Phil Daniels is an actor and musician from Islington, London. He trains at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington and makes his acting debut in a BBC Television production of Verdi’s Falstaff.

Acting career

Daniels becomes known for playing Jimmy, the main character in the 1979 film Quadrophenia. He then appears in Breaking Glass with Hazel O’Connor, and also acts in Class of Miss MacMichael, Zulu Dawn and Scum. On television, he appears in programmes including Raven, Hanging Around Scum, Country Wife, Four Idle Hands, Sunnyside Farm and Sex, Clips And Rock'n'Roll. He also performs in numerous theatre productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Daniels provides a featured voice in the 2000 animated film Chicken Run.

Music

Daniels first draws attention as a musician through his lead guitar playing and vocals. In the late 1970s he is a member of the British rock band Renoir. He later releases a debut album with his King’s Cross-based mod-rock band Phil Daniels + The Cross in 1979. The group is short-lived, and after a couple of months Daniels and keyboard player Peter Hugo-Daley move on to acting. Daniels also contributes guest vocals to Blur’s song “Parklife”.

Television

In 2006 Daniels joins the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Kevin Wicks, and leaves the series in 2007.