# List of Christopher Eccleston performances
This is a list of the film, television, stage, and audio performances of **Christopher Eccleston** (born 1964), an English actor from Salford, Greater Manchester, known for his roles in the BBC serial *Our Friends in the North*, as the [Ninth Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ninth-doctor) in the 2005 revival of *Doctor Who*, and as Matt Jamison in HBO's *The Leftovers*.[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556) • [2](https://time.com/2923387/review-leftovers-hbo-damon-lindelof/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964, Salford, Lancashire, England, UK[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston) |
| Training | Central School of Speech and Drama, London[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) |
| Breakthrough | Derek Bentley in *Let Him Have It* (1991); a regular role in *Cracker* (1993) made him recognizable in the UK[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) |
| Signature television | Nicky Hutchinson in *Our Friends in the North* (1996); the Ninth Doctor in *Doctor Who* (2005); Matt Jamison in *The Leftovers*[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [2](https://time.com/2923387/review-leftovers-hbo-damon-lindelof/) |
| *Doctor Who* run | A 13-episode run in 2005, shorter than the multi-year tenures of his successors; he has not appeared in the television series since[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/specific-reason-christopher-eccleston-would-return-to-doctor-who) |
| Awards | Twice nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor (first in 1997 for *Our Friends in the North*); Royal Television Society Best Actor 1997 and 2003; Broadcasting Press Guild Best Actor 1997; National Television Award Most Popular Actor 2005[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) |
| Audio work | Reprised the Ninth Doctor for Big Finish in *Ravagers* (2021) and stars in the ongoing *Ninth Doctor Adventures* range[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556) |
| Recent films | *King Lear* (2018) as Oswald, *My Name Is Leon* (2022) as Mr. Devlin, *Young Woman and the Sea* (2024) as Jabez Wolffe[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston) |
## Film
Eccleston first came to prominence as Derek Bentley, the mentally challenged teenage accused murderer, in the based-on-fact film *Let Him Have It* (1991)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston). His big-screen profile rose with the low-budget thriller *Shallow Grave* (1994), in which he played a dour, almost psychotic accountant; the title role of the stonemason in [Michael Winterbottom](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-winterbottom)'s *Jude* (1996); and the plotting [Duke of Norfolk](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-of-norfolk) in the Oscar-nominated Best Picture *Elizabeth* (1998)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston).
**Leading-man roles through 2002.** He starred opposite [Renée Zellweger](https://www.edgepedia.org/renee-zellweger) in *A Price Above Rubies* (1998), [Cate Blanchett](https://www.edgepedia.org/cate-blanchett) in *Elizabeth* (1998), [Cameron Diaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-diaz) and Jordana Brewster in *The Invisible Circus* (2001), and Nicole Kidman in *The Others* (2001), in which he played Charles[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston). In 2002 he appeared as Henry in *28 Days Later*, as Leo Zhukovsky in *I Am Dina*, and as Vindici in *Revengers Tragedy*[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston).
**Blockbusters and later film work.** In franchise films he played Destro in *G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra* (2009) and Malekith in *Thor: The Dark World* (2013)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston). Other roles include [Fred Noonan](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-noonan) in *Amelia* (2009), [John Lennon](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-lennon) in *Lennon Naked* (2010), Pod Clock in *The Borrowers* (2011), James in *Song for Marion*, released in some markets as *Unfinished Song* (2012), Nipper Read in *Legend* (2015), Harvey in *Dead in a Week (or Your Money Back)* (2018), Oswald in *King Lear* (2018), and Heinz in *Where Hands Touch* (2018)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston) • [6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE). His recent credited films include *My Name Is Leon* (2022) as Mr. Devlin and *Young Woman and the Sea* (2024) as Jabez Wolffe, with *Chasing Millions*, *Signal*, and *Unchosen* listed for 2026[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE). On Rotten Tomatoes his highest-rated film is *King Lear* (2018) at 91 percent and his lowest is *The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising* (2007) at 13 percent[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston).
## Television
Television is the medium Eccleston has continued to work in as his favorite, and his credits concentrate on British drama[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston). A regular role in the ITV crime series *Cracker* (1993), written by [Jimmy McGovern](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-mcgovern), made him a recognizable figure in the United Kingdom[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/). In 1996 he played Nicky Hutchinson in the epic [BBC Two](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-two) drama serial *Our Friends in the North*, the transmission of which made him a household name in Britain[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston).
He worked repeatedly with McGovern, playing the leads in the McGovern-scripted dramas *Hearts and Minds* (1995) and the based-on-fact *Hillsborough* (1996)[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/). Further credits include *Clocking Off* (2000) and *Flesh and Blood* (2002) for the BBC, the Iago character in a modern television adaptation of Shakespeare's *Othello*, and the religious epic *The Second Coming* (2003), in which he played Steve Baxter, the son of God[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston).
