At the age of 25, Christopher made his professional stage debut in the Bristol Old Vic's production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Relatively unemployed as an actor for some years after his graduation, Eccleston took a variety of odd jobs at a supermarket, on building sites, and as an artist's model. Christopher Eccleston first came to public attention
as Derek Bentley in the 1991 film Let Him Have It, based on true events.
However, it was a regular role in the TV series Cracker (1993–94)
— culminating in his character's dramatic death in the second
series — His film career has since taken off with a variety
of high-profile but not — except in one or two cases —
major roles, including parts in Jude (1996), Elizabeth (1998), eXistenZ
(1999), Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000), The Others (2001), 24 Hour Party
People (2002) and another Danny Boyle film, the horror movie 28 Days
Later (2002). He did play a major role as the protagonist of Alex
Cox's 2002 Revengers Tragedy, adapted from Thomas Middleton's play
of the same name. He has starred alongside two major Hollywood actresses
in smaller independent movies, playing opposite Renée Zellweger
in A Price Above Rubies (1998) and Cameron Diaz in The Invisible Circus
(2001). Despite starring in the car-heist movie Gone in 60 Seconds,
he did not actually take his driving test until January 2004 and is
only licenced to drive automatic transmission cars. On stage, his highest-profile production has been
his starring role in Hamlet at the A very highly-regarded actor, Christopher Eccleston has twice been nominated in the Best Actor category at the British Academy Television Awards, the UK's premier television awards ceremony. His first nomination came in 1997 for Our Friends in the North, when he lost out to Nigel Hawthorne (for The Fragile Heart), and he was nominated again in 2004 for The Second Coming, this time being beaten by Bill Nighy (for State of Play). 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. In July 2004 a poll of industry experts, conducted by Radio Times magazine, voted Christopher Eccleston the 19th Most Powerful Person in Television Drama. On March 20, 2004 it was announced that Christopher Eccleston was to play the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the revival of the legendary BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, which started airing in March 2005. The series executive producer and writer Russell T. Davies has said that Christopher Eccleston was always the first choice for the part. Despite this, the British tabloid press ran reports that Bill Nighy had been offered the role first, but declined (and in the 2005 documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, Davies said that he "wouldn't have thought Chris [Eccleston] would be interested"). Christopher Eccleston was the first actor to play
the Doctor on television in nine years (since Paul McGann in 1996)
and the first actor to play the Doctor in an on-going series in seventeen
years (since Sylvester McCoy in 1989). He was also the first actor
to play the Doctor who was actually born after the start of the original
television series; he was born two weeks after the famous first Dalek
story was first broadcast in the UK. Christopher Eccleston's three-month tenure makes him either the shortest or second-shortest serving Doctor to date, depending on how one counts Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor. (McGann appeared once but was not "replaced" for nine years on screen as no Doctor Who series was ever made at that time. Christopher Eccleston appeared in the role thirteen times but his successor appeared at the end of his final episode, David Tennant taking over at the conclusion of The Parting of the Ways.) On June 11, 2005 during a BBC radio interview, when asked if he had enjoyed working on Doctor Who, Christopher Eccleston responded by saying, "Mixed, but that's a long story." Christopher Eccleston's reasons for leaving the part continue to be a subject of discussion in Britain's newspapers: on October 4, 2005 Alan Davies told The Daily Telegraph that he had been "overworked" by the BBC, and had left the role because he was "exhausted". Ten days later, Christopher Eccleston told The Daily Mirror this was not true, and expressed some irritation at Davies for his comments. Despite his short and eventful tenure, his performance had a lasting effect on Doctor Who. He was voted "Most Popular Actor" at the 2005 National Television Awards for his portrayal of the Doctor. On 30 October 2005, Christopher Eccleston appeared
on stage at the Old Vic theatre in London in the one-night play Night
Sky alongside Navin Chowdhry, Bruno Langley, David Warner, Saffron
Burrows and David Baddiel. In December 2005, Christopher Eccleston traveled to Indonesia's Aceh province for the BBC Breakfast news programme, examining how survivors of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami were rebuilding their lives. On 20 December 2005, it was announced that he would lead the cast as playwright, poet and spy Christopher Marlowe in Peter Whelan’s The School of Night. Directed by Bill Alexander, The School of Night was due to preview from 16 February 2006, but on 6 January the production was cancelled without a full explanation. In May 2006, Christopher Eccleston appeared as the
narrator in a production of Romeo and Juliet at The Lowry theatre
in his home city of Salford. The theatre company with which he performed,
Celebrity Pig (of which he is patron), is made up of learning disabled
actors. In August, 2006, Christopher Eccleston starred in New
Orleans, Mon Amour with Elisabeth Moss. The film was directed by Michael
Almereyda, and shot in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.
