Background
O'Brien was born in Glasgow, the 2nd youngest of seven children, and is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Actor Weatherfield businessman
O'Brien was born in Glasgow, the 2nd youngest of seven children, and is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Resident for a time in Cumbernauld, he has appeared in many television productions, including Taggart, Peak Practice, River City (as serial womaniser Billy Davies), and the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special, "Voyage of the Damned". He played Prince Charles's valet in the motion picture The Queen. O'Brien joined the cast of Coronation Street as the murderous factory boss in September 2007.
The actor explained in an interview that he uses sense-memory technique, drawing on "something dark from the past", to emote his powerful performances. Complaints led to a similar line being cut from the script of a later episode. Professing surprise at the outcry, the star said: "I'm a Celtic supporter but I need to be clear that I certainly wasn't going out of my way to antagonise any Rangers supporters."
In May 2009 Coronation Street producers announced that O'Brien's contract with the show had been extended to 2010.
He played Abanazar in the pantomime Aladdin at the Opera House, Manchester from 5 December 2009 to 3 January 2010. Between 4 December 2010 and 16 January 2011 he played the role again at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. O'Brien was judged Scotland's eleventh most eligible man in February 2009 by a Scotland on Sunday panel.
He once said: "I actually find the heartthrob thing laughable," adding: "I am just a jobbing actor from Scotland and I don't think of myself as particularly good looking.".