The Big Picture
Ncuti Gatwa brings joy and freshness to the role of the Doctor, ushering in a new era of Doctor Who. Gatwa received advice from previous Doctors to embrace the intensity of the role and remember to enjoy it. The Doctor becoming more openly queer is a landmark moment for representation, reflecting the show’s commitment to progress and inclusivity.
Following three spectacular 60th anniversary specials, Doctor Who has delivered its latest Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road.” Ncuti Gatwa bounded onto the screen in “The Giggle” earlier this month, stealing hearts and making the role completely his own. Gatwa is the latest actor to take on the legendary role, walking in the footsteps of William Hartnell, Paul McGann, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, and many more. After getting just a glimpse of the fifteenth Doctor following his historic bi-generation, “The Church on Ruby Road” gives audiences a full look at what we can expect from the next era of Doctor Who, filled with a wonderful mix of campy fun and heartwarming storytelling.
Ahead of the Christmas special, I sat down with Gatwa to discuss all things Doctor Who, from bringing the series into the future in terms of representation to the best advice he recieved from previous Doctors. During our conversation, Gatwa also spoke about the Doctor’s relationship with his new companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), working with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon in the upcoming season, and which classic Doctor Who villains he wants to go up against. You can read the full transcript of our conversation below.
Doctor Who
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord “The Doctor” who is able to regenerate, and the Doctor’s human friends. The Doctor and companion’s journey through time and space in the TARDIS – a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box – saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.
Release Date March 17, 2006
Rating TV-PG
Seasons 14
Studio BBC America
Streaming Service(s) Disney+
Ncuti Gatwa Makes ‘Doctor Who’ History In More Ways Than One
COLLIDER: So first of all, congratulations on officially becoming the Doctor. We’ve only seen just a little bit of what you have in store for us, but I’m so excited. With your bi-regeneration, you sort of got the first truly joyful regeneration in the whole series, honestly. What was it like stepping into the role and introducing us to a Doctor who’s allowed himself to be loved and to love himself?
NCUTI GATWA: Oh, it’s been really, really, really, really nice. Gosh, it’s been a joy, and it was a joy to join at that moment and it was a joy to be a part of something that hadn’t been done before, as well. Like the bi-generation’s a new piece of Time Lord mythology that Russell [T. Davies] is bringing in, and I was like, “This is really exciting to get to be a part of that.” We’ve never seen bi-generation before. There were a lot of things in my mind, also, at the same time because I was like, “I don’t have the episodes where I’m kind of half stumbling about getting used to my new body,” so I was like, “I’ve got to try and get used to my body quickly because there’s also a really powerful villain ahead of me that I need to just defeat, but also 14 is right there! There’s a lot to do!” [Laughs] And so it was quite exciting to have that energy of a new fresh something is happening, and also, I am kind of the new fresh thing that’s happening, and I guess just embracing the newness of it all. But yeah, it was exciting.
It was a really joyous moment, and it was nice that David’s Doctor, 14, is now gonna enter the healing era. I’m like, “It’s time for you to sit down and enter the healing era. Run a bath, get some bath salt, take yourself off to the spa. I’ve got it covered from here. Don’t worry, the universe is in safe hands.”
I am so excited for 15’s era. You have so much charisma and charm in this role. What would you say is the most important piece of advice that you got going into the role from previous Doctors?
GATWA: I think it was just the warning me of how crazy the ride is gonna be and preparing me for the level of intensity of interest that will happen were the things that Jodie [Whittaker] and David [Tennant] and Matt [Smith] were all talking to me about. It’s such a prestigious role, and as actors you want to do your best by it. You’ll beat yourself up if you don’t feel like you have. And so I remember doing that throughout Season 1, just being like, “I just feel like I’m ruining it all.” Talking to Matt about it, Matt was like, “I was exactly the same. I just felt like every day I was so hard on myself and felt like I wasn’t doing a good enough job, but trust me, you are. If they say that you are, then you are,” and like, “I know the role means a lot to you, and you want to do your best by it, but also remember to enjoy it.” That. I think probably that. I think all the Doctors have told me to remember to enjoy it and not get too in my head about it, so I’d say probably that.
