- 5 minutes ago
With no word on whether Billie Piper is actually playing the Sixteenth Doctor or not, the TARDIS door may be open for another actor to fill those shoes. The question is... who? Or rather, DOCTOR who? Which actors should play the Doctor?! Well, here are our picks!
Category
đź“ş
TVTranscript
00:00Earlier this year, we watched Shooty Gatwa's Doctor fall victim to his greatest enemy yet,
00:04Disney's stubborn greenlighting process. In his place, we were reintroduced to Billy Piper,
00:08who appeared to be playing the 16th Doctor. However, the closing credits did not confirm
00:14her as the Doctor, nor have we received any indication that this was the case. And we
00:17currently have no idea who she's actually playing. The Bad Wolf Entity, Metacrisis 2,
00:22Electric Buggaloo, the TARDIS. Your guess is as good as Russell T. Davis's. As a result,
00:26there's a distinct possibility that Piper isn't playing the next mainline Doctor, or even the
00:32Doctor full stop. So if not her, then who? I'm Sean Ferrick for Who Culture, and here
00:37are 10 actors who could play the 16th Doctor. Number 10, Matthew Bainton. Matthew Bainton has
00:44quietly become a recognisable face on British television, and his popularity is at a real
00:48peak thanks to the massive success of BBC's Ghosts and his recent stint on Taskmaster. In Ghosts,
00:54Bainton plays the hopelessly romantic Regency-era poet, Thomas, a character that is, for the most
01:00part, endearingly silly, but more than a bit pretentious. Thomas spends much of the show
01:04expressing his unrequited love for the main character, but Bainton plays him with such
01:08sincerity and charm that you kind of can't help but love him. Despite this being a primarily comedic
01:12role, there are hints of Bainton's emotional chops throughout the series, and this ability to
01:17inhabit a character who is goofy on the surface but emotionally grounded underneath is Doctor 101.
01:21Bainton's career has been built on versatility. He's written and starred in Ghosts, Horrible
01:25Histories, and Yonderland, playing multiple characters, both recurring and one-off, in
01:30each. He's a bit of a chameleon, shifting seamlessly between dozens of roles across a multitude of
01:36time periods, and he has a keen passion for history that is a marriage made in heaven for
01:41the show. Bainton sits within an age bracket that's been underexplored in New Who, striking
01:46a balance between the youthfulness of Gatwa and the maturity of Capaldi. His work suggests he could
01:50deliver a clownish Doctor with real eccentricity and heart, something in the vein of Matt Smith
01:55or Patrick Troughton.
01:57Number 9 Saran Jones Saran Jones is already a familiar face to Doctor Who
02:02fans thanks to her unforgettable performance in The Doctor's Wife, where she played Idris,
02:06the living embodiment of the TARDIS. In that episode, the TARDIS is characterised much like
02:10the Doctor, frenetic, warm, and at times, sombre. We've already practically had an episode of
02:16Jones playing the Doctor in Doctor Who, and it's brilliant. She's also a staple of British
02:20TV outside the Who-niverse, and has showcased fantastic range and versatility. Her most iconic
02:26role is Doctor Foster, sees her playing a scorned wife, navigating betrayal and revenge, a performance
02:31that doles out authority and vulnerability in equal measure, a tough balancing act, but
02:36one that Jones rises to. Recent years have also seen her take the starring role in Vigil,
02:41in which she finds herself thrown into a very Ducky Who premise, solving a murder mystery
02:45on an active military submarine. She's also shown that she can muster some wit and swagger
02:49in Gentleman Jack as Anne Lister, a character with more than a little of the Doctor's mischief.
02:54Jones has already proven her capability as a leading lady, and is a recognisable face in
02:58British primetime TV, without reaching the heights of stardom that are untouchable to Doctor Who.
03:03Casting her would probably make for a slightly more conventional Doctor, albeit one with some serious
03:07acting ability, but perhaps that's what we need right now.
