Leon Ockenden (born 16 August 1978) is an English actor, director and writer who works in TV, film, theatre and radio. He grew up in the resort town of Looe, Cornwall. He is best known for his role as Norman Jayden in Heavy Rain.
Career Ockenden left school at the age of 16 to become a baker. After working in hotel kitchens in Sweden and Germany for one year, he returned to Britain to work as a pastry chef at the Hilton Hotel on London's Park Lane. He studied performing arts at the College of Further Education in Plymouth. He then received a scholarship from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where he took a three-year acting course and graduated in 2003.
Ockenden appeared in the British/Australian drama television series Tripping Over, playing a carpenter named Callum. He lent his voice and likeness to the 2010 video game Heavy Rain, in which he played Federal Bureau of Investigation profiler Norman Jayden. Before the show was cancelled in 2015, he was a regular of the British drama television series Waterloo Road, in which he played the role of Hector Reid, a jocular and sometimes vitriolic teacher of PE. After Waterloo Road, Ockenden has had other roles as a recurring cast member. One of these roles includes the character of Will Chatterton in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. He has also joined the presenting team on the chat show This Morning as one of its regular chefs for its cooking segment.
He also appeared in a television advert for Verisure in 2021.
Personal life Ockenden married actress Vanessa Hehir on 24 October 2010. They have a daughter. Ockenden is a fan of Liverpool.
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Films Year Title Role Notes 2005 Vegabond Shoes Champagne waiter Short film 2009 Mr. Right Lawrence 2009 Dread Jimmy Cake 2011 Baroque Lover/fighter Short film 2011 Cpt. Joe Temski Short film 2012 Red Tails Co-pilot 2013 The Cosmonaut Stas 2013 Don't Miss the Cup PeterShort film 2015 Eliana Dude Short film 2016 Across the River Cake shop owner 2020 The Reckoning Morton Tobias2021 R.I.A. Robert The Willows Peter Short film2022 The Bulls Leon Short film The Lair Oswald Jones 2024 The RedRoom Hugo Short film TBALioness Viscount Davenport Pre-production
Television Year Title Role Notes2003 Judge John Deed Nick Episode: "Economic Imperative" Pembleton Television film2004 Midsomer Murders Jamie Cruickshank Episode: "The Maid in Splendour" Hawking Rosencrantz Television film Hustle Simon Episode: "A Touch of Class" Family Affairs Sam Taylor Series regular (May–December) 2005 Totally Frank Miles Episode: "Bed" 2006 Tripping Over Callum 6 episodes 2007–2008 Heartbeat Dr Chris Oakley 10 episodes 2008 Heroes and Villains Earl of Leicester Episode: "Richard the Lionheart" 2009 Casualty Luke Riley Episode: "Every Breath You Take"2010 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Connor Episode No. 3.7 Identity DI Terry Eggleston Episode: "Chelsea Girl" Cameron Television film New Tricks Kevin Humphreys Episode: "Good Morning Lemmings" 2011 Bruce Episode No. 1.42012 Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story Philip Television film Secrets of the Dead Vasily Arkhipov Episode: "The Man Who Saved the World"2013 Casualty Adam Ridle Episode: "Punch Drunk Love" David Television film The Cosmonaut: Transmedia Experience Stas Main cast (31 episodes) 2014 Waterloo Road Hector Reid 20 episodes2015Mr Selfridge Serge De Bolotoff10 episodes Supreme Tweeter Tweeter Episode: "Follow the Leader" The Coroner Danny Ball Episode: "That's the Way to Do It"2016 This Morning Guest Chef 10 Episodes, stood in for Phil Vickery2016–2017 Coronation StreetWill ChattertonRecurring role; 40 episodes 2022 Father Brown Richard Belcroft Episode: "The Viper's Tongue" Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Alex Pritchard Miniseries; 2 episodes Whitstable Pearl Scott Episode: "The Gumshoe and the Femme Fatale" 2023 Ancient Empires Philip II Episode: "Alexander The Great" 2024SennaJames Hunt
Video games Year Title Role 2010 Heavy Rain Norman Jayden
Music videos Year Title Artist Role 2005 "Desire" Geri Halliwell Boss
Theatre How the Other Half Loves (2017) Flare Path (2015) Muswell Hill (2012) Plague Over England (2008) Women Beware Women (2006) The Tempest (2006)
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