 Attractive, bony-faced actor who brings a strong physical presence to film and television roles. Though not strictly a descendant of the 'angry young men' tradition, Salford-born (on 16 February 1964), Central School-trained Eccleston has played roles that reveal commitment to his working-class background. His dedication to truthfulness is reflected in his film debut as the simple-minded Derek in 'Let Him Have It' (d. Peter Medak, 1991), and maintained in his characterisation of the unhinged David in Shallow Grave (d. Danny Boyle, 1994) and his poignant portrayal of Hardy's tragic Jude (d. Michael Winterbottom, 1996). These led to international exposure in films such as Elizabeth (d. Shekhar Kapur, 1998) and David Cronenberg's eXistenZ (UK/Canada, 1999). On TV he has favoured socially-conscious film-makers like Alan Bleasdale (screenwriter for No Surrender, d. Peter Smith, 1985), Alan Clarke and Ken Loach; most memorable in the Jimmy McGovern-scripted Cracker (Granada, 1993-94) and the series, Clocking Off (BBC, 2000). In 2000, he played the valet Jean in the West End production of Strindberg's Miss Julie, and in 2001 he starred on TV in Danny Boyle's Strumpet (BBC, tx. 17/10/2001), and as a notable Iago in Andrew Davies' modernised Othello (LWT, tx. 23/11/2001). His highest profile role, however, was as the ninth incarnation of Doctor Who (BBC, 2005), for which he took (and deserved) much of the credit for revitalising the programme. Melinda Hildebrandt, Encyclopedia of British Film
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FILM & TV CREDITS
