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{{spoiler}}{{real world}} | |||
{{Infobox Person | |||
|aka = Mizero Ncuti Gatwa | |||
|image = Ncuti Gatwa Infobox 2.jpg | |||
|birth date = [[15 October (people)|15 October]] [[1992 (people)|1992]]<ref name="gatwabirthday"/><ref name="gatwaanderson"/> | |||
|role = [[Fifteenth Doctor]]<ref name="15thdoc">[https://web.archive.org/web/20221023200536/https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/david-tennant-is-the-fourteenth-doctor ''David Tennant is the Doctor!'' on doctorwho.tv via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
|job title = [[Actor]] | |||
|story = [[#Credits|see credits]] | |||
|time = [[2023 (releases)|2023]]-present | |||
|non dwu = {{wi|Bob Servant}}, {{wi|The Last Letter from Your Lover}}, {{wi|Sex Education (TV series)|Sex Education}}, {{wi|Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans}}, ''[[Barbie (theatrical film)|Barbie]]'' | |||
|imdb = 6967441 | |||
|twitter = <!--As stated by Gatwa, he does NOT have a Twitter account. DO NOT add any such profiles here.--> | |||
|clip = Ncuti Gatwa's Guide to Doctor Who - Q&A - Doctor Who | |||
|clip2 = ✨ The lewk ✨ -DoctorWho -NcutiGatwa -MillieGibson -shorts | |||
|clip3 = | |||
}} | |||
{{you may|Ncuti Gatwa (The Daft Dimension)|n1=his parodical counterpart}} | |||
'''Mizero Ncuti Gatwa'''<ref name="mizero">[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/YICpGpCMDQtVX2yhk0ArY7-j3PQ/appointments Mizero Ncuti GATWA on gov.org]</ref>{{Note|Pronounced ''shoo-tee gat-wah'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220509150429/https://twitter.com/BBCScotland/status/1523680193411530754 example])}} (born [[15 October (people)|15 October]] [[1992 (people)|1992]]<ref name="gatwabirthday">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200514191944/https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/ncuti-gatwa.html Nucti Gatwa on famousbirthdays.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref><ref name="gatwaanderson">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200217093100/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ncuti-gatwa-young-hollywood-2020 ''Ncuti Gatwa Embraces His Electrifying Power'' on teenvogue.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref>), known professionally as '''Ncuti Gatwa''', is a [[Rwanda]]n-[[Scottish]]<ref name="gatwabirthday"/> [[BAFTA]]-winning actor<ref name="gatwadoctor">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220508113033/https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/ncuti-gatwa-is-the-doctor ''Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor'' on doctorwho.tv via the Wayback Machine]</ref> who plays the [[Fifteenth Doctor]]<ref name="15thdoc"/> in ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'', starting with {{cs|The Giggle (TV story)}}, the last of the [[2023 specials|60th Anniversary Special]]s, following [[David Tennant|his predecessor]]'s [[regeneration]].<ref>[[DWM 581]]</ref> Gatwa has had roles in television, film, and theatre. | |||
Gatwa had the distinction of being the very first [[black person|black]] actor to spearhead the series in the titular role,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220514050603/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/08/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-to-replace-jodie-whittaker-bbc-announces ''Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa to replace Jodie Whittaker, BBC announces'' on thegaurdian.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> although he wasn't the first black actor to portray the Doctor, being preceded by [[Lenny Henry]] and [[Jo Martin]].<ref>[[Untitled (The Lenny Henry Show)|Untitled ''The Lenny Henry Show'' sketch]] and ''[[Fugitive of the Judoon (TV story)|Fugitive of the Judoon]]''</ref> He is also the first openly queer actor to play an on-screen version of the Doctor<ref>[https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/a44827957/ncuti-gatwa-interview-elle-style-awards/ ''ELLE Style Awards: Ncuti Gatwa Is The Modern Pioneer'' on elle.com]</ref>, as well as the first actor born after the end of the show's original tenure to play the role. | |||
== Biography == | |||
=== Early life === | |||
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa<ref name="mizero"/> was born in the {{w|Nyarugenge District}}<ref name="gatwaanderson"/>, in {{w|Kigali}}, [[Rwanda]]<ref name="gatwaroots">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220523114337/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61379261 ''Ncuti Gatwa: The Scottish-Rwandan roots of the 14th Doctor Who'' on bbc.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref>, on [[15 October (people)|15 October]] [[1992 (people)|1992]]<ref name="gatwabirthday"/><ref name="gatwaanderson"/>, but he and his family fled to [[Scotland]] in 1994 following the {{w|Rwandan genocide}}.<ref name="gatwaroots"/> | |||
