartThe Invisible CircusWolf200224 Hour Party PeopleBoethiusI Am DinaLeo ZhukovskyRevengers TragedyVindici28 Days LaterMajor Henry West2007The SeekerThe Rider2008New Orleans, Mon AmourHenry2009G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraJames McCullen / DestroAmeliaFred Noonan2012Song for MarionJames Harris2013Thor: The Dark WorldMalekith2015LegendLeonard "Nipper" Read2018Dead in a Week or Your Money BackHarveyWhere Hands TouchHeinz2024Young Woman and the SeaJabez WolffeTBACrayford

Documentary films YearTitleRole2002The Importance of Being MorrisseyNarrator2003Cromwell – Warts and All2005Working Class Movement Library20161599: A True Story of the Elizabethan Court Television YearTitleRoleNotes1990Blood RightsDickTelevision serialCasualtyStephen HillsEpisode: " A Reasonable Man"1991Inspector MorseTerrence MitchellEpisode: "Second Time Around"ChancerRadioEpisode: "Jo"BoonMarkEpisode: "Cover Up"1992Rachel's DreamMan in DreamChannel 4's Video Fantasies seriesPoirotFrank CarterEpisode: "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe"Friday on my MindSean Maddox3 episodesBusiness with FriendsAngel MorrisTelevision filmPerformanceFrankie BryantEpisode: "Roots"1993–1994CrackerDCI David Bilborough10 episodes1995Hearts and MindsDrew Mackenzie4 episodes1996Our Friends in the NorthNicky Hutchinson9 episodesHillsboroughTrevor HicksTelevision film2000Wilderness MenAlexander von HumboldtClocking OffJim Calvert2 episodes2001StrumpetStraymanTelevision filmLinda GreenTom Sherry / Neil SherryEpisode: "Twins"OthelloBen JagoTelevision film2002The League of GentlemenDougal SieppEpisode: "How the Elephant Got Its Trunk"Flesh and BloodJoe BroughtonTelevision filmThe King and UsAnthonyWaiting for the Whistle seriesSundayGeneral FordTelevision film2003The Second ComingStephen Baxter2 episodes2005Doctor WhoNinth DoctorSeries 1; 13 episodesBlue PeterIn-character appearance on 4 AprilDubai DreamsNarratorDocumentary seriesEinstein's Big IdeaTelevision docudrama filmWanted: New Mum and DadTelevision documentary filmBorn to Be DifferentDocumentary series2005–2006The Dark Side of PornEpisode: "Porn Shutdown"; Documentary series2006Perfect ParentsStuartTelevision filmThe 1970s: That Was The Decade That WasNarrator2007HeroesClaude Rains5 episodes2008The Sarah Silverman ProgramDr. Lazer RageEpisode: "I Thought My Dad Was Dead, But It Turns Out He's Not"2009WoundedNarratorDocumentary series; 2 episodes2010Lennon NakedJohn LennonTelevision filmAccusedWilly HoulihanEpisode: "Willy's Story"2011The Shadow LineJoseph BedeAll 7 episodesThe BorrowersPod ClockTelevision filmThe Bomb SquadNarratorDocumentary series; 2 episodes2012BlackoutDaniel Demoys3 episodesTimeshiftNarratorDocumentary series; Episode: "When Wrestling was Golden: Grapples, Grunts and Grannies"2013LucanJohn Aspinall2 episodes2014–2017The LeftoversMatt JamisonMain role2015FortitudeCharlie StoddartSafe HouseRobertSeason 1; Main roleBrian Pern Indie SpecialLuke Dunmore2016Brian Pern: 45 Years of Prog and RollThe Last MinersNarratorDocumentary series; 2 episodes2016–2020The A WordMaurice ScottMain role2017Brian Pern: A TributeLuke DunmoreTelevision filmManchester: 100 Days After the AttackNarratorTelevision documentary film2017–presentAmbulanceSince season 22018Come HomeGregAll 3 episodesKing LearOswaldTelevision filmDanger MouseJ. Woolington ShamVoice role; Episode: "No More Mr Ice Guy"The Flu That Killed 50 MillionNarratorTelevision docudrama film20202019: A Year in the Life of a YearVarious rolesTelevision filmThe Kemps: All TrueJohn McVicar2021Close to MeRob HardingAll 6 episodes2022My Name is LeonDevlinTelevision film2022–2023DodgerFaginMain role2023The Kemps: All GoldLuke DunmoreTelevision filmThe ReadNarratorEpisode: "A Kestrel for a Knave"2024True DetectiveCaptain Ted ConnellySeason 4The Guilty InnocentPresenter2 episodes2026UnchosenMr PhillipsMain Cast

Stage YearTitleRoleVenueNotes1989A Streetcar Named DesirePablo GonzalezBristol Old VicDona Rosita the SpinsterThe Nephew1990FrankSoho Poly Theatre/Royal National TheatreAbingdon SquareBentLieutenant; KapoRoyal National TheatreAide-MemoireRoyal Court Theatre1993Waiting at the Water's EdgeWill CouthBush Theatre2000Miss JulieJeanTheatre Royal, WindsorHaymarket Theatre2002HamletHamletWest Yorkshire Playhouse2004ElectricityJakey2005Night SkyThe Old VicOne-night play; 30 October2009A Doll's HouseNeil KelmanDonmar Warehouse2012AntigoneCreonRoyal National Theatre2018MacbethMacbethRoyal Shakespeare TheatreBarbican Theatre, London2023NASSIMTraverse TheatreSingle performance; 22 August2023–2024A Christmas CarolEbenezer ScroogeThe Old Vic

Performances with unknown dates

Woyzeck – Birmingham Repertory Theatre The Wonder – Gate Theatre Encounters – National Theatre Studio

Filmed plays YearTitleRole2012National Theatre Live: AntigoneCreon2018Royal Shakespeare Company: MacbethMacbeth

Short films YearArtistRoleNotes1992Death and the CompassAlonso Zunz2000The TyreSalesman2001This Little PiggyCabbie2010The Happiness SalesmanSalesman2013EmilyJames2020Endless2024An Angel on Oxford StreetSaulVoice role2025Whispers of FreedomHerbert KöferTBADad

Music videos YearArtistTitle2004I Am Kloot"Proof"2010"Northern Skies"

Audio YearTitleRolePublisherNotes1998Room of LeavesFrankBBC Radio 4Pig ParadiseJack Plum2001Some Fantastic PlacePresenterBBC Radio 2Tribute to Chris Difford and Glenn TilbrookBayeux TapestryHaroldBBC Radio 42002IliadAchilles2004Life Half SpentRoger2005Sacred NationNarratorBBC Radio 2Crossing the Dark SeaAlecBBC Radio 4A Day in the Death of Joe EggBrianBBC Radio 32006This Sceptred IsleVarious CharactersBBC Radio 42008The Devil's ChristmasPresenterBBC Radio 24 episodes2013Nineteen Eighty-FourWinston SmithBBC Radio 42 episodes2019Cold Bath StreetNarratorUniversity of Central LancashireI Love the Bones of You: My Father And The Making Of MeAudiobook NarratorSimon & Schuster AudioThe Whisper ManMacmillan Audio2021–presentDoctor Who: The Ninth Doctor AdventuresNinth DoctorBig Finish ProductionsSeries 1–4; 37 episodes2023Doctor Who: Once and FutureEpisode: "Time Lord Immemorial"2024ScuttledThomas AshworthMuseum of London ArchaeologyBreaking the RulesPresident ZhivkovBBC Radio 4 References Citations

Sources

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