The role of the Doctor doesn't seem to be cursed. That said, the show itself seems to have been cursed since the filming of Revenge of the Cybermen at Wookey Hole.
Matt Smith is so good in House of the Dragon that if he would have played Daemon Targaryen before the doctor, I would never have believed he could play such a kind, sweet, and silly character.
Last Night In Soho as well, he's such a terrifying and vindictive person in that movie that the fact he can be such a silly charming character just shows what immense, incredible range he has
I've heard people who haven't watched doctor who say this exact thing before because he's been typecast as villainous, which I struggle to see bc of my first exposure to him being Doctor Who
William Hartnell did once say that if he is only remembered for Doctor Who, then he was happy with that as it was a role he was so passionate about and he created. I’d argue Bill is more famous now than when he was alive. Being remembered for something so great long after your gone and still have audio adventures and books featuring your character is legacy most of us can only dream of.
_"I’d argue Bill is more famous now than when he was alive"_ Agreed. I'd go so far as to say that, if it weren't for Doctor Who, Hartnell would now be largely forgotten, as would Troughton and both Bakers. I'd add Pertwee and McCoy to that list, were it not for their later successes as Worzel and Radagast.
@@ftumschkRadagast can be judged. Cause, Peter Jackson is a known whovian. And as Radagast he saw only Sylv. I wish him nothing but success, as he is my fav, but in a scenario where Doctor Who had no success, there is a small chance, Sylv would’ve landed the role of Radagast.
@@marvellistbond1218 Very good point, although Ian McKellen had a good working relationship with McCoy, from their theatrical work. I guess it's possible to imagine an alternative Universe where Sir Ian recommended Sylv to Jackson, as someone he knew who could play eccentric parts really well. (And, boy, doesn't the part of Radagast suit him like a glove!)
@@ftumschk oh yeah! For sure. I can totally see it. And I think in 10 universes where Sir Ian is suggesting someone to Peter Jackson, in 7 of them he picks Sylv. In 3 of them he picks Derek Jacobi, who he is also a good friend with. That’s just my hope as I love them both hahaha
Just want to hype up Jenna Coleman in particular from the perspective of a massive Xenoblade fan. She voice Melia in Xenoblade 1, which I think was before she stared in Dr Who. Despite being a much bigger actor now, she still played Melia again in the later Xenoblade games (and I don't think she has many other voice acting roles in games, so super cool that she did that, Melia is one of my fav characters and her performance was fantastic).
I was fortunate enough to meet her via video chat back in 2020, and asked her about guest starring on the Thunderbirds reboot (a lot of Who actors guested on that show, actually). She told me she loves doing voice work and wants to do more animation, so fingers crossed! 😊🤞 Also her post-Who roles have been consistently brilliant. The Sandman and The Jetty would easily be my two faves.
Plus these days, you're more likely to be cast in something just because you've been in a popular show than in the past. I would also say that the only ones "cursed" were the two Bakers. One because he stayed too long, one because the programme was in a proper mess when he was in it and he made the mistake of having a go at the BBC when he was fired.
Matt Smith was almost casted as a young Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker and THANK THE LORD he wasn’t, he looks nothing like Palpatine. “Somehow Palpatine returned.” Somehow he turned young?
Don’t forget that Matt Smith was on the list to play Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter spin-off: Fantastic Beasts! *Thank Christ he didn’t get the part back then…* 😅
That show is probably one of the better shows that came from the CW. By season 2 the show definitely founds itself and stayed that way. Legends was really fun to watch.
I adore Christopher Eccleston, but he doesn’t really have a great reputation to work with. It’s why I’ve never really bought the narrative that he was completely innocent in his falling out with the BBC. Especially since he’s admitted he was suffering anorexia while filming and his father’s death, he was clearly going through a lot in his personal life. It’s also well documented that he was gonna mess up Cracker production because he refused to come back for series 2 until they agreed to kill him off. It’s not entirely unfathomable why his career slowed down abit post Doctor Who.
