Ncuti Gatwa account Consequence that after being chosen as The Doctor of doctor whodid not have conversations with him WHO team on how, exactly, he should approach his portrayal of the iconic character. “[Showrunner Russell T. Davies] And I guess the team saw my audition and said, 'Do that,'” he laughs over Zoom. “They said, 'That's what we want.'”
However, playing the Doctor is no small feat, as the ancient alien with two hearts and a time machine shaped like a police public telephone box is an institution in the UK, having been played by practically countless actors during the 60-year history of the series. Gatwa, a Netflix student Sex education who will also appear in the next masters of the airis officially the 15th Doctor, with his first standalone adventure, “The Church on Ruby Road,” debuting on Christmas Day.
Each actor who plays The Doctor has put a unique spin on the role. So, when Gatwa was preparing to take over the TARDIS, he says: “I looked at all the previous doctors and thought: who is the doctor? What is essential? What is the direct line that everyone has?
His response, in the end: “That's all. They are everything. They are full of everything. The kaleidoscope of human emotions and more. There is a lot within them, and each of my predecessors has summarized it. So I thought, 'I have to try to summarize the feeling of it all and deliver it.' And I hope it's my own opinion because I'm my own person. I just have to try to do what they are doing, except me.”
The process was not immediate, but gradual, even as filming progressed. With filming on the entire first season of the series (premiering in spring 2024 on Disney+) already completed, Gatwa is currently filming season 2 and says: “Now I feel like The Doctor has sunk from my chest to my feet. bowels. In season 1, I wore the suit, but it didn't fit my body perfectly. I was still feeling a little bit, finding myself and wondering, 'Is this right for me? Isn't this correct? But now I feel good. I'm having fun and I feel like he's now fully entered my body, which feels great. “It's a good progression.”
In “The Church on Ruby Road,” we see the Doctor experiment with a variety of clothing options, including a long leather duster and an elegant kilt. (Not at the same time.) However, if Gatwa had to choose his appearance among the Doctors who came before, there is no doubt: Jon Pertwee, the third doctor.
“Jon Pertwee, I am obsessed with. Oh my god, all the rings on him! he exclaims. “I feel a great connection with that Doctor. I swear I saw a photo shoot of [Pertwee] topless and had chains on, and I thought, that man represents me. I feel seen by him. All his beautiful jackets and ruffled shirts – he was a dandy. He's like The Doctor that Oscar Wilde created, and I loved that. “I thank God for Jon Pertwee.”
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