Doctor Whohas been a globally belovedsci-fi showsince 1963.
At the end of theDoctor Who60th Anniversary Specials,Ncuti Gatwamade his debut as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Here’s everything we talked about:
Spoilers ahead for Season 15 ofDoctor Who!
First, Ruby and the Doctor’s strong friendship is one of the highlights of the show.
How did you work to build that chemistry behind the scenes?
Or did it come naturally?
Ncuti Gatwa: It [wasn’t] that hard, honestly.
Millie Gibson: Naturally, yeah.
I mean, to be honest, that’s why we do chemistry reads.
As soon as I kind of walked in, it was like,Is this gonna work?
Did that happen with everyone he spoke to?And yeah, it didn’t, thank god.
So I’m really glad that it was a natural kind of journey from there.
NG: I would agree with all of that.
I just, yeah, it was there from the offset.
I knew, like, the direction in which I wanted to take the energy of the TARDIS.
MG: Because every Doctor and companion have such a, like, kind of tennis ball match.
It’s like, “What’s ours gonna be like?”
And it was there straight away.
[to Ncuti] It helped me get the part, honey.
I’m glad you were there!
Music is a central theme of several episodes.
NG: ABSOLUTELY NOT!
MG: It coulda been, couldn’t it have, Kristen?
I would’ve loved to have known that was part of it.
That was what we were gonna be doing!
MG: They [were] absolutely not.
Can you go on wires?
Are you scared of heights?
NG: Not even!
They didn’t even ask!
MG: No, I’m saying, they should’ve.
NG: That’s what would’ve been cool.
MG: Yeah, there were so many elements.
I was like, “Imagine if I had, like, this deathly fear of heights.”
NG: Could you imagine?
NG: “And we’re just gonna hoist you up this crane, up you go.”
Auto-Tune will be our friend.
Like, this has got [to be]fine, this is gonna "
MG:LIES!
NG: None of that!
NG: We turned up on set.
They said, “Here’s a mic…And off you go.”
We were like, “Ah…”
MG: “Ah.”
Yeah, and even, like, the demo.
But not for, not for the world!
NG: Not for the world to see!
So this was, it was really a game of sink or swim.
MG: You decide if we…[both start laughing].
I think it turned out great!
NG: We’ll leave that decision to you!
And Millie, Ruby has also taken full advantage of that giant wardrobe in the TARDIS.
Do you know what I mean?
I mean, those costumes have been so iconic, and so incredible.
So Pam is just incredible.
Like, your costume has to be really practical to where you are and you have to blend in.
MG: Yes, with the wires for some of our costumes.
NG: It’s a really great, collaborative effort with Pam Downe.
I feel like a companion’s jacket is very much an iconic thing.
And yeah, they cleverly, like, crafted this incredible leather jacket with fur around it.
And it’s so cool how costume just makes you feel like a character, as well as makeup.
To me, that just, like, describes Ruby quirky, fiesty, cool.
I got to pick my colors for the ’60s episode.
She was like, “What colors do you want?”
And I went, “Green!”
I was like, “Fine.”
And so, I was like, “Black and white?”
And then, she was like, “Absolutely.”
Have you had, like, a favorite outfit that you got to wear this season?
NG & MG: Regency!
NG: Felt so hot!
MG: I was in my own world in Regency.
I think I just went off on a wander in these beautiful locations.
And all the runners were like, “Where can people keep tabs on Millie?”
Wandering off trying to find, like, anaestheticthing, like I was in my own little film.
Yeah, definitely Regency.
NG: It felt like the most we’ve stepped into a world that is completely different from anything.
Do you know what I mean?
It’s not like we’re listening to 18th-century bops now.
MG: Oh, I see what you mean!
NG: Do you know what I mean?
Whereas, you listen to the Beatles now.
MG: And there were loads of extras in the outfits as well!
I was like, “I live here!
This is my home!”
NG: It really transported us.
MG: And it was getting to summertime as well.
