Christopher Eccleston is an English actor best known for portraying the Ninth Doctor on “Doctor Who” and Matt Jamison on “The Leftovers.” At the age of 25, he made his stage debut in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ Christopher’s role in the British television series ‘Cracker’ advanced his career and improved his reputation in his native country. The BBC series ‘Our Friends in the North’ and a number of his notable films, including ‘Let Him Have It,’ ‘Shallow Grave,’ ‘Jude,’ and ‘Elizabeth,’ contributed to his growing reputation. Additionally, he has appeared in a number of high-profile films and television series. With his trademark slender face, intense gaze, and deep voice, he is regarded as one of the most talented actors in the contemporary British entertainment industry. He has been nominated twice for Best Actor at the BAFTA Television Awards and won the prize for Best Actor at the 1997 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards. More recently, he received critical acclaim for his performance as the grandfather of an autistic little boy in “The A Word.”
Youth and Early Life
Christopher Eccleston was born in Langworthy, Salford, United Kingdom, on February 16, 1964, to Elsie and Ronnie Eccleston. He has two twin older brothers, Alan and Keith, who are eight years older than him. At the age of seven months, Christopher’s family relocated from Blossom Street to Little Hulton.
He was the head boy at Joseph Eastham High School, where he attended. As a youth, television dramas such as “Boys from the Blackstuff” affected him and pushed him to pursue a career in acting.
He completed a two-year Performance Foundation Course at Salford Technical College and then attended the Central School of Speech and Drama for training. In his early years, he performed works by Chekhov, Shakespeare, and Molière, among others.
Christopher Eccleston’s Career
At the age of 25, Christopher Eccleston made his professional theatrical debut in “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Bristol Old Vic. While waiting for his acting career to take off, he worked a number of odd jobs, including at a supermarket, on construction sites, and as a model.
In 1991, he rose to notoriety for his roles as Derek Bentley in the film “Let Him Have It” and Inspector Morse in an episode of “Second Time Around.” In 1992, he portrayed Sean Maddox in the BBC drama miniseries ‘Friday on my Mind’
From 1993-1994, he played a regular role in the television series Cracker,’ which increased his popularity in the United Kingdom; after he left the series, his character was killed off in 1994. In the same year, he appeared in the ‘Poirot episode “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.”
In 1994, he appeared in the film “Shallow Grave” by Danny Boyle. In the same year, he was cast as Nicky Hutchinson in the 1996 BBC Two epic series Our Friends in the North.
In his film career, he appeared in a variety of films, including “Jude” (1996), “Elizabeth” (1998), “eXistenZ” (1999), and “Gone in 60 Seconds” (2000). In 2002, he played a key role in the adaptation of Thomas Middleton’s play Revenger’s Tragedy, “Revengers Tragedy.”
In 2004, he portrayed the ninth version of the Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series “Doctor Who,” which debuted in March 2005. However, he departed the show after only one season out of fear of becoming typecast.
In October 2005, he performed in the drama “Night Sky” at the Old Vic theater in London. In November, he was a member of the jury for the 2nd Amazonas International Film Festival. In December, he spoke on BBC Breakfast to discuss how survivors of the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 were rebuilding their lives.
In March 2006, he served as a commentator on the ITV documentary special ‘Best Ever Muppet Moments’ In May, he performed as the play’s narrator at the Lowry theatre in Salford. In August, he starred in the Michael Almereyda-directed film New Orleans, My Love. It premiered in 2008 at American and Italian film festivals.
In 2006, he starred in the ITV drama ‘Perfect Parents,’ which was directed by Joe Ahearne, who had previously directed him in ‘Doctor Who.’ January 2007 episode of the NBC television series ‘Heroes’ entitled ‘Godsend’ featured his appearance. In the 2007 cinematic adaptation of Susan Cooper’s novel “The Dark Is Rising,” he portrayed the Rider.
He starred in the 2009 short film The Happiness Salesman. In the G.I. Joe film ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,’ he also portrayed the antagonist Destro. In addition, he appeared in an episode of “The Sarah Silverman Program.”
In 2010, he portrayed John Lennon in the BBC production Lennon Naked, which was broadcast in the United Kingdom.
In the same year, he appeared in the premiere episode of BBC One’s anthology drama ‘Accused’ In 2011, he portrayed Joseph Bede in the seven-part BBC Two television series The Shadow Line.
In 2011, he portrayed Pod Clock in the BBC One production of Mary Norton’s children’s book The Borrowers. In 2012, he starred in the BBC One political thriller “Blackout.” Simultaneously, he portrayed Creon in a Royal National Theatre production of “Antigone.”
In the 2013 sequel Thor: The Dark World, he portrayed an antagonist. In 2014, he portrayed the recurring role of Matt Jamison in the HBO drama series The Leftovers.
It has been revealed that he will play the lead role in the 2018 production of “Macbeth” by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Christopher’s Major Effort
Christopher Eccleston was selected as the Most Popular Actor at the 2005 National Television Awards for his performance on “Doctor Who.” The series was a huge success and has since gained a cult following in the United Kingdom, as well as being considered one of the country’s finest television programs.
Awards & Achievements
Christopher Eccleston was nominated twice for Best Actor at the British Academy Television Awards, once for “Our Friends in the North” in 1997 and again for “The Second Coming” in 2004.
“Our Friends in the North” earned him the Best Actor prize at the 1997 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.
In 2003, he won the RTS Award for Best Actor for his portrayal in “Flesh and Blood.”
In 2011, he earned an International Emmy Award for his performance in “Accused.”
His Personal Life
Christopher Eccleston and Mischka were married in November of 2011. Albert, their first child, was born in February 2012, and Esme, their second, was born in 2013. The divorce was finalized in December 2015.
He ran marathons regularly until the year 2000. Pendleton College in Salford christened its new auditorium the Eccleston Theatre in September 2007.
He was a Mencap charity ambassador and is a devoted charity worker. He is also a supporter of the British Red Cross and Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia research; his father died in 2012 after suffering from vascular dementia in his final years.
It is widely known that he is an atheist; nevertheless, in interviews conducted in 2016, he revealed his shifting beliefs and declared that he is no longer an atheist but an agnostic.
Estimated Net Worth
Christopher Eccleston is an English actor with a $6 million net worth. Christopher Eccleston was born in February 1964 in Langworthy, Lancashire, England. He is most well-known for his portrayal as the Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who. He completed his education at Salford Tech and the Central School of Speech and Drama.