Ncuti Gatwa recently shared that he had a meaningful conversation with fellow Doctor Who star Matt Smith, saying the two had “deep chats” about the challenges of being on the show.
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The Rwandan-Scottish actor left the BBC sci-fi series in May after just two seasons as The Doctor. In the finale, it appeared that former Doctor Who star Billie Piper may have taken his place. Matt Smith, who played the Time Lord from 2010 to 2013, was succeeded by Peter Capaldi.
Gatwa, 32, who has also starred in Barbie and Sex Education, said he and Smith talked about the ups and downs of the role when they met at Glastonbury.
I was just at Glastonbury and bumped into Matt Smith in a club and we had great, deep chats about that job and how there’ll never be another like it in our lifetimes. We’ll never work that hard again. Never be as stimulated and stretched. It’s also very exhausting, so it’s lovely to delve into other projects. It is an absolute gift of a job, and a gift of a community. The Whovians are so deeply in my heart, I can’t tell you.
Speaking to The Guardian, Gatwa said
This comes after Gatwa appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (13 July), where he talked about his decision to leave Doctor Who.
I’m getting old, and my body was tired… and I’ve now just started doing some ballet, so I’m making really great decisions. It’s the most amazing job in the world, a job that any actor would dream of and – because it’s so good – it’s strenuous. It takes a lot out of you, physically, emotionally, mentally, and so it was time.
he said
Asked if he would ever come back to the show, he said: Never say never.
That one was all handled very interestingly. I pulled out of it a long time before it was announced and it was announced when it was announced, I don’t know why. But I was just very busy. I had a lot of work schedules, a lot of press around [new comedy film] The Roses, around Doctor Who. Yeah, it was just a lot of press.
He was also questioned about the mystery surrounding his withdrawal from Eurovision, stating
Gatwa is currently promoting the West End debut of Born With Teeth, a play that reimagines the relationship between rival playwrights Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. He plays Marlowe alongside his Sex Education co-star Edward Bluemel, who takes on the role of Shakespeare, in the Royal Shakespeare Company production at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre starting in August.
Source: The Independent