During his childhood, he lived in {{w|Dunfermline}} and [[Edinburgh]], but he always felt different from everyone around him, as nobody, not student nor adult nor role model, shared his heritage in Scotland.<ref name="gatwaroots"/> Gatwa was trained at the {{w|Royal Conservatoire of Scotland}}<ref name="gatwaanderson"/>, obtaining a {{w|Bachelor of Arts|BA}} in acting.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190116050012/https://www.rcs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/BA_Acting_Showcase_Brochure_2013.pdf 2013 BA Acting pdf from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland]</ref> | |||
He describes himself as a "Rwandan-Scotsman", a term he coined.<ref name="gatwaroots"/> | |||
=== Career === | |||
Gatwa notably performed in stage plays such as {{wi|Hecuba (play)|Hecuba}}, ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''<ref name="gatwaanderson"/>, and {{w|David Greig (dramatist)|David Greig}}'s ''Victoria''.<ref name="gatwaanderson"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220508130941/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre-review-victoria-dundee-rep-1561945 ''Theatre review: Victoria, Dundee Rep'' on thescotsman.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
His first role in television was in {{wi|Bob Servant}} (series two, ''The Van'') as an unnamed customer in 2014. The series also starred [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]].<ref name="gatwabirthday"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150506183527/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tmjcd ''The Van'' on bbc.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Gatwa starred in [[Netflix]]'s {{wi|Sex Education (TV series)|Sex Education}} as [[w:c:sexeducation:Eric Effiong|Eric Effiong]], an openly [[homosexual|gay]] character<ref name="henrypraise">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220531072926/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-lenny-henry-b2090711.html ''Sir Lenny Henry praises Russell T Davies for casting Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who'' on theindependent.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref> who was prasied for not being a caricature, as one may expect from the typcial portrayal of black and gay characters in television and film, due to Eric being fully fleshed out as a character and never being played "second fiddle" to Otis (the primary protagonist of the series).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190123071510/https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/sex-education-netflix-eric-ncuti-gatwa.html ''Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa Doesn’t Want to Play the Gay Best Friend'' on vulture.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> The series also co-starred the likes of [[Gillian Anderson]].<ref name="gatwaanderson"/> | |||
In [[2022 (production)|2022]], Gatwa was awarded an {{w|honorary doctorate}} by the {{w|Royal Conservatoire of Scotland}}.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220708225022/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-doctor-who-star-ncuti-gatwa-is-awarded-another-dr-title-3jhvfk0n7 ''New Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa is awarded another Dr title'' on thetimes.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref> The RCS informally called him a "Doctor of Drama".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220707162829/https://twitter.com/RCStweets/status/1545081929338437632 RCS on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
=== ''Doctor Who'' === | |||
==== Casting and announcement ==== | |||
[[Russell T Davies]] explained with the casting of Gatwa, that his casting wasn't just about "diversity and representation", explaining that he was... | |||
{{Simplequote|Simply the best actor walked into the room|Russell T Davies}} | |||