**Later television.** After *Doctor Who* he took roles in British and American series: the Manchester politician Daniel Demoys in the BBC thriller *Blackout* (2012), a three-part examination of addiction and corruption[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jun/27/christopher-eccleston-blackout-antigone); Professor Charlie Stoddart in *Fortitude* (2015)[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE); Maurice Scott in *The A Word* (2016)[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556); and Greg Farrell in *Come Home* (2018)[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE). In 2021 he played Rob Harding in *Close to Me*, and in 2022 he starred as Fagin in 14 episodes of *Dodger*[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston). In 2024 he presented *The Guilty Innocent with Christopher Eccleston*, a two-episode documentary series covering the cases of George Davis and [James Hanratty](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-hanratty)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston). In 2026 he appeared as Mr. Phillips in *Unchosen*[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston).
### The Leftovers
In HBO's *The Leftovers*, Eccleston played Matt Jamison, a pastor in the town of Mapleton. A contemporary review singled out the show's third episode, which follows Jamison through a crisis of faith in a story the reviewer compared in construction to a *Twilight Zone* episode[2](https://time.com/2923387/review-leftovers-hbo-damon-lindelof/).
## Doctor Who
In 2005 Eccleston played the Ninth Doctor in the first series of the revived *Doctor Who*, a war-weary Doctor acting opposite [Billie Piper](https://www.edgepedia.org/billie-piper)[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556). His run covered 13 episodes, an outlier among modern Doctors, as [David Tennant](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-tennant), Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, and [Ncuti Gatwa](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncuti-gatwa) each stayed in the role for multiple years[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/specific-reason-christopher-eccleston-would-return-to-doctor-who). He received the Most Popular Actor award at the 2005 National Television Awards for the role[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston).
He did not appear in the television series again, though his image has been used uncredited: he appears as the Doctor in *Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song* (2015) and in archive footage in *Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War* (2025)[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE). At C2E2 in 2026 he said that a particular change in the personnel making the creative decisions would bring him back to the show[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/specific-reason-christopher-eccleston-would-return-to-doctor-who).
**Audio.** He first reprised the Ninth Doctor for the audio label Big Finish in *Ravagers* (2021) and continues to star in the *Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures* range, which had 39 titles listed in his contributor catalog[1](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556). His narration work includes *The Flu That Killed 50 Million* (2018) and the documentary *The Last Miners* (2016)[6](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE).
## Stage
His stage career is less extensive than his screen credits but includes performances for which he received excellent reviews: *Hamlet*, *Electricity*, and *Miss Julie*, in which he played Jean at the Haymarket Theatre in 2000[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston) • [9](https://www.christopher-eccleston.de/Filmografie.htm). In 2012 he played Creon in the National Theatre's *Antigone*, later broadcast as *National Theatre Live: Antigone*[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jun/27/christopher-eccleston-blackout-antigone) • [10](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/christopher-eccleston). In 2018 he played the title role in the [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company)'s *Macbeth*, and a 2013 National Theatre broadcast shows him as George Jones MP in David Hare's *The Absence of War*[11](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/).
Recent stage work includes *A Christmas Carol* at the Old Vic in 2023, in which he played Ebenezer Scrooge as a replacement, and a performer slot on 28 September 2026 in the 15th-anniversary West End run of *White Rabbit Red Rabbit*[11](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/) • [12](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Mel-Giedroyc-Christopher-Eccleston-and-More-Join-WHITE-RABBIT-RED-RABBIT-15th-Anniversary-Production-20260629). He also appeared as himself in the National Theatre's 50th-anniversary broadcast in 2014[13](https://www.tvrage.com/person/id-21812/Christopher_Eccleston/).
## References
1. [Christopher Eccleston, Big Finish Productions](https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/christopher-eccleston-11556)
2. [REVIEW: The Leftovers Hurts, So Good, Time](https://time.com/2923387/review-leftovers-hbo-damon-lindelof/)
3. [Christopher Eccleston Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/christopher_eccleston)
4. [Christopher Eccleston, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/27330/christopher-eccleston)
5. [The Specific Reason Christopher Eccleston Would Return To Doctor Who, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/specific-reason-christopher-eccleston-would-return-to-doctor-who)
6. [Christopher Eccleston Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/christopher-eccleston?context.unit=HE)
7. [Christopher Eccleston, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/)
8. [Christopher Eccleston: from superheroes to Sophocles, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jun/27/christopher-eccleston-blackout-antigone)
9. [Christopher Eccleston Fanpage, Filmografie](https://www.christopher-eccleston.de/Filmografie.htm)
10. [Christopher Eccleston Movies: Full List, Movie List](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/christopher-eccleston)
11. [Christopher Eccleston, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Christopher-Eccleston/)
12. [Mel Giedroyc, Christopher Eccleston, and More Join White Rabbit Red Rabbit 15th Anniversary Production, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Mel-Giedroyc-Christopher-Eccleston-and-More-Join-WHITE-RABBIT-RED-RABBIT-15th-Anniversary-Production-20260629)
13. [Christopher Eccleston Biography & TV / Movie Credits, TVRage](https://www.tvrage.com/person/id-21812/Christopher_Eccleston/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Individual filmographies › Western and East Asian filmographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license