Fifteenth Doctor

The Fifteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa. His first series companion is Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.

Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a millennia-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, with somewhat unknown origins, who travels in time and space in their TARDIS, frequently with companions. Usually, at the end of each incarnation's life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, their physical appearance and personality changes. However, the Fifteenth Doctor emerged unconventionally, via "bi-generation", in which he split from his predecessor, the Fourteenth Doctor's body, rather than replacing him, allowing both incarnations to co-exist. In contrast to his predecessors, Gatwa portrays a Doctor who is attempting to let go of much of his recent emotional trauma, with a more emotionally balanced, liberated, fun-loving, and affectionate outward persona. In contrast to previous Doctor's tenures, the Fifteenth Doctor's stories include a greater focus on fantasy elements, intended by showrunner Russell T Davies to "increase the danger" and have a "bigger, wider sense of imagination".

Gatwa had previously been announced as Jodie Whittaker's successor as the programme's lead, and many reports stated he would play the Fourteenth Doctor and that Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor would regenerate into an incarnation portrayed by Gatwa. Upon Whittaker's final appearance as the character, she instead regenerated into a form seemingly similar to the Tenth Doctor. This character, portrayed by David Tennant, was confirmed to be the Fourteenth Doctor, with later clarification that Gatwa would portray the Fifteenth Doctor.

His first episode as lead actor aired on 25 December 2023, and his first full series premiered on 11 May 2024.

Casting
Before Gatwa's casting was announced, several actors were heavily rumoured to be taking over from Whittaker, including Hugh Grant, Michael Sheen, Kris Marshall, Richard Ayoade, Michaela Coel, Kelly Macdonald, and Lenny Henry. Russell T Davies' return as the programme's showrunner also led to speculation that an actor he had previously worked with in other projects would join him as the Fourteenth Doctor, with Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Omari Douglas, T'Nia Miller, and Fisayo Akinade ranking highly in bookies' odds. Rumours also circulated that David Tennant would reprise his role, having previously portrayed the Tenth Doctor during Davies' initial time as showrunner, or that Jo Martin, who debuted as the Fugitive Doctor during Whittaker's tenure, would be revealed as the Fourteenth incarnation.

On 8 May 2022, Gatwa posted an Instagram picture featuring two red heart emojis, a plus sign, and a blue box emoji. The post, alongside comments from incoming Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, led to speculation that Gatwa had been cast as the Doctor. This was later confirmed that same day by the official Doctor Who Twitter account.

Gatwa is the first black actor, first African-born actor, and first openly queer actor to headline as the Doctor. He is also the fourth Scottish actor to play the character.

In an article released on the Doctor Who website, Gatwa said, "This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my utmost to do the same."

Davies added, "Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds... I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!"

At the conclusion of Whittaker's final episode, "The Power of the Doctor" (2022), her Doctor regenerated into the form of David Tennant. Gatwa was subsequently confirmed as the Fifteenth Doctor, following Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor's tenure over the 2023 specials. Executive producer Russell T Davies stated "the path to Ncuti's 15th Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun!" Gatwa appeared in character for the first time in the trailer for the 2023 specials.

Costume
In a departure for the character of the Doctor, the Fifteenth Doctor wears a variety of clothing rather than adopting one distinct style. Pam Downe, a costume designer who had previously worked on the 60th anniversary specials, was tasked with designing the Doctor's extensive wardrobe. Downe first drew up numerous mood boards containing different ideas for the costumes, and presented them to Gatwa and the production team; the boards included "all kinds of gender-pushing, societal-pushing outfits". One of them was an image of a "well-known American football player" wearing a "suit skirt"; though Downe thought they would have to "wait a bit of time" before introducing that, as it's "such a big jump from former Doctors." Gatwa likened the Doctor to Captain Britain, and wanted "to travel through all the subcultures of Britain" through the Doctor's fashion. Davies said he was familiar with cosplay and wanted cosplayers to have "a great big swimming pool" of costumes to replicate. He also wanted to "put it back into the children's house", with clothes that every child has "under the stairs somewhere."

Gatwa's initial inclination for the Fifteenth Doctor's style was inspired by Ralph Lauren's "preppy" designs in collaboration with Morehouse College and Spelman College, noting the colleges' Black histories. The production team opted for less "traditional" looks, wanting to "push it forward". Interviewer Devan Coggan disclosed that the Fifteenth Doctor's costumes were designed to reflect the planet or time period visited in each episode, including a Regency era costume for the episode "Rogue" and a "meticulously tailored pinstripe suit" for the 1960s-set "The Devil's Chord". The Doctor's suit was inspired by images of The Rolling Stones. In the 2023 Christmas special "The Church on Ruby Road", the Doctor wears three different costumes; including a kilt and vest when dancing in a nightclub. Downe said this was a "chance to see how far we could go and it works because he can really wear it." The leather coat worn by the Doctor in both the special and first episode "Space Babies" was inspired by "seventies America" mixed with "UK-based eighties ska", with the trousers inspired by Gurkha trousers. The photoshoot for Coggan's interview also revealed two costumes from series 15, described as "an elaborate tartan jacket with a kilt and a stunning all-white look".

