Matt Smith might’ve moved on to a range of high-profile projects since he left Doctor Who way back in 2014, but the former star of The Crown is always going to be most strongly associated with the role of the Eleventh Doctor, the part that catapulted him to fame when he took over from David Tennant in 2010. 12 years later, a new incarnation of the Time Lord is about to replace Jodie Whittaker — namely, Ncuti Gatwa.
Whovians around the world have already embraced Gatwa into the Who family with open arms, and it seems Smith is a massive supporter of his casting, too. While speaking to Variety, the 39-year-old — who’s set to join the Game of Thrones universe with incoming spinoff House of the Dragon — praised Gatwa as “sensational”, outing himself as an avid fan of Sex Education in the process. Smith said:
“I think it’s the most sensational bit of casting. What an actor — he’s brilliant in ‘Sex Education’. I think he’s got something ‘other’ that that part really needs.”
As Smith reminds us, Gatwa’s most notable role before gaining the keys to the TARDIS was as Eric Effiong in the Netflix teen comedy-drama. Over the past three seasons of that show, Gatwa’s proven his ability to make audiences both laugh and cry, sometimes in the same scene. Plus, there’s an eccentricity to Eric that, like Smith says, is perfect for the Doctor as well.
By the sounds of it, Smith is among those eagerly awaiting our first look at Gatwa in character. Not that this will happen for a while, though. Smith’s own predecessor David Tennant is returning for a to-be-disclosed number of specials to air as part of the series’ 60th anniversary celebrations next year. Gatwa, who has been busy shooting Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, has yet to even start filming.
Expect Jodie Whittaker’s final episode, arriving this fall, to clear up the mystery of Doctor Who‘s future somewhat. Meanwhile, catch Matt Smith in HBO Max’s House of the Dragon from Aug. 21.