Davies did also punctuate that he considered "diversity and representation [to be] very important."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220510124046/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-casting-diversity-newsupdate/ ''New Doctor Who casting wasn't about “diversity and representation”, says writer'' on radiotimes.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> Russell later added: "Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started."<ref name="gatwadoctor"/> When Gatwa was told that he had got the role, in around March, he didn't tell anyone about it, including his co-stars in the 2023 ''[[Barbie (theatrical film)|Barbie]]'' film.<ref name="gatwabarbie">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220605203515/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/ncuti-gatwa-barbie-doctor-who-secret-1235279617/ ''Simu Liu Reveals Co-Star Ncuti Gatwa Didn’t Even Tell ‘Barbie’ Castmates He Was New Doctor Who'' on variety.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref><ref name="vogue">[https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/ncuti-gatwa-british-vogue-cover-interview ''Ncuti Gatwa On Barbie, Doctor Who And Baring It All In British Vogue'' on vogue.co.uk]</ref> | |||
On [[17 April (releases)|17 April]] it was revealed by [[BBC]] entertainment correspondent [[Lizo Mzimba]] in a [[BBC News]] article that [[Jodie Whittaker]]'s successor as [[Fourteenth Doctor|the Doctor]] was "''expected to be revealed in the coming weeks''".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220418151736/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61111999 ''Doctor Who: Former companions to join Jodie Whittaker's farewell'' on bbc.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
On [[8 May (releases)|8 May]], Gatwa teased his role on the series on his [[Instagram]] account, where he posted a white image with the [[emoji]]s of "❤️❤️➕🟦" on it;<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CdSzPyuo8sL/ Ncuti Gatwa on Instagram]</ref> shortly thereafter, it was officially announced that Gatwa would be joining the series.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220508114256/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1523263950661775360 @BBCDoctorWho on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
By [[27 May (production)|27 May]], Gatwa had to hire security for himself and his family following the announcement of his casting.<ref name="gatwabarbie"/> | |||
In a mini-interview released on [[25 October]], Gatwa expressed his excitement for taking on the role, despite it being "daunting" to follow in the footsteps of the many actors before him, but was looking forward to putting his "own stamp on the Doctor".<ref>[https://youtu.be/0o16_t55uwI ''Ncuti Gatwa's Guide to Doctor Who - Q&A - Doctor Who'' on the Official Doctor Who YouTube Channel]</ref> | |||
Although Gatwa was initially announced as the Fourteenth Doctor, the conclusion of the Power of the Doctor revealed that David Tennant was the Fourteenth Doctor. Gatwa will instead portray the Fifteenth Doctor. | |||
===== Casting reception ===== | |||
Many ''Doctor Who'' actors praised the casting of Gatwa. | |||
[[Lenny Henry]], prior to the broadcast of [[Daniel Barton|his role]] in ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'', criticised ''Doctor Who'' for never having "a black Doctor Who", jokingly adding "[[BBC|they]] would rather have a [[dog]] do Doctor Who than a black person. [Barking noise]."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191212142514/https://twitter.com/KennethTharp/status/1205032568049016832 @KennethTharp on twitter.com via the Wayback machine]</ref> When Gatwa was announced in the role, Henry strongly praised [[Russell T Davies]] for the casting, stating "a lot of black fans have been looking at our watches for a while! More power to Russell T Davies."<ref name="henrypraise"/> [[Matt Smith]], who played the [[Eleventh Doctor]], called the casting "inspired", adding that Gatwa has a "real warmth and wit and a real depth to his talent", and other actors also shared their opinions: [[Jo Martin]] (the [[Fugitive Doctor]]) called Gatwa and Davies the "dream team"; [[Sophie Aldred]] ([[Ace]]) said "wicked!"; [[Nicola Bryant]] ([[Peri Brown]]) was "thrilled by this clever casting"; [[Karen Gillan]] ([[Amy Pond]]) was thrilled about the new actor; [[Louise Jameson]] ([[Leela]]) said "I think we're going to LOVE him"; and [[Katy Manning]] ([[Jo Grant]]) had "total confidence he will be wonderful". [[Sylvester McCoy]] (the [[Seventh Doctor]]) welcomed Gatwa to the "''Doctor Who'' club"<ref>[[DWM 578]]</ref> in a video message he released on [[Twitter]],<ref>[https://twitter.com/4SylvesterMcCoy/status/1523719205509492737 Sylvester McCoy on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> and when Gatwa was announced, McCoy texted [[Paul McGann]] (the [[Eighth Doctor]]), telling him "[[Scotland|Scots]] four, [[Liverpool|Scousers]] two", in reference to the nationalities of himself, McGann, and other actors to play the role of the Doctor. McGann, while initially unfamiliar with Gatwa, watched his performance in ''Sex Education'', and thought highly of it. He also praised the casting of someone youthful, as he felt that the series needed someone like him as opposed to another middle-aged [[white person|white]] male.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91bELE7jf-4 ''Paul McGann on Ncuti Gatwa as the Fourteenth Doctor'' on DWhoUnreleased]</ref> | |||