Film and TV "Doctor Who" (13 episodes)
Chris plays the Scottish born villain, Destro in the live action movie of the toy. New Orleans, Mon Amour (2008) Dr Jeckyll
Christopher plays the role of Claude in five episodes of this surreal American science fiction series. Claude is invisible, and when first seen in episode 13 of the series he is stealing from people at an open air café without them knowing he is there. He becomes a guide and mentor to Peter, another young person with special powers. It is a small, almost a cameo role, but it calls for a special kind of screen presence to appear to walk through the world invisible to everyone else while actually being fully visible on the screen. Suspension of disbelief is only possible because Christopher carries it off so well. Perfect Parents (2006) (TV)
Christopher plays Stuart, a father who gets involved in an elaborate lie in order to get his daughter into a Catholic school that is so much better than other schools in the area. The lie leads to murder and blackmail and Stuart almost loses everything, including his daughter, in the tangled web. A good performance from Christopher, and from the supporting cast, but a script that sometimes drags. The image of Christopher Eccleston performing the Eucharist with a Pringle as Host is one that will stay in my mind every Sunday, though. The Second Coming (2003) (TV)
Christopher is Stephen Baxter, an ordinary man who discovers he is the son of God. From then on his life is not his own as a web of intrigue grows up around him and the world goes into meltdown over his prophecies. Christopher is fantastic in the role. Particularly spectacular scenes are the daylight in Maine Road, the bomb in the pub miracle and his death scene. 28 Days Later... (2002)
Christopher plays Major Henry West, the commanding officer of a small group of soldiers who have survived the plague that ravaged Britain and most of the world. He promised his men they would have women, and when two arrive, Selena and Hanna, an underage girl, he tries to give them what they want at all costs. He plays the unhinged officer with creepy accuracy. One of Christopher’s more gruesome death scenes sees him dragged away by the infected zombies. "The League of Gentlemen" (2002)
Christopher plays the cameo role of Dougal Siepp, a man who owns a cinema that plays only films about cats. How many films about cats are there in the world? Don’t ask Christopher Eccleston. A creepy, weird episode of a creepy, weird series. Flesh and Blood (2002) (TV)
Christopher plays Joe Broughton, a man who discovers he is adopted and seeks out his real parents only to find that they are both mentally disabled and that they were forced to have him adopted by a social services system that considered them unfit parents. A poignant story that led to Christopher becoming involved in a theatre group for people with learning disabilities in his native Salford. Revengers Tragedy (2002)
Christopher is Vindici, seeking revenge on those who killed his wife on their wedding day. Based on a 17th century play by Thomas Middleton but set in a post-holocaust future Liverpool. Dark, brooding, downright scary, he is the ‘good guy’ in this film and you would really want to be on his side because he deals with his enemies in some gruesome ways. Another one in which he DIES at the end, though. The King and Us (2002) (TV)
A short film. Christopher plays Anthony, a man torn between his wife having a baby and his football team, Manchester United, who stand to be relegated if Manchester City beat them in the crunch game of the season. Dennis Law is the ‘king’ who ironically crossed over and played for City later. I Am Dina (2002)
Christopher plays a character called Leo Zhukovsky in this Norwegian film about a young girl who accidentally causes her mother’s death and subsequently raises her ghost. How, why an English actor like Christopher was involved in such a project, I do not know. I have never seen it and know nobody who has. 24 Hour Party People (2002)
This is a cameo role in a surreal but rather fantastic film about the now deceased TV presenter, music producer and misunderstood genius, Tony Wilson and the rise and fall of his dream, the Hacienda night club. Christopher plays a homeless man called Boethius who shouts literary quotes at people passing by. Tony Wilson stops and gives him a cigarette. Sunday (2002) (TV)
Christopher plays General Ford, the British officer largely responsible for the 1972 Bloody Sunday killings of civilians at a peaceful civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland. Christopher plays the general as a barely sane bigot who hates the Irish Catholics and wants to make examples. Whether that is a true depiction of what really happened, nobody knows since even the most recent government inquiry has not come up with anything conclusive. Othello (2001) (TV)
