New Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa reveals that he received advice from Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith. Gatwa took on the mantle of the Fifteenth Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction show in 2023, regenerating from David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor. Gatwa, who made his debut as the extraterrestrial Time Lord in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special episode “The Giggle,” is the fourteenth actor to play the iconic character, while Smith took over from Tennant’s fan-favorite Ninth Doctor, and played the role for just shy of four years.
Gatwa will begin his role properly in Doctor Who season 14, which begins on May 11, and the actor has lifted the lid on his experiences taking on the role, as well as the advice he received from Smith. In an interview with Doctorwho.tv, the actor mentioned that Smith texted him after discovering he had won the part and imparted some kind words. Check out Gatwa’s full comments below:
Gatwa’s comments, and Smith reaching out to him, show the importance of the role that the actor is taking on, and the franchise he is joining. The good news for Gatwa is that original showrunner Russell T Davies is back at the helm, and this will give him the opportunity to cut his teeth under the stewardship of the man who brought Doctor Who back to TV screens with his 2005 revival. That Gatwa has the support of Davies suggests he is the perfect choice for the sci-fi series at this point in time.
The Doctor remains one of the most iconic characters in popular culture, and many actors have put their own unique spin on the role over the decades. Gatwa will be keen to do the same and cement a legacy that audiences will remember for years to come. To do this, he must try not to be too influenced by the other actors who have played Doctor Who over the years. Gatwa is already making history as the first Black actor to play the Doctor, but it’ll be up to his performance and his Time Lord’s personality to truly distinguish him from previous iterations of the character.
Gatwa has a big future ahead of him and the chance to cement a historic Doctor Who legacy, and putting in an excellent performance could mark him as one of the most memorable incarnations of the Time Lord. Paired with a brand new companion in Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday, who could become one of the best Doctor Who companions, Gatwa stands on the threshold of franchise history. His Doctor Who casting as the time-traveling extraterrestrial is sure to set up an exciting new chapter for the show.
Source: Doctorwho.tv