It was just the best episode.
NG: It was such a fun episode.
MG: So much fun.
MG: Yeah, definitely.
NG: Oh, you’ll have to just watch and see, Kristen!
You’ve got to watch the whole series and see.
MG: Did you watch it?
NG: I watched it.
I had to approve it for some reason.
MG: I don’t get to approve!
NG: [laughing] I know, sorry.
MG: Imagine if you went, “Absolutely not!”
NG: I was like, “Why am I having to approve this?”
But you were so funny in it.
“This is all that’s left of her a bottle.”
Sorry, go in.
So can’t help you too much there.
But there’s definitely Easter eggs!
MG:I was doing a big flat tour of Ruby’s house.
And I was like, “Okay.”
And they actually didn’t tell me why, which would’ve helped in this question, Kristen.
NG: So we have no idea.
They like to keep things from us ‘cause they know that we’ve got big mouths.
We’ll just spill all the secrets, so they keep things hidden from us.
MG: They go, “Don’t tell Millie and Ncuti.”
NG: “Don’t tell Millie and Ncuti, whatever you do.”
MG: For me, no.
I mean, the companion has to have a certain energy about us.
They’ve never done a companion well, one of the companions this young before.
NG: I would say yes and no.
It’s a difficult question to answer.
‘Cause you’re playing the same, you’re carrying on there’s a trajectory.
There’s a throughline that you’re having to carry on.
MG: Yeah, it’s like they follow with one emotion for each one of them.
Like, I always think Matt Smith’s quite chaotic, Peter Capaldi’s quite serious.
That’s like…but they’re me.
MG: How did you play?
It must’ve been so hard.
NG: I don’t know!
I don’t know!
But yes, definitely inspired by prior Doctors.
Just tried to bring my own thing in now.
Whether it’s working or not, we don’t know!
MG: Yes, it is!
Yes, it is!
After your casting was announced, did any of the previousDoctor Whoalumni reach out to you?
Oh my God, yeah.
Oh my God, it was so lovely.
David [Tennant], Matt [Smith], Peter [Capaldi], Sylvester McCoy.
MG: Oh, that’s so sweet!
NG: Oh my God, it was so sweet.
Filmed this whole thing with, like, the fan going off above him
MG: Awww!
You’ve got to show me that!
NG: And [Sylvester’s] like, “You’re gonna face the Weeping Angels.
You’re gonna face the Daleks, the Cybermen, but most of all, the critics.”
I was like, “This man is precious, precious, precious, precious.”
And the first Scottish Doctor as well!
From the first Scottish Doctor to now the current Doctor.
See, and that’s how you know that Scottish Doctors are the best.
MG: Well, Jodie [Whittaker] messaged me.
I was like, “Who’s Jodie?”
And then, I was like, “Oh my God!”
And she replied, bless her heart, and she was so, so lovely.
You’ve also worked with a lot of amazing guest stars this season.
Do you have any standout moments or memories from working with them?
NG: Oh, my God, we lost our minds working with Jinkx Monsoon.
She just, from the get-go, our jaws on the floor in terms of her talent.
MG: We watched the ’60s episode recently, at a premiere recently, and honestly, I mind-blowing.
NG: Her performance is incredible.
MG: She’s terrifying, but so
NG: Delicious!
Literally makes so much sense.
NG: No, but like, she…you love you LOVE to hate her [character]!
MG: You’re rooting for her!
MG: Let her have her moment!
Like, what will you do?"
MG: Yeah, she played that delicious.
MG: I died that day, honestly.
I love, I loveDrag Race.
That was my thing when I was younger.
I was like, “Jinkx Monsoon is the funniest drag queen ever.”
I was like, “Oh yeah, who?”
He went, “Jinkx Monsoon.”
I was like, “Are you absolutely kidding me?”
NG: So talented!
MG: So talented!
NG: There’s not much she can’t do.
MG: We were filming another episode, and I was like, “Ncuti, watch!