On [[11 May (production)|11 May]], Gatwa released an {{w|Instagram Story}}, responding to McCoy's video message thanking him for his "beautiful message [...] especially from a fellow Scot." He also thanked the other actors for their support.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220511163450/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-sylvester-mccoy-b2076508.html ''Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa thanks Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy for his support in dedicated video'' on Independent via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Outside of regular ''Doctor Who'' actors, other actors also supported the casting of Gatwa. Gatwa had to keep his casting a secret until the official announcement, but after that, co-star of the 2023 film ''[[Barbie (theatrical film)|Barbie]]'' {{w|Ryan Gosling}} went to Gatwa's trailer to congratulate him, being a fan of ''Doctor Who'' himself,<ref name="vogue"/> and then was later spotted wearing a [[t-shirt]] that featured fanart produced by Matthew Purchase.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220629201700/https://twitter.com/DrWhoMoment/status/1541707985780543488 @DrWhoMoment on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220508125051/https://twitter.com/TheCyberdevil/status/1523284210219429889 @TheCyberDevil on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> The [[Official Doctor Who Twitter|Official ''Doctor Who'' Twitter account]] praised the artwork and [[Tweet|retweeted]] it,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220629201844/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1541744762549575681 bbcdoctorwho on Twitter]</ref> and Russell T Davies joked that the BBC was going to sue Gosling over the "illegal merch".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220629202142/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ryan-gosling-ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-t-shirt-russell-t-davies-b2110829.html Russell T Davies jokes he’s going to sue Ryan Gosling over Ncuti Gatwa Doctor Who t-shirt: ‘#RulesAreRules’ on independent.co.uk via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
==== In the role ==== | |||
Gatwa had a role in the costume chosen for his Doctor.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220710152115/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-outfit-exclusive-newsupdate/ ''Ncuti Gatwa reveals he has a say in his “exciting” Doctor Who outfit'' on radiotimes.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> Apart from appearing in trailers for the [[2023 specials]], Gatwa appeared as the Doctor in the first shot of the [[Whoniverse ident|''Whoniverse'' ident]]; however, Gatwa's Doctor technically debuted in non-television media, explicitly in the short story {{cs|First Day of the Doctor (short story)}}, an entry in {{cs|Whotopia: The Ultimate Guide to the Whoniverse (reference book)}}, and implicitly in the poem {{cs|Contents (poem)}}<ref>[https://twitter.com/EllingtonElms/status/1609942402990575625 @EllingtonElms on twitter.com]</ref> and the audio story {{cs|The World Tree (audio story)}}.{{note|For more information on the non-television appearances of Gatwa's Doctor prior to his debut television story, please go to [[Fifteenth Doctor#Appearances prior to his first full television story|the behind the scenes section]] on the [[Fifteenth Doctor]] page.}} | |||
On [[23 November (releases)|23 November]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]], a version of {{cs|An Adventure in Space and Time (TV story)}} was broadcast on [[BBC Four]], wherein Gatwa replaced [[Matt Smith]]'s cameo as a premonition experienced by [[David Bradley]]'s [[William Hartnell]]. | |||
== Credits == | |||
=== As the Fifteenth Doctor === | |||
==== ''Doctor Who'' ==== | |||
===== 60th Anniversary Specials ===== | |||
* ''[[The Giggle (TV story)|The Giggle]]'' | |||
===== Season 1 ===== | |||
* ''[[The Church on Ruby Road (TV story)|The Church on Ruby Road]]'' | |||