David Tennant has always been my favourite doctor. But Matt Smith has had my favourite post doctor career. Out of the three actors portraying Prince Philip, he was by far my favourite. Loved him in Last night in Soho. But dear God, as Daemon Targaryen he is off the charts great. If you had told me in 2013, that the character, who had one of the most bad*ss fight scenes in GOT franchise, would be played by the 11th doctors actor. I'd have called you crazy. If anything, he should probably be worried about being type cast as "the prince who always plays second fiddle to his wife."
I have a friend who's cousin is a window cleaner and he phoned my friend to tell him to come over to the house he was cleaning because it was Peter Capaldi house and he showed us a photo
My uncle who used to work in artist management is friendly with Frazer Hines, who once said Who was the best thing for his career because since leaving the show in the 60s, he said that he can make a comfortable income by only doing a few conventions and audio plays a year, so it is nice that whilst the classic companions didn’t see much in the way of TV success after the show, they have almost a guaranteed income for the rest of their lives thanks to Who.
David Tennant and Jenna Coleman became my two favourite actors thanks to their roles on Doctor Who so I'm thrilled to see them enjoying such post-Who success (as much as I always wish to see more of them in Who, of course). Nice to see them both get a mention in this video. The Sandman and The Jetty would be my favourite post-Who roles for Jenna. For David it would be Broadchurch, Good Omens, Jessica Jones, Des and Around the World in 80 Days. I'm also going to see him do MacBeth in London later this year 😁❤ Would love to hear everyone else's favourite actors from the show and their favourite post-Who roles, if you have any 😊
I think it is also worth noting how studios have changed their perspective on using actors and their image. My understanding is that it used to be undesirable (or not allowed) to hire someone who had performed an iconic role because their voice/image belongs to that role (the example coming immediately to mind is Adriana Caselotti who wasn't able to do anything after Snow White because that voice "belonged" to Snow White). More modern media seems to take the opposite approach - recognising that people will tune into something because they love the actor (Isome of my current favourite shows I only started because Jenna Coleman was in them). Having the well-known image/voice/name helps a production, not limits it's commercial potential.
I knew Alex Kingston from Moll Flanders. Had a good run on ER. Jenna had a minor role in Captain America. A lot of the side characters, the actors that played them eventually got bigger roles. Carrie Mulligan. There is the woman that first takes the Adipose pills, the actress Jessica Gunning is the star of Baby Reindeer. There is the actress that played a journalist that is trapped in the Atmos car. She starred in The Walking Dead. The amount of people joining other scifi franchises.
As a fan of the show for almost 50 years, I’m still coming to terms with the fact that I am now older than Hartnell was when he played The Doctor, lol. 😂
It’s Marvel Marvel propelled David Tennant to a popular celebrity. And many companions and Doctors afterwards have had pretty good success within American media.
Wurzel Gummidge, was more popular than Doctor Who, in the 80s. Tom Baker, was the voice of Little Britain. Eccleston, went to work in the US in 2006. He was in Series 1 of HBO's Heroes
David tennant and Tom Baker actually did both have SW roles, so had Matt been allowed to play either the Son of Mortis or Darth Revan in RoS (if it was a good movie) that would have been *three* doctors who played ancient powerful or wise beings in Starwars. Tom Baker > Bendu David Tennant > Hu-yang Matt Smitth > Son of Mortis or Darth Revan Oh and shocked you didn't bring up David's success in animation
Ncuti's gonna be like Cumberbatch was with Sherlock. He's gonna put in all the work and be famous outside of WHO too. Hopefully this trend continues cause I like seeing ex-Doctors thrive. Is Damon still as dark as you claim? Really? I think he's coming around.
I always worried you'd run out of Dr Who episodes, and your channel would die. After this video, it's obvious you and your channel can stand for themselves! Good work.
