Karen Gillan, who played Eleventh Doctor companion Amy Pond, has revealed her excitement at seeing Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Former Doctors and companions are always asked about incoming casts, and they always respond positively, but Gillan does seems invested in Gatwa’s incarnation of the Time Lord. Similarly, she’s looking forward to seeing Millie Gibson as new companion, Ruby Sunday.
Recalling hearing the announcements of both Gatwa and Gibson, Karen enthused:
“My first reaction to both of them being cast was excitement. I sort of feel like they’re going to inject a whole new lease of life – like it really got my attention. When I saw both of them, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m ready to jump into this now.’
“And it’s just exciting, and it’s new, and he’s clearly brilliant because I’ve seen him in other things. So I think it’s a really good piece of casting.”
Ncuti is probably best known for his role in Sex Education, although he’s had plenty of acting experience on theatre as well as on TV; he’ll soon be seen in the Barbie movie too, as Ken, with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
Any Karen Gillan fans can see her returning as Nebula in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe instalment, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, the final film in the Guardians trilogy with the original MCU team comprised of Star Lord, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax (alongside more recent additions like Cosmo and Mantis). That’s in cinemas right now, directed by James Gunn, who is now the architect of the DC movie universe.
And Karen would love a part in that too. She said:
“Honestly, if James asked me to play an alien that sits in the background of a shot and doesn’t talk, I would say ‘yes’. [Laughs.] Because working with him has been one of the great joys of my career so far.”
She does have a particular role in mind, though…
“I always thought that [Batman villain] Poison Ivy was really fun.”
Oh yeah, we can totally see her as Poison Ivy.
And as for Doctor Who, that returns in November with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. Ncuti Gatwa takes over the TARDIS this Christmas.
