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Acting
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.

Trucking Heavy: Massive Moves
as Narrator

A Thousand Blows
as Mr Harkness

The Family Pile
as Stuart

Andor
as Pegla

The Following Year
as Ben

The Cars That Made the World
as Self - Narrator

Ted Lasso
as James Tartt

Years and Years
as Woody

Chernobyl
as Khodemchuck

Holmes & Watson
as PC Smalls

Peterloo
as Peter Wilkes, a Farrier

Trucking Hell

The Watchman
as Lee Simpson

No Offence
as Stone

Grantchester
as Arthur Evans

Glue
as Thomas Bray

Prey
as Phil Prentice

The Look of Love
as Jimmy Humphries

Bluestone 42
as Nutsack

Spike Island
as Poster Vendor

Cuckoo
as Goran

Heroes and Demons
as (segment "The Banker")

Love Life
as Dez

Death in Paradise
as Danny

Vera
as Bobby Salter

Silk
as Sean

The Shock Doctrine
as Narrator (Voice)

Moving On
as Shane

The Last Enemy
as Wafa

Secret Diary of a Call Girl
as Al

Indie Sex
as Self

Holby Blue
as Constable Robert Clifton

Goal II: Living the Dream
as Hughie McGowan

Cracker: Nine Eleven
as Mark Fitzgerald

Elizabeth David: A Life in Recipes
as Charles Gibson Cowan

Life on Mars
as Davie Mackay

Goal!
as Hughie McGowan

A Cock and Bull Story
as Gary

Bloodlines
as Mark Hopkin

The Banker
as Vain Man

9 Songs
as Matt

New Tricks
as Michael Jacobs
The Terry and Gaby Show

Blue Murder
as Terry Camerton

Burn It
as Andy Grimshaw

The Afternoon Play
as Sean Tyler

24 Hour Party People
as Nathan

Band of Brothers
as Allen E. Vest

Messiah
as Eric Metcalfe

Jason and the Argonauts
as Actor

Virtual Sexuality
as Alex Thorne

Born to Run
as Ryan Flitch

Cracker

Heartbeat
as Neil

The Jim Henson Hour
as Matt Banting

Children's Ward
as Lee Jones

Monster Maker
as Matt Banting

Bellman and True
as The Boy

Casualty
as Chris Miller

Dramarama
as Trotter