This adaptation of Othello is set in the present day. Ben Jago is Iago, a police officer, jealous of his superior, Othello, and lusting after his wife. The inevitable tragedy unfolds. A steamy nude scene involving a bath is among the memorable scenes. "Linda Green"
Linda Green was a short lived drama series in 2001/2002. Christopher had a one off role in a single episode. This Little Piggy (2001) Christopher played the Cabbie in this strange short film with this one line plot summary on IMDB “On a rainy night in Dublin, two cops try to find a missing finger at a cab rank.” Strumpet (2001) (TV)
Christopher is Strayman, a rough looking street poet who engages in an unusual relationship with a homeless girl. The Others (2001)
Christopher plays the short but startling role of Charles Stewart, the husband of Nicole Kidman’s neurotic character, Grace Stewart. Apparently killed in action during the war, he appears out of the mists one day and Grace has one night in his arms before he disappears again. The film becomes even more surreal after that until finally it is revealed that EVERYONE, including Charles, is dead. The Invisible Circus (2001)
Christopher plays Wolf, the former lover of a girl who committed suicide. Several years later he makes an emotional journey with her younger sister to find out what happened and why. Surprisingly watchable. Christopher’s performance carries the film, even though the Hollywood female lead is the nominal ‘star’. "Wilderness Men" (2000) (mini) TV Series
Christopher is Alexander Von Humboldt in this factual series focussing on different historical characters. Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)
Christopher is Raymond Vincent Calitri, a master thief. Christopher said of this part that he only did it to get out of the house when work was slow, and that it was far from one of his best roles. And if he doesn’t like it, its hard for anyone else to feel any different. "Clocking Off" (2000)
Christopher played James 'Jim' Calvert in two episodes of the series about the lives of the workers in a factory. The Tyre (2000)
A strange short film. “A salesman is running late and gets a flat tyre. The tyre roles away sparking memories of when he found a tractor tyre as a boy and set it rolling.” Christopher plays the salesman. With or Without You (1999)
Christopher with a fantastic Northern Ireland accent plays Vincent Boyd, a former policeman, now a double glazing fitter. He and his wife are undergoing fertility treatment to try to have a baby and the pressure is on them both. Meanwhile an old flame of his wife’s, a seductive Frenchman comes to town and Vincent is sure his wife is having an affair. It all comes right in the end, but they go through hell in the meantime. Heart (1999)
Christopher plays Gary Ellis, a man who drives himself to a heart attack and is given a new lease of life after a transplant operation. It all goes wrong, though, when the mother of the boy who died to give him his new heart becomes obsessed with him. Another gruesome death scene for him. eXistenZ (1999)
A very weird science fiction film. Christopher plays the very small role of “Seminar Leader” who dies before the story even gets going. My interest in the film died of boredom shortly after. Elizabeth (1998)
Christopher is the Duke of Norfolk in this acclaimed film of the early life of Elizabeth I. He is a supporter of the Catholic faith who wants to control Elizabeth or have her deposed. His plots almost work but in the end he and his co-conspirators are undone. He is executed by beheading. A Price Above Rubies (1998)
Christopher plays Sender Horowitz, a Jewish man whose wife is frustrated by the strict rules of their closed Hasidic community. A curious choice of role. Hillsborough (1996) (TV)
In this Jimmy McGovern film, Christopher plays Trevor Hicks, an ordinary man who lost his two daughters in the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 when ninety six Liverpool football fans were killed through police incompetence. The film follows the lives of several families touched by the tragedy but focuses on Trevor, who led the campaign for justice at cost of his marriage. Christopher portrays the gradual breakdown of normal life for Trevor very well. And given that he is a Manchester United supporter himself, his real life support for the real families in their ongoing campaign is a credit to him. Jude (1996)
This was an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure. Jude Fawley is a working class man who wants to go to university and is continuously knocked back by the elitism of Cambridge. At the same time his love life is a tangled web that sees him divorced from his first wife and living in sin with his cousin who left her own husband because she loved Jude more. Tragedy and disappointment drive him to ruin. A great performance from Christopher, but Thomas Hardy is a BORING writer whichever way you package him. "Our Friends in the North" (1996)