03:11Number 8 Jodie Comer
03:13Jodie Comer has proven herself a master of transformation, a quality that sits at the heart
03:18of the Doctor's identity. Her breakout and most famous role was as Villanelle in Killing Eve,
03:23a character that showcased her ability to switch from charming, often childlike and playful,
03:27to cold and deeply dangerous in an instant. As seen in Free Guy, she's also more than capable
03:32of showcasing the warmth and heart of the Doctor, not to mention her magnificent comedic timing.
03:36She's an actress that not only nails the sense of whimsy, but the gravitas too. And if you want
03:41evidence that Comer is a generational British talent, check out Help, a Channel 4 TV film set
03:46in a care home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and tell me that this woman doesn't have all the range
03:50required for any role. At 32 years of age, Comer will be one of our younger Doctors, bringing an
03:55energetic, nimble presence to the TARDIS. She's a Scouser too, another regional accent we've yet to see at
04:00the helm of the TARDIS, as fellow Liverpudley and Paul McGann had a much softer twang. Quite frankly,
04:04I'd love to see a Scouse doctor, if only to watch the entirety of America complain about needing
04:09subtitles. Comer would likely bring us a darker incarnation with a stormier disposition,
04:14something of a mirror to Jodie Whittaker's more happy-go-lucky incarnation. She may be starting
04:18to dip her toe into Hollywood, as evidenced by such recent roles as her turn in 28 years later.
04:23She would absolutely be a get. Number seven, Omari Douglas. Omari Douglas shot to prominence with
04:30It's a Sin, a beautiful drama penned by none other than Russell T. Davis, meaning this chap is already
04:35on the radar of our current, and until we hear otherwise, showrunner. As Roscoe, Douglas is a
04:40standout in every single scene. He's witty, spirited, but troubled and contemplative too. He's an actor with
04:45the charisma to demand your attention, but also the emotional subtlety and nuance to keep hold of it.
04:50But what sets Douglas apart is his confidence as an actor. He is magnetic on screen, without needing
04:56to raise his voice, a trait ideal for a doctor, as is the ability to shift modes from one moment
05:01to
05:01another, a skill Douglas has already shown he's very capable of. He would likely play a confident
05:05and charming doctor, more in the vein of Gatwa or Tennant, but he most certainly would bring his
05:10own energy to the role. This guy's a rising star and is exactly the kind of actor the show should
05:15be
05:15eyeing up. With an existing connection to the man in charge, this one could even be a distinct
05:20possibility. Number six, Ritu Aria. Ritu Aria is perhaps most recognizable for her role in the
05:26Umbrella Academy, a character that first joins the series as an antagonist, always a green flag for a
05:31doctor actor, but later develops into a staple of the main cast. In the role, Aria combines a sharp
05:36sense of intelligence with deep competency as one of the few characters in the show that isn't a total
05:41screw up. She also injects the role with a playful irreverence and cheekiness which masks some pretty deep
05:45emotional scarring. That's a pretty massive tick in the Doctor playbook. Aria's stint in soap opera
05:50Doctors, as well as her big film break in 2023's Polite Society, also showcases her range as an
05:55actress. And purely because it's worth mentioning, she also appeared in 2023's Barbie alongside the
05:5915th Doctor himself, Shuri Goa. She's also no stranger to Doctor Who, having previously played
06:04Gat in Fugitive of the Judoom, a character that makes a pretty strong impression with a very limited
06:08screen time. Gat is a fellow Time Lord and a member of the Division, so I'm clearly not alone in
06:12sensing some
06:13Doctorish qualities in her. Chibnall has already cast her as a Time Lord. She would bring an energetic,
06:17perhaps slightly more manic Doctor to screens that is still more than capable of mustering the depth
06:21of emotion required for the role. I see her as a Doctor in Whittaker's vein, one that has a lot
06:26of
06:26adventure and a thirst for knowledge. She's got the credentials, the right level of fame, and she's not
06:31currently attached to any major projects. Just putting it out there. Number five, Sofia Di Martino.
