The Big Picture
- Ncuti Gatwa takes on the role of the Fifteenth Doctor in
Doctor Who
, the first openly queer Black actor to portray the iconic character. - Gatwa defends his casting, stating that the Doctor is an alien, and those who have an issue with it are not true fans of the show.
- Series 14 of
Doctor Who
will feature Gatwa as the Doctor, with Millie Gibson as his companion, Ruby Sunday, and guest stars like Paul Forman and Indira Varma.
Only a few weeks remain until the first episode of Doctor Who series 14 airs, and Ncuti Gatwa is keen to showcase his portrayal of the iconic sci-fi character, The Doctor. Since his debut during “The Giggle” and “The Church on Ruby Road,” the Sex Education actor is aware that his Doctor is different from previous iterations as he’s the first openly queer Black actor to take on the role.
In an interview with Variety, Gatwa talked about his upcoming role and the criticism he received when his Doctor Who casting was announced. According to him, he believes that his portrayal “makes perfect sense” as the Doctor is an alien, and claims that people aren’t fans of the show if they have an issue with it.
“Do you know what? It makes perfect sense to me,” said Gatwa. “I feel like anyone that has a problem with someone who’s not a straight white man playing this character, you’re not really, truly a fan of the show. You’ve not been watching! Because the show is about regeneration, and the Doctor is an alien — why would they only choose to be this sort of person?” The actor also reflected when he was shooting his scene with David Tennant for the 2023 Christmas special. He claimed that the Doctor Who alumnus was the reason why he wanted to be an actor and that working with him felt like a full-circle moment.
“To play this role beside him, who played this role which made me want to do this role, and him also being there — it was so many layers of full circle,” Gatwa said. “And on top of it, you’re wearing no pants! There was so much going on that day. Before Doctor Who, Gatwa was mostly known for his role in Sex Education as Eric Effiong and Barbie as one of the Kens. The actor has also appeared in other titles, such as Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and most recently, Masters of the Air. His casting was announced back in 2022 by the BBC, as well as on social media.
What Do We Know About the New Season?
Gatwa will be playing the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, following in the footsteps of the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker and Tennant’s brief appearance as the Fourteenth Doctor. Joining him in the TARDIS is Millie Gibson, who will be playing his companion, Ruby Sunday. The show has also confirmed some of the guest stars that will appear in the series, including Emily In Paris‘ Paul Forman as Lord Barton, Golda Rosheuvel, Jinkx Monsoon, Jonathan Groff, and Indira Varma. Series 14 is set to have a total of 8 episodes and will be written by former Doctor Who writer, Russell T Davies.
Doctor Who series 14 will be released on Disney Plus on May 11, 2024.
Doctor Who
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord “The Doctor” who is able to regenerate, and the Doctor’s human friends. The Doctor and companion’s journey through time and space in the TARDIS – a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box – saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.
- Release Date
- March 17, 2006
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 14
- Studio
- BBC America
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
