Christopher Eccleston Joins Daisy Ridley In ‘Young Woman And The Sea’

EXCLUSIVE: Christopher Eccleston (The Leftovers) has signed on to star alongside Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Stephen Graham in Disney+’s upcoming film Young Woman and the Sea, from Kon-Tiki director Joachim Rønning, which is currently in production.

The film based on the book by Glenn Stout chronicles the daring journey of Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle (Ridley), who in 1926 became the first woman ever to swim across the English Channel. The daughter of a German butcher from Manhattan, Ederle was a competitive swimmer who won gold in the 1924 Olympics. She attempted to cross The Channel after first swimming 22 miles from Battery Park in New York to Sandy Hook, NJ, setting a record that stood for 81 years.

Jeff Nathanson adapted the screenplay for the drama, which Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman are producing.

Eccleston is a BAFTA Award nominee who has previously been seen in films including Legend, Dead in a Week Or Your Money Back, Where Hands Touch, Thor: The Dark World, Amelia, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, 28 Days Later…, The Others, Gone in 60 Seconds, eXistenZ, Elizabeth and Shallow Grave, among others. His TV credits include BBC’s Come Home, for which he was nominated for an International Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor, as well as The A Word (BBC), The Leftovers (HBO), Doctor Who (BBC America), Blackout (BBC), The Shadow Line (Audience Network), Accused (BBC) and Safe House (ITV).

The actor was last seen on stage in the title role of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is represented by Principal Entertainment LA and Independent Talent Group in the UK.