06:37Sofia Di Martino has already proven herself more than capable of this role. Nowadays, she's best known for her
06:42role in Loki, aka the most Doctor Who's show outside of the Hooniverse. As Sylvie, Loki's counterpart
06:47from another timeline, she brought wit, aka energy, and a level of emotional complexity to the show.
06:53She also serves as an oracle of sorts when it comes to explaining timelines and alien planets,
06:57running across various apocalypses with Loki in tow. She's practically playing the Doctor in this show,
07:01just a slightly stabbier one. Di Martino is effortlessly charming, mischievous, and intimidating
07:06in equal measure, managing to go toe to toe with Tom Hiddleston in his natural element and hold her own.
07:11No easy feat. She also has an indirect but noticeable link to Doctor Who, Kate Herron,
07:16who directed and produced the first season of Loki, who was approached by Russell T.
07:19Davis after Loki aired to pen the season one episode, Rogue. So we know that Di Martino
07:24is firmly on Russell T. Davis's radar, at the very least. Di Martino would bring an expressive,
07:30but also deeply enigmatic Doctor to screens, and would excel in these moments where the Doctor
07:34goes off the rails. We could see her shining in any Time Lord victorious moments, while still
07:39maintaining that playful energy. If the show is looking to recapture what made Tennant shine,
07:43without attempting to outright copy him, Di Martino is an outrageously strong choice.
07:48Number 4. Robert Sheehan. Robert Sheehan has spent much of his career playing quirky oddballs,
07:53and that makes him an ideal candidate for the Doctor. His breakout role came in Channel 4's
07:56Misfits, where he played Nathan, a mouthy wind-up merchant with severe behaviour issues,
08:01a character that's equally endearing and outrageous. Sheehan is the clear star of the show due to his mastery of
08:06comedy, but it was the flashes of loneliness and vulnerability that made Nathan more than just
08:10comic relief. Sheehan later doubled down on a similar character in The Umbrella Academy.
08:14Klaus is likely the role he's best known for nowadays, and it's not difficult to see a Doctor
08:18streak in his performance. Flamboyant, witty, irreverent, but deeply steeped in trauma. There's
08:23also a warmth to Klaus that was less presence in Misfits, reassuring us that Sheehan can play a
08:28character with heart and compassion. Having been born in Ireland, Sheehan is not from the UK.
08:32Good Man Sheehan. But somehow this feels like less of a departure than, say, an American Doctor.
08:37An Irish Doctor would break the UK tradition. Again, Good Man Sheehan. But at least we're
08:41keeping it fairly close to home, and it certainly would be worth it to see Sheehan behind the TARDIS
08:46controls. I imagine his Doctor would be a bit of a live wire, who keeps you on your toes with
08:50chaos
08:50and laughter one moment and cold menace the next. He may be slightly out of the show's league these days,
08:57but not impossibly so. Fingers crossed. 3. Alexander Siddig
09:02Alexander Siddig is best known to sci-fi fans for his role as Dr. Julian Bashir in Star
09:07Trek Deep Space Nine, a character that evolved dramatically over the course of the show,
09:11transforming from eager, fresh-faced recruit to a more nuanced and conflicted officer,
09:15a very similar acting spectrum to that required for the Doctor. Siddig has made a career out of
09:20playing similar roles, with a calculated and slightly grey approach to morality. In Primeval,
09:25he played Philip Burton, a cold businessman whose scientific ambitions often clashed with his more
09:30do-goody colleagues. In Gotham, he appeared as Ra's al Ghul, a figure of immense power and mystique,
09:36but also a charm and class that made him a rather amicable criminal. Add in his admittedly uneventful
09:42turn as Doran Martell in Game of Thrones, and you have an actor who is no stranger to the nerd
09:47world,
09:48and also has some fairly solid credentials playing his schemers and orators. Siddig would mark a return
09:52to an older, more classical Doctor, likely one with Machiavellian tendencies, a modern McCoy perhaps.