* ''[[The Devil's Chord (TV story)|The Devil's Chord]]'' | |||
* ''[[Regency (TV story)|Regency]]'' | |||
=== Other === | |||
* ''[[An Adventure in Space and Time (TV story)|An Adventure in Space and Time]]'' (2023 re-release) - himself | |||
== Gallery == | |||
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | |||
Ncuti Gatwa.jpg|8 May 2022 promo pic<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220508113055/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1523263950661775360 ''The future is here! Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor. ❤️❤️➕🟦'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Ncuti Gatwa 2.jpg|25 October 2022 promo pic<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221027143803/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1585033914065854474 ''Ncuti Gatwa took the TARDIS for a quick spin today to celebrate the news that #DoctorWho is coming to to the @bbc and @disneyplus in 2023 ✨'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Gatwa and Gibson.jpg|18 November promo pic (with [[Millie Gibson]])<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221118205135/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1593705809166434306 ''Millie Gibson joins the cast of #DoctorWho as the Doctor's companion, Ruby Sunday ❤️❤️➕♦️'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Gatwa and Gibson 2.jpg|23 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221123143100/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1595409354551078912 ''The Doctor and Ruby ❤️❤️➕♦️'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Ncuti Gatwa 3.jpg|17 December promo pic<ref name="G&G3">[https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1604182155143282689 ''Introducing the Doctor and Ruby Sunday, played by Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson ❤️❤️➕🟦'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
Gatwa and Gibson 3.jpg|17 December promo pic (with Millie Gibson)<ref name="G&G3"/> | |||
Ncuti Gatwa He's the Doctor.jpg|21 July 2023 promo pic<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230727202407/https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1682362216920621056 ''The TARDIS is detecting some major Kenergy on Earth today 👀'' on twitter.com via the Wayback Machine]</ref> | |||
</gallery> | |||
== External links == | |||
{{imdb name|id=6967441}} | |||
* {{elx|page url=https://sexeducation.fandom.com/wiki/Ncuti_Gatwa|page name=Ncuti Gatwa|website url=https://sexeducation.fandom.com/wiki/Sex_Education_Wiki|website name=the ''Sex Education'' Wiki on Fandom}} | |||
* {{Instagram|ncutigatwa}} | |||
<!--As stated by Gatwa, he does NOT have a Twitter account. DO NOT add any such profiles here, unless if explicit confirmation is given from Gatwa..--> | |||
== Footnotes == | |||
=== Notes === | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
=== References === | |||
{{scroll|{{reflist|2}}}} | |||
{{NameSort}} | |||
[[Category:Actors who portrayed the Doctor]] | |||
[[Category:Doctor Who regular cast]] | |||
[[Category:BAFTA Scotland award winners]] | |||
[[Category:BAFTA award nominees]] | |||
[[Category:Royal Television Society Award winners]] | |||
[[Category:An Adventure in Space and Time cast]] | |||
[[Category:People interviewed on Doctor Who: Unleashed]] | |||
[[Category:Actors who were credited in the Doctor Who opening titles]] | |||
[[Category:Doctor Who vocalists]] | |||
[[ru:Шути Гатва]] | |||
Revision as of 00:44, 26 February 2024
This page absolutely does contain spoilers either about the behind-the-scenes or narrative elements of stories which have not yet been published or broadcast. Please see our spoiler policy for our rules governing articles about such subjects.
- You may be looking for his parodical counterpart.
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa[4][nb 1] (born 15 October 1992[1][2]), known professionally as Ncuti Gatwa, is a Rwandan-Scottish[1] BAFTA-winning actor[5] who plays the Fifteenth Doctor[3] in Doctor Who, starting with The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"], the last of the 60th Anniversary Specials, following his predecessor's regeneration.[6] Gatwa has had roles in television, film, and theatre.
Gatwa had the distinction of being the very first black actor to spearhead the series in the titular role,[7] although he wasn't the first black actor to portray the Doctor, being preceded by Lenny Henry and Jo Martin.[8] He is also the first openly queer actor to play an on-screen version of the Doctor[9], as well as the first actor born after the end of the show's original tenure to play the role.