As a queer person myself, I’m really excited to see the Doctor being more openly queer. I love that little Houdini bit. With Doctor Who being a show for everyone, can you talk about being a Doctor that more people can see themselves in?
GATWA: Yeah. It just means a lot. It does feel like quite a landmark moment, and it feels really special to have it kind of the 60th, as well, and to see how far the show has come. It’s always been an incredible, amazing show that we’ve always known and loved, but to see how it’s come along is really special because Doctor Who is, at its core, it’s a show about change. It’s a show about progress. It’s a show about looking forward to the future, embracing the new, which is great and beautiful, but it’s also a show that has existed for the amount of time that it’s existed and therefore it can act as a bit of a mirror, a bit of a reflection to Britain and to society, and to what is happening in the world. I believe, truly, that we were always gonna get to this point.
Thank my lucky stars that I can sit atop the shoulders of all the Doctors prior to me, but also shoutout to Jo Martin and Jodie Whittaker, two Doctors who came and exploded the possibilities of what this Doctor can look like, and this Doctor can look like anybody because they’re an alien from outer space, let’s not conform to stupid things that don’t matter. They’ve opened this door up for everybody to be able to play, and so I’m very lucky that I follow in their footsteps. I think it’s so important that we have this show and I think it’s so important that this show makes people feel seen and represented because, like I say, it is a mirror of society and there’s lots of us in it. There’s not just one group of people that are in society, so let’s see them on our screens, please. I think it would be good.
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson Are Like Besties “Giggling at the Back of a School Bus”
You have such lovely chemistry with Millie [Gibson]. I can’t wait to see more of you two together. Can you tease a little bit about what we can expect from that relationship?
GATWA: Yes. It’s very like siblings. I feel like she’s like his little sister. They’re like the two siblings that will bicker over, like, “’You stole my top.’ ‘No, you stole my top.'” They’re besties that are giggling at the back of a school bus getting into mischief/siblings. They look out for each other, they’ve got each other’s best interests at heart, and I think they see themselves in each other. I think he saw her and was like, “You’re really brave and you’re really selfless. You’re willing to go into situations that are beyond your imagination for the benefit of someone else, and also you’re cute, and you’re not afraid of things that are out there. This is really cool.” I think he sees himself in her and feels very protective of her. You can expect fun and mystery from them.
The goblins are such a fun new villain for the Doctor – kind of cute and terrifying at the same time. Are there any existing Doctor Who villains that you’re excited to go up against, and can you tease a little bit about going up against Jinkx Monsoon?
GATWA: Let me tell you, for our first readthrough, me and Millie were like, “Oh, damn! Oh wow, you came in prepared! This is a performance. This is an exceptional performance just to read through.” Oh, they came and elevated, elevated the show. Their performance in that episode is so terrifying, feral, and glamorous, and glamorously feral. It is the most exceptional performance. It was incredible working with Jinkx. They are so kind, so lovely. Millie was beside herself, like trying to keep it cool, just constantly trying to keep it cool.
I’ve spoken about how I would love to go up against the Beast, but I would like to go up against the Rani. I’d like to meet the Rani, and then I also would like, at some point, to face the Daleks. I’m sorry, but I feel like I want a shot of beating up the Daleks, so I want that as well. What else do I want? [Laughs] Yeah, I’ll settle with those, Rani and the Daleks, and the Beast. But then also, I’m so excited for the villains that I’m about to face. Russell has created a whole new world of villains that’s just so exciting and like we’ve never seen on Doctor Who before. The Doctor is out of their depths quite a lot with stuff, and so we see stakes that we’ve not quite had for the Doctor yet, which is very exciting.
All three of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, as well as “The Church on Ruby Road,” are now available to stream on Disney+.
Watch on Disney+