But he's far from the only screen face to hail from – or have connections to – Sunderland.
Here we look at 12 more stars of the big – and small screen – with links to Wearside.
5. Callum Keith Rennie
Born in Sunderland but raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Rennie got his big break when he was cast as a regular on the last couple of seasons of on CBS's Due South.
Other roles have included that of Cylon duplicate Leobonn on Battlerstar Galactica, and rocker Lew Ashby on Californication, as well as guest spots on Amazon's The Man in the High Castle and Jessica Jones for Netflix. Photo: Kevin Winter
6. Melanie Hill
One of Sunderland's most high-profile exports. the former Monkwearmouth School pupil got her big break when she took over the part of Aveline in Bread in 1991.
In demand ever since, film roles have included the likes of Brassed Off, From Hell and Stardust, alongside the likes of Holby City, Waterloo Road, Merlin and Hebburn on TV.
She has been treading the Coronation Street cobbles as Cathy Matthews since 2015. Photo: kc
7. Alison Wright
The subject of an Echo story when she landed a place at New York's prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in 1997, Alison, from Barnes, has appeared in a number of critically-acclaimed US series.
TV work has included The Americans and Castle Rock, while new show Snowpiercer is due to debut later this year.
Films roles have included The Nanny Diaries and The Accountant, alongside Ben Affleck. Photo: Rachel Murray
8. Karen Gillan
The flame-haired Scottish actress first found fame as Amy Pond, companion to Matt Smith's Eleventh Dr Who.
She has gone on to secure roles in some of the biggest movies of the last decade, as Ruby Roundhouse in the Jumanji sequels, and joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, before playing a pivotal role in Avengers Infinity War and Endgame. But few people realise the 32-year-old star is half Mackem. Dad Raymond is from Sunderland and Karen is a distant cousin of the Echo's own Tony Gillan. Photo: Picture by Peter Berry