Loved this! For many actors. working in British theatre is more prestigious than fame. In fact, being a consistently working actor (or making the majority of your income from acting) is seen as incredibly successful. Being in the public eye is not synonymous with success, and it's a myth that most actors want to be famous.
in general companies won't take risks anymore, so they only hire established actors. however, Doctor Who does the opposite and only hires relatively new or at least young actors. As a result other companies that are looking to leach off of doctor who's fame will hire these actors after they are done with Doctor who
I've often felt the talent of the actor is a factor too. you don't want to see them in a different role and only see the Doctor. Tenant is a great example of the talent breaking the mould, with Crowley being basically the same as the Doctor (I mean lets face it, a Timelord and a Fallen Angel, they are basically identical) but you don't see the doctor when Tenant plays the role. the worst example of roles being different but the actor playing it the same is Dafne Keen. When she played X-23 in Logan the most you got from her was screaming and smashing. when she play Lyra in His Dark Materials, she was mostly quiet but in the first season you do see her screaming, and it's way too similar to X-23 for my liking. that changed in later seasons, but it can be the reason why actors get typecast in roles, because they get stuck in a character.
And even though their careers are expanding, they still stay loyal to the Doctor Who fandom. Take Paul McGann and Peter Davison for example, who couldn't make the filming date of the Edge scene, but still showed up on a later date to film their contribution, with McGann literally being the only actor on the set, working with a piece of plastic on a stick. So, despite their busy schedules, they still say yes when the opportunity arises. (Well, maybe except for Eccleston, but give it time)
It might be hard for the actors of Classic Doctor Who to overcome having to make apperences of PBS fundraisers. PBS was basically the only way people in the United States got to see any British television in the Eighties. Now, for those who are not old enough, nor from America, I need to set the stage of what was happening then. PBS stations use to have telethon like fundraisers throughout the year. And the biggest show on those PBS stations during the 1980's was Doctor Who, where they would use that show as its big draw to get you to donate to them, with lots of Doctor Who merchandise to go along with it. And if you could get a couple of the actors of the show to appear on camera during these event, you where going to hit your fundraising goals. This is all American viewers know of Doctor Who actors, since there was no other avenue to really see them. When the revive series started, PBS once again got the series, but found out the whole formula had changed since you had BBC America broadcasting it first, plus every known Classic episode already out on DVD. Just how Doctor Who is delievered to the masses in the States has changed from PBS, to BBC America, to now Disney+ it putting those career on an upward trajectory. Plus, we also get way more content these days from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, etc., has done more to elevate the actors than anything else I can think of in Hollywood's eyes.
I'm glad to see Jodie Whittaker doing well post-DW! I was... not a fan of the 13th Doctor era, but I'm not sure how much of what went wrong can really be attributed to her as opposed to any number of other factors. I'd always liked Jodie's performances prior to her time there, so I'd hate for her time in the Tardis to tarnish her career.
I do find it interesting that the actors who find success after leaving the show, usually found it in Britain through roles in prestige dramas, while in America, it seems to have followed the pattern set since 1977, where most major British actors who become known in America (aside from those who become big from their looks), become so through sci-fi or subculture works. Guinness, Stewart, McKellen etc. all had acclaimed careers behind them, but are best known in America for sci-fi/ fantasy franchises. Similarly, Tennant had Broadchurch, Smith had The Crown (and yes both received tremendous critical acclaim in America and nominations for the latter), and Coleman had Victoria etc., but their big American breakthroughs were with Jessica Jones and Good Omens, House Of The Dragon, and The Sandman respectively. Ironically, Eccleston and Piper achieve some success here due their involvement in Premium channel dramas, The Leftovers and Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, while Agyeman has worked in American project since 2011 and had a role on prime-time drama; however, none of them are household names the way Gillan is.
This video got me thinking about British staples like "the Bill, Eastenders, and Coronation Street" If you scan the cast,, 99% of 80s British acactors have been in at least one of these shows. just there have appeare some big names in very minor roles in Doctor who
It's worth remembering that the majority of actors who land a high-profile role only ever have one such role. The "curse" was only ever a matter of perception, rather than reality.
