BBC's worldwide phenomenon Doctor Who has finally announced the next star to step into the shoes of its time-travelling hero, The Doctor. Like his predecessor, the newest resident of the TARDIS hails from an already popular British series, but that might be the only thing that remains the same when the torch is passed.
The network has just confirmed Ncuti Gatwa, one of the stars of Netflix's Sex Education, as the newest face of its long-running sci-fi series. He'll be taking over when both Jodie Whittaker, the current star behind The Doctor, and showrunner Chris Chibnall leave the show after its next special in late 2022. The latter will be replaced by Russell T. Davies, who served as showrunner during some of Doctor Who's most well-received incarnations, including David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston.
A Rwandan-Scottish actor, Gatwa is a star on both screen and stage, beginning his career in the theaters of Scotland and even appearing at the famous Shakespeare's Globe theater in London. But it wasn't until 2019 that he made his way to the mainstream as Eric Effiong on Sex Education, earning praise from critics and audiences alike. Aside from his upcoming leading role on Doctor Who, the rising star is also set to appear in the Margot Robbie-led Barbie movie in a currently unknown role.
Doctor Who has seen a number of firsts in recent years, with many still enjoying the pleasant surprise of Whittaker taking over the lead role in 2017. Her run on the show also featured the first Black female actor to play The Doctor, with Jo Martin appearing as the surprise version known as The Fugitive Doctor in several episodes. While she was the first Black star to take on the role, Gatwa will be the first to play The Doctor full-time.
"There aren't quite the words to describe how I’m feeling," Gatwa said about his new role. "A mix of deeply honored, beyond excited, and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavor my utmost to do the same. Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as The Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent, and fizzing with danger. An actor's metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it's daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike The Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show."
A number of Doctor Who fans will likely be happy to see that the show has no intentions of going back to the more common white male depiction of The Doctor just yet. While there's nothing at all wrong with casting white, male actors, pushes for more representation are welcome efforts, particularly with a multicultural and diverse group of viewers who all deserve to see characters that look like themselves. Between Whittaker, Martin, and now Gatwa, it's certainly a promising start.
Doctor Who airs on BBC.
Source: DoctorWho.tv