Biography for
Christopher Eccleston More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

16 February 1964, Salford, Lancashire, England, UK

Height

6' 1½" (1.87 m)

Mini Biography

Born in Salford, Lancashire. He often returns there to fight for local issues and is a patron of the arts for the area.

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Mini Biography

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.

IMDb Mini Biography By: northern7

Trivia

Is a supporter of Manchester United soccer club.

Was the first actor to play the title character in a "Doctor Who" story to be born after the show first commenced in November 1963.

He follows in a long line of distinguished actors to have portrayed the character of Doctor Who on screen. William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy all played the role in the television series, while Paul McGann played the role in the 1996 TV movie.

He has retained his Lancashire accent.

His earliest memory of watching "Doctor Who" (1963) is Patrick Troughton in the black-and-white episodes of the late 1960s.

Cast in Terry Gilliam's 'The Man who Killed Don Quixote', but didn't film any scenes before production closed down. In the documentary _Lost in La Mancha_ (2002) his photograph appears on a pinboard featuring photos of the cast.

Emailed old friend writer/producer Russell T. Davies and asked to be put on the list of possibles for the title role in the revival of "Doctor Who" (2005) series. He has claimed in interviews that he was not a fan of the original "Doctor Who" (1963) and was really attracted to take the part because of his admiration for Davies as a writer.

The BBC has recently admitted that they announced his departure too early. It was agreed back in January that he would only do one series and a Christmas special. The announcement of his depature should have be made about halfway through the new series run. [April 2005]

Turned down a role in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998).

Is one of three "Doctor Who" actors who portrayed The Doctor on TV to appear in an episode of "Casualty" (1986). The others are Colin Baker (I) and Sylvester McCoy.

He is a vegetarian.

He passed his driving test in January 2004 but is only qualified to drive an automatic.

Of the ten actors to play the Doctor in "Doctor Who" (1963), Doctor Who (1996) (TV) and "Doctor Who" (2005), he is the only one who has never worked with Nicholas Courtney, who played Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the former from 1968 to 1989 as well as in numerous Big Finish audio dramas.

A very keen runner.

He is the younger brother of twins Alan Eccleston and Keith Eccleston.

Uncle of Peter Eccleston and Rebecca Eccleston, who acted with him in Let Him Have It (1991).

Often collaborates with Phyllida Lloyd on stage.

One of his co-stars in Let Him Have It (1991) was Mark McGann, who is the younger brother of Paul McGann, his immediate predecessor as the Doctor.

Personal Quotes

I wasn't always such a great fan of Shakespeare, mind you. I can guess we all at one time had it rammed down our necks at school, which tends to take the edge off it.

A year later, and I'm average again.

Any horror element is as much psychological as special effects.

Culturally we've always felt it important to express the life of the country, and working class comes into that.

I came out of school in '79 when unemployment was really starting to bite, went back and redid my O-levels, there was a play going on and I was corralled into it.

I care more about telly because it made me an actor and there's a much more immediate response to TV. You can address the political or cultural fabric of your country.

I'm different from the other Doctors in that I'm northern. All the others spoke with this RP accent [received pronunciation] - maybe it was that that put me off. I think that it's good that we teach kids that people who speak like that can be heroic. (On starring in "Doctor Who" (2005))

My bony face is like a car crash. I haven't got good looks, just weird looks, enough to frighten the fiercest monster.

Theatre is an actor's medium. Film and television is primarily a director's medium. When you act in the theatre you get a four to six week rehearsal period, where you can build a character, and of course each evening when you give a performance, you have the final edit. So, theatre acting is my great love. But, I've had some very interesting and rewarding experiences in front of the camera.

If I had my choice, I would exclusively do theatre, if I could justify it financially. Theatre in my country is by and large very lowly paid, so actors have to supplement it with television and film work, if they're fortunate enough to be able to do that.

I enjoy American television. I've got three particular favorites - "The Larry Sanders Show" (1992), "Deadwood" (2004), and "NYPD Blue" (1993). I admire them all for very different reasons. One's a very broad, naturalistic satiric comedy. Deadwood's a fantastic take on the Western genre, and NYPD Blue, I thought the writing and the acting was extraordinary.

The best thing about "Doctor Who" (2005) for me has been the response I've had from children, both in the street and the number of letters and drawings of me and Daleks, which are all over my wall at home. In all the 20 years I've been acting, I've never enjoyed a response so much as the one I've had from children and I'm carrying that in my heart forever.

Where Are They Now

(March 2004) As of March 20, 2004, officially announced as the newest actor to play the classic television character "Doctor Who" for the 2005 BBC revival of the series.

(November 2006) Joining the cast of Heroes. His first episode will be broadcast on 22 January 2007.

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