Biography
Early life
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa[4] was born in the Nyarugenge District[2], in Kigali, Rwanda[10], on 15 October 1992[1][2], but he and his family fled to Scotland in 1994 following the Rwandan genocide.[10]
During his childhood, he lived in Dunfermline and Edinburgh, but he always felt different from everyone around him, as nobody, not student nor adult nor role model, shared his heritage in Scotland.[10] Gatwa was trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland[2], obtaining a BA in acting.[11]
He describes himself as a "Rwandan-Scotsman", a term he coined.[10]
Career
Gatwa notably performed in stage plays such as Hecuba, A Midsummer Night's Dream[2], and David Greig's Victoria.[2][12] His first role in television was in Bob Servant (series two, The Van) as an unnamed customer in 2014. The series also starred Brian Cox.[1][13]
Gatwa starred in Netflix's Sex Education as Eric Effiong, an openly gay character[14] who was prasied for not being a caricature, as one may expect from the typcial portrayal of black and gay characters in television and film, due to Eric being fully fleshed out as a character and never being played "second fiddle" to Otis (the primary protagonist of the series).[15] The series also co-starred the likes of Gillian Anderson.[2]
In 2022, Gatwa was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.[16] The RCS informally called him a "Doctor of Drama".[17]
Doctor Who
Casting and announcement
Russell T Davies explained with the casting of Gatwa, that his casting wasn't just about "diversity and representation", explaining that he was...
Davies did also punctuate that he considered "diversity and representation [to be] very important."[18] Russell later added: "Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started."[5] When Gatwa was told that he had got the role, in around March, he didn't tell anyone about it, including his co-stars in the 2023 Barbie film.[19][20]
On 17 April it was revealed by BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba in a BBC News article that Jodie Whittaker's successor as the Doctor was "expected to be revealed in the coming weeks".[21]
On 8 May, Gatwa teased his role on the series on his Instagram account, where he posted a white image with the emojis of "❤️❤️➕🟦" on it;[22] shortly thereafter, it was officially announced that Gatwa would be joining the series.[23]
By 27 May, Gatwa had to hire security for himself and his family following the announcement of his casting.[19]
In a mini-interview released on 25 October, Gatwa expressed his excitement for taking on the role, despite it being "daunting" to follow in the footsteps of the many actors before him, but was looking forward to putting his "own stamp on the Doctor".[24]
Although Gatwa was initially announced as the Fourteenth Doctor, the conclusion of the Power of the Doctor revealed that David Tennant was the Fourteenth Doctor. Gatwa will instead portray the Fifteenth Doctor.
Casting reception
Many Doctor Who actors praised the casting of Gatwa.
Lenny Henry, prior to the broadcast of his role in Spyfall, criticised Doctor Who for never having "a black Doctor Who", jokingly adding "they would rather have a dog do Doctor Who than a black person. [Barking noise]."[25] When Gatwa was announced in the role, Henry strongly praised Russell T Davies for the casting, stating "a lot of black fans have been looking at our watches for a while! More power to Russell T Davies."[14] Matt Smith, who played the Eleventh Doctor, called the casting "inspired", adding that Gatwa has a "real warmth and wit and a real depth to his talent", and other actors also shared their opinions: Jo Martin (the Fugitive Doctor) called Gatwa and Davies the "dream team"; Sophie Aldred (Ace) said "wicked!"; Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) was "thrilled by this clever casting"; Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) was thrilled about the new actor; Louise Jameson (Leela) said "I think we're going to LOVE him"; and Katy Manning (Jo Grant) had "total confidence he will be wonderful". Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh Doctor) welcomed Gatwa to the "Doctor Who club"[26] in a video message he released on Twitter,[27] and when Gatwa was announced, McCoy texted Paul McGann (the Eighth Doctor), telling him "Scots four, Scousers two", in reference to the nationalities of himself, McGann, and other actors to play the role of the Doctor. McGann, while initially unfamiliar with Gatwa, watched his performance in Sex Education, and thought highly of it. He also praised the casting of someone youthful, as he felt that the series needed someone like him as opposed to another middle-aged white male.[28]
