Highlights
- Ncuti Gatwa, the new Doctor Who, broke the show's rule by swearing while wearing the Doctor's costume.
- Gatwa's previous role in the raunchy series Sex Education contrasts with his new family-friendly role.
- Gatwa and trans actress Yasmin Finney represent inclusiveness and acceptance in the mainstream series.
Ncuti Gatwa (pronounced SHOO-tee GAT-wah) just debuted as the charming new iteration of Doctor Who's two-hearted lead, The Doctor, and he's already gotten himself in trouble. Hey, maybe it's his way of method acting as the famously rule-defying alien.
Doctor Who fans were treated to a rather unprecedented treat during its newest special, as the eminent long-running British series featured a bigeneration that allowed the previous Doctor to stick around instead of simply changing into their new form. This was immediately a delight to fans of David Tennant, who had just reached the end of his second tenure in the role (another first for the series). But it also gave newcomer Gatwa a chance to banter with his character's former self right from the start. Perhaps he got a little too excited at the prospect, prompting a touch of drama behind the scenes.
In an interview with Radio Times (via Digital Spy), Gatwa revealed that he managed to break one of the main rules of Doctor Who even before his debut. "The only time I've ever gotten in trouble for anything was when I swore while wearing a Doctor Who costume," he revealed about his newly-inaugurated time in the role. He explained that showrunner and producer Russell T. Davies called him into his office after the incident to set things straight. According to Gatwa, Davies' policy was clear. "'Do what you want when you're out of costume,'" Davies told him, "'but when you're in costume, do not let us catch you swearing.'"
Not bad for his first day, right? Well, those familiar with Gatwa's career before Doctor Who may not find this all that surprising. Aside from his recent role in the eternally quotable Barbie, the Rwandan-Scottish actor famously starred in Netflix's raunchy comedy series Sex Education, which decidedly does not share the family-friendly vibe of Doctor Who. After making his name in such a project, it's oddly wholesome in a weird way that simply swearing is what got him a lecture. But he's fully aware of what he has to look out for now that he's the face of a much more accessible franchise.
"For the last four years I've been co-leading an X-rated show, and so I'm on a constant journey of learning what it is to be a PG role model and the lead of a family show."
Despite Gatwa's Doctor maintaining roots in classic Doctor Who, he does look to be making the character his own. As an openly queer actor, he's bringing that part of his identity to the character as well, helping establish Doctor Who as a franchise open to all who want to enjoy it. Trans actress Yasmin Finney helped drive home that inclusiveness when she debuted as Rose Noble, the transgender daughter of beloved companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), during the first special of 2023.
It's frankly heartwarming to see such acceptance in a mainstream series during a time when queer and trans people are facing often violent opposition to their very existence. People like Gatwa and Finney can go a long way in normalizing such portrayals, and that's one of the best ways to fight against bigotry. Representation matters. Now let's hope Gatwa keeps the cursing to a minimum, as admittedly fun as that would be. It's hard to deny that a foul-mouthed Doctor would be particularly relatable to countless fans.
The next Doctor Who special will debut on Christmas Day 2023 on Disney Plus.
Source: Radio Times (via Digital Spy)