I would imagine Doctor Who is a pretty full on schedule of work, so perhaps taking it easy for a bit afterwards is sensible Side note, recently saw Peter Davison on stage in Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican, he was great
Let’s be honest, the better looking the actor, the more chance to other role had with them for their career. That is why many of the new earth who characters I’ve gone on to other work most America.
A cool fact about Silvestor about radagast was that he's Peter Jackson's favourite doctor and wanting him for lord of the rings but wasn't right for the role he auditioned for (Bilbo) but when Jackson went to direct the hobbit he jumped at the chance to get McCoy for radagast
Recently watched The Jetty and Douglas Is Cancelled the two recent projects starring Jenna Colman and Karen Gillan respectively and I have to say they are very good and worth a watch if you want a good mini series to kill a few hours as they are both only 4 eps each. also Douglas Is Cancelled was written and created by Steven Moffatt and also stars Alex Kingston so it's good for Whovians who want to feel comfortable with an unfamiliar show that has a familiar writer and cast. Oddly enough both shows kind of deal with the same kind of subject of like the way women are treated horribly by men but come at it from very different angles but both are still very interesting.
I don't think there's any such thing as a curse playing a doctor who character, I think the film industry, abd hollywood especially, used to be far more typecast heavy. Leonard Nemoy was a genuinely good actor, but he could never truly get out from under the shadow of Spock. That's just not nearly as much of a problem these days.
I think Tennant had a good bit of luck during his respective Doctor Who careers. During his time as the 10th Doctor he was landing roles within the Royal Shakespeare Company such as their 2009 TV production of Hamlet (alongside Patrick Stewart) and Einstein & Edditngton (with Andy Serkis) not to mention like Ncuti Gatwa he also landed a big movie as he appeared in Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire around the same time he was announced to be succeeding Christopher Eccleston as The Time Lord
I saw that production of Hamlet, thanks for bringing it up! I remember it was £5 haha. I'd say many British actors see RSC as one of the most prestigious gigs you can get.
I cam see why Dr. Who actors have had such a hard time. The show it hyper campy to the point of being slightly cartoonist. While it clearly works for the show, it can often times be trouble for an actor who looks for roles that are ether more serious or purely comedic afterward. Just look at Batman's Adam West from the 60's Batman. West was a well respected actor prior to Batman. Afterward, he had been type cast and had a hard time getting work.
Should have mentioned Alex Kingston and John Barrowman. Both were in Arrow. Also, Arther Darvill was in DC Heroes of Tomorrow. And, alongside, David Tennant, Arther Darvill, and Jenna Coleman in Sandman was Pearl Mackey. There’s also “The Dream Lord” who had roles as a German scientist in Captain America and a few adjacent stories from there.
I don't think there really is a curse to be honest. I've noticed several Doctor Who actors appearing in other television shows before and after appearing in DW. Mark Sheppard (Day of the Moon -> Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Star Trek VOY), his father Morgan Sheppard (Day of the Moon, older version of the same character -> Star Trek TNG), Christina Chong (Good Man Goes To War -> Star Trek SNW), Daphne Ashbrook (DW Movie -> Star Trek ENT), Noel Clarke (Mickey -> Star Trek Into Darkness), Orla Brady (Tasha Lem -> Star Trek PIC), David Ajala (The Beast Below -> Star Trek DIS) It's actually rare for a sci-fi actor to _not_ continue to get roles after appearing in one series or film. The only real "curse" is getting a role outside of the genre like in a fantasy film or a historical drama.
In the classic era, John Cleese went from an uncredited role as "museum attendee" to have a rather prolific film career. I think I heard he's got some kind of snake business too on the side, somewhere in Monaco.
we all know how the "curse" was broken they ran the show into the ground, destroyed all the lore, and made it unwatchable BS so everything else they do after this will naturally look better
Your video would have more credibility if you pronounced Peter Capaldi's name correctly. It's CaPALdi. To be fair, 90% of videos get it wrong. I have great respect for his talent, and for some reason this irks me.