On 11 May, Gatwa released an Instagram Story, responding to McCoy's video message thanking him for his "beautiful message [...] especially from a fellow Scot." He also thanked the other actors for their support.[29]
Outside of regular Doctor Who actors, other actors also supported the casting of Gatwa. Gatwa had to keep his casting a secret until the official announcement, but after that, co-star of the 2023 film Barbie Ryan Gosling went to Gatwa's trailer to congratulate him, being a fan of Doctor Who himself,[20] and then was later spotted wearing a t-shirt that featured fanart produced by Matthew Purchase.[30][31] The Official Doctor Who Twitter account praised the artwork and retweeted it,[32] and Russell T Davies joked that the BBC was going to sue Gosling over the "illegal merch".[33]
In the role
Gatwa had a role in the costume chosen for his Doctor.[34] Apart from appearing in trailers for the 2023 specials, Gatwa appeared as the Doctor in the first shot of the Whoniverse ident; however, Gatwa's Doctor technically debuted in non-television media, explicitly in the short story First Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["First Day of the Doctor (short story)"], an entry in Whotopia: The Ultimate Guide to the Whoniverse [+]Loading...["Whotopia: The Ultimate Guide to the Whoniverse (reference book)"], and implicitly in the poem Contents [+]Loading...["Contents (poem)"][35] and the audio story The World Tree [+]Loading...["The World Tree (audio story)"].[nb 2]
On 23 November 2023, a version of An Adventure in Space and Time [+]Loading...["An Adventure in Space and Time (TV story)"] was broadcast on BBC Four, wherein Gatwa replaced Matt Smith's cameo as a premonition experienced by David Bradley's William Hartnell.
Credits
As the Fifteenth Doctor
Doctor Who
60th Anniversary Specials
Season 1
Other
- An Adventure in Space and Time (2023 re-release) - himself
Gallery
![8 May 2022 promo pic[36]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/0/0d/Ncuti_Gatwa.jpg/120px-Ncuti_Gatwa.jpg)
8 May 2022 promo pic[36]
![25 October 2022 promo pic[37]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/9/92/Ncuti_Gatwa_2.jpg/120px-Ncuti_Gatwa_2.jpg)
25 October 2022 promo pic[37]
![18 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[38]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/c/ce/Gatwa_and_Gibson.jpg/80px-Gatwa_and_Gibson.jpg)
18 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[38]
![23 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[39]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/c/cb/Gatwa_and_Gibson_2.jpg/120px-Gatwa_and_Gibson_2.jpg)
23 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[39]
![17 December promo pic[40]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/f/f2/Ncuti_Gatwa_3.jpg/80px-Ncuti_Gatwa_3.jpg)
17 December promo pic[40]
![17 December promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[40]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/a/a4/Gatwa_and_Gibson_3.jpg/80px-Gatwa_and_Gibson_3.jpg)
17 December promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[40]
![21 July 2023 promo pic[41]](/w/images/Tardis_Images/thumb/b/b1/Ncuti_Gatwa_He%27s_the_Doctor.jpg/96px-Ncuti_Gatwa_He%27s_the_Doctor.jpg)
21 July 2023 promo pic[41]
![8 May 2022 promo pic[36]](/wiki/File:Ncuti_Gatwa.jpg)
![25 October 2022 promo pic[37]](/wiki/File:Ncuti_Gatwa_2.jpg)
![18 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[38]](/wiki/File:Gatwa_and_Gibson.jpg)
![23 November promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[39]](/wiki/File:Gatwa_and_Gibson_2.jpg)
![17 December promo pic[40]](/wiki/File:Ncuti_Gatwa_3.jpg)
![17 December promo pic (with Millie Gibson)[40]](/wiki/File:Gatwa_and_Gibson_3.jpg)
![21 July 2023 promo pic[41]](/wiki/File:Ncuti_Gatwa_He%27s_the_Doctor.jpg)
External links
- Ncuti Gatwa at the Internet Movie Database
- Ncuti Gatwa at the Sex Education Wiki on Fandom
- Official Instagram account
Footnotes
Notes
- ↑ Pronounced shoo-tee gat-wah (example)
- ↑ For more information on the non-television appearances of Gatwa's Doctor prior to his debut television story, please go to the behind the scenes section on the Fifteenth Doctor page.