One of Christopher’s finest roles. He plays Nicky Hutchinson, an idealistic young man in the 1960s whose ideals are shaped and changed as he grows older through the 1970s and 1980s. All of the actors involved had to be ‘aged’ from their early 20s to 50s in the course of the story. Christopher in his 30s at the time made a very dignified and handsome 53 year old man in the final instalments. Our Friends in the North is a masterpiece of television. I just wish the DVD box set was cheaper. Hearts and Minds (1995)
Another Jimmy McGovern production in which Christopher plays Drew Mackenzie, a frustrated teacher in a Liverpool comprehensive school. He has problems at work and at home which all come together in a disturbing way. "Cracker"
Christopher played DCI David Bilborough through five episode of the acclaimed detective series centred around the psychiatrist, Fitz, played by Robbie Coltrane. Bilborough was often at odds with Fitz, and he didn’t always do the right thing. This was one of Christopher’s most memorable death scenes, fatally stabbed by a deranged Liverpool supporter who wanted revenge for Hillsborough. Shallow Grave (1994)
Christopher plays David Stephens, who house shares with two other people. When a fourth housemate dies loaded with cash, they bury the body in a shallow grave and decide to keep them money, but obsessions about trust and the fact that the money belongs to a gangster mob leads to disaster for them all. Anchoress (1993)
Christopher plays a Priest in this bizarre film set in fourteenth-century England, in which a peasant girl Christine Carpenter is so attracted to a statue of the Virgin Mary that the local priest (who lusts after her) suggests she be walled up in the church as an anchoress, a holy woman with responsibility for blessing the villagers. But when the priest has Christine's mother tried as a witch, she digs herself out of her cell, a crime for which the punishment is death... Heaven help us! Business with Friends (1992) (TV)
Christopher plays Angel Morris, a neo-nazi who is visiting Berlin to attend a conference and do some arms dealing. Christopher’s performance is described as ‘searing’ by one critic. Death and the Compass (1992)
Christopher plays Alonso Zunz, and that is all I can say about this film. I have seen it, but I don’t understand it. It is directed by Alex Cox who did the fantastic Revenger’s Tragedy. But this is just plain RUBBISH. Friday on My Mind (1992) (TV) . "Poirot"
Christopher plays Frank Carter, a small character in a very complicated plot. Rachel's Dream (1992) (TV) "Boon" (1991) Let Him Have It (1991)
This is Christopher’s first major film and one with a huge impact. He plays Derek Bentley, who was executed in the 1950s for his part in the killing of a police officer, despite the fact that he didn’t actually pull the trigger and was a mentally retarded man with epilepsy who was led astray by his younger, but brighter accomplice who was spared execution because he was under age. Sad, but compulsive film. "Chancer" (1991)
Christopher plays a character called Radio in one episode of this series. "Inspector Morse" (1991)
Christopher play Terence Mitchell in one episode of this series. Mitchell is a slightly backward youth who appears to be innocent and straight forward until a complicated twist emerges in the story. "Casualty" (1990)
Christopher plays a gay man called Stephen Hills who is dying of AIDS. Blood Rights (1990)
Christopher plays a man called Dick in a TV film about a journalist who investigates the disappearance of the drug addicted daughter of a prominent Tory MP.
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Christopher
Eccleston was born in Salford, Lancashire and he enjoyed a happy working-class
upbringing. He considered himself to have been a "poor student"
with a love of television and an ambition to play football for his
beloved Manchester United. However, at the age of 19, he found himself
to be a much better actor than he was a footballer, and inspired by
television dramas such as Boys from the Blackstuff, he took to acting
as his profession. Christopher trained at the Central School of Speech
and Drama. As an actor, his early influences had been Ken Loach's
Kes and Albert Finney's performance in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning,
but he soon found himself interpreting the classics, performing the
works of Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Molière. 
that
made him a recognisable figure in the UK.
West
Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds in 2002. The West Yorkshire Playhouse
is a favourite venue of his, and he most recently returned there in
the new play Electricity, which ran in March and April 2004.
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