Thomas Hardy’s classic story of class, love and familial heartbreak was so shocking at the time of its release that Hardy never wrote another novel. Christopher Eccleston looks back on the 1996 film version of Jude and how this tale from 1895 remains as relevant today as it was then. Jude’s struggle to pull himself out of his working class roots to gain a higher education holds real resonance with Christopher as he looks back on his own journey as an actor and reflects on how hard it is for those entering the industry today. Christopher fondly remembers his time working with actress Kate Winslet, at the very cusp of her rise to superstardom, and how director Michael Winterbottom saw the light and shade in this tale of grief and hardship.