Kieran O'Brien
Acting • Born 1973-01-23
Biography
O'Brien grew up in nearby Royton and was educated at the Bishop Henshaw Roman Catholic Memorial High School in Rochdale. He began acting at an early age and was the star of a BBC TV series Gruey by the time he was 15. He also featured in several other series at the time in one-off or recurring roles. In 1993, he played the role of Craig Lee in Coronation Street and then the role of Lee Jones in Children's Ward. In 1993 he also became a regular in the detective series, Cracker, playing Mark, the son of central character Robbie Coltrane. In 1999 he made his cinema debut with the film Virtual Sexuality and began a reunited with Cracker director Michael Winterbottom for 24 Hour Party People in 2002 and, in '04, for the controversial 9 Songs, which included scenes of genuine sexual intercourse between O'Brien and his leading lady Margo Stilley. His role had earned him the credit of being the only mainstream British actor who has been shown ejaculating in a mainstream UK-produced feature. Since 9 Songs, O'Brien has made two further films with Winterbottom; A Cock and Bull Story and The Look of Love. Recent regular TV roles include Holby Blue and The Syndicate.
Filmography
62 credits
9 Songs
Movie • 2004
Matt
Virtual Sexuality
Movie • 1999
Alex Thorne
Elizabeth David: A Life in Recipes
Movie • 2006
Charles Gibson Cowan
Goal!
Movie • 2005
Hughie McGowan
Goal II: Living the Dream
Movie • 2007
Hughie McGowan
The Shock Doctrine
Movie • 2009
Narrator (Voice)
Bellman and True
Movie • 1987
The Boy
The Look of Love
Movie • 2013
Jimmy Humphries
Monster Maker
Movie • 1989
Matt Banting
A Cock and Bull Story
Movie • 2005
Gary
24 Hour Party People
Movie • 2002
Nathan
The Watchman
Movie • 2016
Lee Simpson
Peterloo
Movie • 2018
Peter Wilkes, a Farrier
Spike Island
Movie • 2012
Poster Vendor
Holmes & Watson
Movie • 2018
PC Smalls
Cracker: Nine Eleven
Movie • 2006
Mark Fitzgerald
The Following Year
Movie • 2021
Ben
The Banker
Movie • 2004
Vain Man
Cracker
TV • 1993
Dramarama
TV • 1983
The Terry and Gaby Show
TV • 2003
Heartbeat
TV • 1992
Neil
Dalziel & Pascoe
TV • 1996
Holby Blue
TV • 2007
Constable Robert Clifton
The Last Enemy
TV • 2008
Wafa
Life on Mars
TV • 2006
Davie Mackay
Love Life
TV • 2012
Dez
Messiah
TV • 2001
Eric Metcalfe
New Tricks
TV • 2004
Michael Jacobs
Burn It
TV • 2003
Andy Grimshaw
Cuckoo
TV • 2012
Goran
Cracker
TV • 1993
Mark Fitzgerald
Vera
TV • 2011
Bobby Salter
Blue Murder
TV • 2003
Terry Camerton
Moving On
TV • 2009
Shane
Prey
TV • 2014
Phil Prentice
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
TV • 2007
Al
Bluestone 42
TV • 2013
Nutsack
Casualty
TV • 1986
Chris Miller
Casualty
TV • 1986
Billy
Children's Ward
TV • 1989
Lee Jones
Cracker
TV • 1993
Mark
Glue
TV • 2014
Thomas Bray
Jason and the Argonauts
TV • 2000
Actor
Indie Sex
TV • 2007
Self
The Cars That Made the World
TV • 2020
Self - Narrator
Andor
TV • 2022
Pegla
Years and Years
TV • 2019
Woody
Chernobyl
TV • 2019
Khodemchuck
The Family Pile
TV • 2023
Stuart
Trucking Hell
TV • 2018
Death in Paradise
TV • 2011
Danny
Bloodlines
TV • 2005
Mark Hopkin
Ted Lasso
TV • 2020
James Tartt
A Thousand Blows
TV • 2025
Mr Harkness
Grantchester
TV • 2014
Arthur Evans
Trucking Heavy: Massive Moves
TV • 2025
Narrator
Band of Brothers
TV • 2001
Allen E. Vest
The Afternoon Play
TV • 2003
Sean Tyler
Born to Run
TV • 1997
Ryan Flitch
Silk
TV • 2011
Sean
No Offence
TV • 2015
Stone