American actor and writer Christian Contreras is married to English actress Jodie Whittaker. Although he originally dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player as a child, Contreras eventually pivoted to music and drama. He met Whittaker while attending drama school; the two performed in a play together and dated for several years before marrying in 2008. Reflecting on their marriage, Whittaker has described their wedding as one of the greatest days of her life. While his wife has enjoyed significant leading success, Contreras is primarily known for his supporting film roles. His acting credits include minor parts in productions such as Zero Dark Thirty, The Fifth Estate, Fury, Halo: Nightfall, and Snowden. Additionally, he has contributed to the industry as a screenwriter, working on the television series Coming Up and the film City of Lies.
Career of Christian Contreras
Following his education, Christian Contreras entered the theater scene and took on brief roles in various films. In the 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty, which followed the hunt for Osama bin Laden after 9/11, he appeared in a single scene as a guard; the movie was a moderate box-office success. In 2013, he appeared alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in The Fifth Estate. He later portrayed a psychiatrist in the 2016 film Snowden, a biographical drama about CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden that received a lukewarm reception. That same year, he played Lee Palmer in The Infiltrator, an adaptation of Robert Mazur’s autobiography regarding an undercover operation to dismantle Pablo Escobar’s money-laundering network. This film was a critical success and earned several accolades.
As a writer, Contreras adapted Randall Sullivan’s book Labyrinth into the screenplay for City of Lies, starring Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker, which investigates the murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. His writing portfolio also includes the series White Dragon and the films The Rapture and The Hurricane Heist. Notably, in 2015, he sold his pitch for Principia to Warner Bros. for a high sum, a significant achievement for an emerging screenwriter.
Family & Personal Life
Born Christian Ryan Contreras, he spent his childhood in Belize, Central America. Though he was a passionate soccer player whose parents envisioned a professional athletic career for him, he ultimately chose to pursue the arts. He earned a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington before receiving a BA (Hons) in Acting from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Beyond his work on screen, he is a dedicated writer who has collaborated with the Royal Court Theatre.
Contreras married actress Jodie Whittaker in 2008 in Arizona, following a private multi-year relationship. The couple welcomed a daughter in April 2015. Whittaker has spoken fondly of her husband, citing his charm and attractiveness as early draws, though the pair remains notoriously private and rarely discusses their domestic life in the media.