Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa says representation on screen "enriches us all"
There's not long to go until the Fifteenth Doctor arrives.
Ncuti Gatwa has hailed screen representation as something that "enriches us all", as fans eagerly await his debut as the Fifteenth Doctor on BBC One's Doctor Who.
The actor is in the midst of a huge year that includes a supporting role in box office juggernaut Barbie, the final season of Netflix smash-hit Sex Education and the launch of Doctor Who's bold new era.
Between these projects, he found time to talk to Elle, where he discussed the importance of representation and criticised those who would cynically brand his casting as some kind of "box-ticking exercise".
He said: "First of all, you don't know anything about me. Secondly, tick f**king boxes! People need to be f**king seen. What are you going to do, tell the same stories? Have the same people fronting things for all of eternity?
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"Representation and inclusivity and branching out... it enriches us all. How embarrassing. You people with your tiny mindsets – open a book, look out the window and then f**k off."
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Gatwa makes history as the first Black actor to be cast as the regular lead in Doctor Who, although fans will know the first Black Doctor to appear on the show was played by Jo Martin in 2020's Fugitive of the Judoon.
He shot to stardom in the Sex Education cast, where he played Eric Effiong; a beloved character, but one he is confirmed to be parting ways with after season 4. Previously, he said the cast had "outgrown" the school-set show.
However, he did praise creator Laurie Nunn for her work on his celebrated role, and went so far as to say that Eric "undid a lot of the internalised hate I had".
Gatwa added: "Shout out to Laurie Nunn for giving nuance to this gay, Black character and gifting him to the world. He's so fierce and unashamed.
"It was healing for me, and great for people to see themselves represented. It taught me the importance of representation: it's so powerful and necessary."
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Classic episodes are available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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