Watch her best moments!”
I was just so excited to work with her, but she was hilarious.
NG: AndJonathan Groffas well.
Jonathan is such a talented, talented, talented man.
The studio wept when he left.
Like, we were heartbroken.
There was a hole there was a void!
There was a hole on set when he left.
Great, great, great guy.
Do you have any dream guest stars for the future?
MG: Oh my God, so many.
NG: Oh my God, yeah.
MG: Where to begin, Kristen?
NG: Where to begin?
MG: For me, Jodie Comer.
NG: Gillian Anderson.
MG: Gillian Anderson!
NG: Can you imagine?
MG: Oh, yeah.
NG: Ahhh, delicious.
Mads Mikkelsen eye candy.
NG: Who else?
[referencing a Vogue magazine cover visible on the bookshelf behind me] Harry Styles.
MG: [referencing a plushie also visible behind me] Kermit the Frog!
NG: Kermit the Frog!
While preparing for your roles, did you watch previous episodes or seasons?
Or even, did you dive into the comics, audio dramas, and more?
NG: The Whoniverse is absolutely massive and expansive, so there’s no way of covering it all.
That’s when I fell in love with the show.
“…So thank God I got it so I can watch Matt Smith in peace.
NG: Oh honey, we’d all like to do that.
MG: I know!
If you could bring back a character from Russell T. Davies’ original run, who would it be?
NG: Oh, I’d like to meet my wife, River Song.
MG:I wanna meet her!
She’s so cool!
NG: She’s really cool, no?
And whenever she appears, there’s always a mystery, so I would like to meet River Song.
MG: She’s just so sassy.
Honestly, she is gorgeous.
NG: Oh my God, we worked with 12 babies real babies on set.
MG: We can do “Space Babies” spoilers, can’t we?
Probably getting snot dripped on my head.
NG: Oh, that was a moment.
[laughs]
MG: That was horrendous.
NG: I loved that day so much!
Getting snot dripped on her head just to ensure it’s perfect when I did it.
NG: [singing] “Hello darkness, my old friend.”
MG: That was mad.
NG: “Space Babies,” for sure.
MG: “Space Babies” was just an odd trip, wasn’t it?
NG: Such a wild, wild ride.
Oh my God…12 babies!
There’s no way.”
And then…yes we were!
MG: As well as the voices of the babies that we had to act with.
It was our first AD called Dan, who obviously doesn’t have a baby voice.
NG: [in a high-pitched voice] “Hello, Eric.”
[in a deep voice] “I love you, Ruby.”
Don’t know what to do with it."
Yeah, very unique experience.
NG: It was a real…we earned our pennies that day.
MG: We really did.
What’s the message and meaning you hope viewers take away from the season?
MG: Glass half full.
And certainly have hope and joy in the face of adversity because it’s important to have.
MG: And remember, there’s always a twist at the end!
NG: Oooooohhh, go on, Millie!
That was a nice one!
That’ll all make sense!
That’ll all make sense one day.
NG: Oh my God, I would love to film in Barbados.
MG: New York.
NG: New York!
MG: Imagine if we went to New York!
That would be so cool.
NG: Yeah, that would be cool.
MG: Paris in a jazz club.
Rio would be amazing to film in.
Oh my God, can you imagine?
NG: Let’s just keep saying wherever you wanna go.
I’d love to film in Rome.
NG: Rome would be amazing to film.
MG: And we meet, like, an Italian stallion!
NG: South of France.
MG: Yeah, south of France!
NG: South of France.
I think some things really go down there extraterrestrial.
MG: And you know what?
Costa Rica needs to be
NG: Costa Rica needs to be saved as well!
Really needs to be saved.
MG: Where else?
NG: St. Kitts as well.
I’ve heard a lot of things are going down there, extraterrestially.
So, gotta get out there as well.
Doctor WhoSeason 15 is streaming now onDisney+and airs on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
This interview has been edited for length and/or clarity.
