New Doctor Who Star Shares Advice He Received From Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith

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:

They have been amazing, so supportive. I bumped into Matt Smith at a party before I was allowed to announce it to anyone. I told him I was following in his footsteps, and he had no idea what I was talking about. But when it was announced, he texted me – “Aah, now I get it!” He was so lovely. He was like,
“Take it all in your stride. If you ever need any advice, here’s my number, send me a text.”
Now that I’m in the role I get what they mean. What it’s like to play that role is not something that anyone else can understand. I’m very grateful for their support.

Can Gatwa Put His Own Mark On Doctor Who?

Gatwa Comes On The Heels Of Numerous Other Actors

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

Doctor Who

Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.

Release Date

November 23, 1963

Seasons

26

Writers

Mark Gatiss , Toby Whithouse , Neil Cross , Steven Moffat , Chris Chibnall

Franchise

Doctor Who

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