09:57At 59 years of age, he might not want to be up running up and down corridors all day, but
10:02that
10:02would only force the show to make a more dramatic approach, with less reliance on the old Crash
10:06Bang Wallop. The man may not have gotten many Oscars to his name, but that doesn't mean people don't
10:10recognise him. He is a household face, exactly the level of fame ideal for the show.
10:16Number 2. Elizabeth Dulau. Elizabeth Dulau is a relative unknown, emerging recently as a standout
10:23in the Star Wars spin-off Andor. Dulau plays Clea Markey, the highly competent assistant to
10:28Stellan SkarsgĂĄrd's Luthun and, frankly, the unsung hero of the entire show. Clea is a character defined
10:33by authority, tenacity and a calm, calculated demeanour in the face of outright terror. She quietly commands
10:38every scene she's in with confidence and a sense of control that never needs to shout to be felt. Those
10:43traits align perfectly with the Doctor, who often relies on intellect, strategy and moral authority.
10:48The Doctor is a character that always feels like the most powerful person in the room, despite the
10:52odds and thus is a vibe that Dulau gives off in spades, in spite of projecting an almost unbreakable
10:58composed exterior. This is a character we saw saddled with some extremely emotional moments, handling grief
11:04and desperation expertly without losing that sense of cool. What makes her particularly exciting as a
11:09candidate is her breakout status. Unlike many actors on this list, who have already gotten
11:14established a career, Dulau is a relatively unknown person when it comes to wider audiences,
11:19but deeply popular right now in the sci-fi sphere. She's likely in high demand, and unlike some of
11:24this list, a show like Doctor Who may well be the logical next step in her career.
11:28Number one, David Tennant. I know this is a bit of an outlier, but we think it could be an
11:33exciting
11:34shake-up for the formula of the show if we brought David Tennant. I'm joking, I'm joking, I'm joking,
11:40we got you. Number one, Will Sharp. Will Sharp is one of the most interesting names on this list.
11:47If the rumour mill is to be believed, he was Russell D. Davis's second choice to play the 15th Doctor,
11:53and honestly, you can see why. Sharp has risen in prominence in recent years thanks to the success of
11:57The White Lotus, in which he plays Ethan, a complex character whose quiet exterior masks insecurity,
12:02jealousy, and inner conflict. Earlier in his career, Sharp made Waves with Flowers, a show he wrote,
12:08directed, and starred in. That series explored mental illness and family dynamics, but with a
12:13slightly offbeat and wacky touch. This guy is a real talent, and a perfect match for a show that often
12:18sits in a similar tonal space. Sharp is an exceptional actor, and has a face that can speak a thousand
12:24words. He has a subtlety to him, and is more than capable of conveying turmoil and trauma without
12:29saying a thing. That kind of emotional control could make for a fascinating Doctor, perhaps a
12:34little detached and cerebral. One of fewer words, but one that, like Smith, can carry the weight of
12:39age despite his youth. Born in London, and raised partly in Tokyo, he also brings a dual character
12:45background, and could serve as our first mainline Doctor with an Asian heritage. Fun fact, he's also
12:49married to Sofia Di Martino, a fellow alum of this list. Why don't we change things up and have them
12:54both helm the TARDIS at the same time? That's the kind of switch-up we need. Not another reminder
12:57that it's not 2008 anymore. And that's everything for our list today, folks. Thank you so much.
13:02Do any of the names on this list light your excitement on fire, or do you have someone you
13:06would really like to see pilot the TARDIS? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you so much,
13:10Alex, who wrote the article this is based on. You can catch that over on whatculture.com.
13:13Please make sure you're following us at WhoCulture. Make sure that you are subscribed, and make sure you're
13:17on all of the socials, because that's where we like to bring you information. You are awesome,
13:21you are wonderful. Look after yourselves. Keep things wibbly wobbly. Thanks.
Comments