Downe also incorporated references to previous Doctors in Gatwa's costumes; Louise Griffin of Radio Times noted that Gatwa's costume for "Rogue" includes a burgundy velvet jacket reminiscent of the Third Doctor's (Jon Pertwee) costumes. Gatwa expressed an affinity for the style of Pertwee's Doctor, jokingly claiming that "our Doctors are the only two who dress like sluts". Writing in British Vogue, Radhika Seth described the Fifteenth Doctor's early costumes as ranging "from a tangerine-coloured knit and a bright blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, to a glossy leather trench paired with a sweatshirt zipped down to expose his chest and a set of delicate gold necklaces, summarising that "Doctor Who is getting sexy".

Appearances
Prior to the first appearance of the Fifteenth Doctor, Gatwa made an uncredited cameo as himself, in costume as the Doctor, during an edited repeat of the 2013 docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time, airing on 23 November 2023, Doctor Who's sixtieth anniversary. In the original version, while preparing to film his regeneration scene, William Hartnell (David Bradley) looks across the TARDIS console and sees a vision of Matt Smith, the actor who played the then-incumbent Eleventh Doctor during the show's fiftieth anniversary year. For the 2023 repeat, the scene was edited to replace Smith with Gatwa.

Gatwa first appears as the Fifteenth Doctor in the 60th anniversary special episode "The Giggle", appearing in the final third of the story as the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) appears to regenerate but instead "bi-generates", introducing the new Doctor as a separate physical entity. The two Doctors team up to defeat the malevolent deity the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), and later use the remaining power of the latter's lingering reality-warping domain to duplicate the TARDIS. The Fifteenth Doctor shares some words of wisdom with his predecessor, who returns the favour by wishing him luck, before setting off for new adventures in his version of the TARDIS.

The Doctor next appears in "The Church on Ruby Road" in which he meets new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and faces off against goblins. In the subsequent episodes, the Doctor and Ruby encounter a surprising amount of magical and supernatural threats, including a fairy circle in "73 Yards" and Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), the child of the Toymaker, in "The Devil's Chord". Maestro warns that more evil extra-dimensional gods from their pantheon are pursuing the Doctor, including "The One Who Waits". Ruby herself also exhibits strange qualities when her life is endangered, frequently conjuring the heavy snow from the day she was abandoned at the church of Ruby Road as baby. Late in the season, the Doctor begins a romance with a time and space travelling male bounty hunter known as Rogue (Jonathan Groff) in the episode of the same name. Over the course of the season, the Doctor and Ruby repeatedly encounter the same woman's likeness (played by Susan Twist) across time and space, which they first begin to notice in "Dot and Bubble". In "The Legend of Ruby Sunday", the Doctor attempts to solve the mystery of Ruby's origins and the mysterious woman. They uncover that "The One Who Waits" is the Doctor's old enemy Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf), the god of death, and that he has been secretly attached to the Doctor's TARDIS for most of his travels. In the end, the Doctor and Ruby defeat Sutekh, and say a bittersweet goodbye in "Empire of Death" after reuniting Ruby with her birth mother.

Announcement
Angus Robertson, Scotland's Culture Secretary, congratulated Gatwa on his casting. Actor and singer Olly Alexander, thought to be among the front-runners for the role, tweeted his joy at the casting.

Response from Doctor Who actors
Fellow Scot Sylvester McCoy, who portrayed the Seventh Doctor, tweeted his pleasure over another Scottish actor taking the reins of the Doctor. At the 2022 Paris Fan Festival, Matt Smith, who portrayed the Eleventh Doctor, openly expressed his support to Gatwa taking on the role. In an interview with STV News, Peter Capaldi, who portrayed the Twelfth Doctor, stated that he believed that Gatwa would be "an amazing Doctor." During the 2022 British Academy Television Awards, Gatwa stated that David Tennant, who portrayed the Tenth Doctor, and Jodie Whittaker, who played the Thirteenth Doctor, both called him to express their support.

Critical reception
Following the broadcast of "The Church on Ruby Road", Martin Belam of The Guardian said Gatwa "totally owned the episode". Jordan King of Empire Magazine described his performance as "a breath of fresh air" and said he was "a real gift".