Actor Ncuti Gatwa reveals that he didn’t tell his Margo Robbie as Barbie, alongside Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, and Simu Liu. Gatwa also acts in Barbie alongside Sex Education co-star Emma Mackey. The film is set to release in the summer of 2023.
Gatwa, 29, rose to prominence when cast in the role of Eric Effiong in Netflix’s hit series Sex Education. After inhabiting the charismatic sidekick role to Asa Butterfield's Otis for three seasons, Gatwa was confirmed as the next Doctor for the Doctor Who season 14 earlier this month in a surprise announcement. He will replace Jodie Whittaker in the role, who will end her own Doctor Who run in a feature length episode this fall. Gatwa’s season of Doctor Who will premiere in 2023.
According to Variety, Gatwa's Doctor Who casting was kept so secret that not even his Barbie co-stars knew of his role in the BBC series. Not only did the news of Gatwa’s casting shock the world, but it shocked his co-stars as well, who discovered Gatwa’s casting when the news broke. Gatwa and the crew were still filming Barbie at the time. Liu recounts quizzing Gatwa on the news the next day on set. When asked how long he had been keeping a secret for, Gatwa responded “two months.” Liu shared the below:
“I would have combusted ... He had to get security in and around not only his place of residence, but the places of residence of his entire family.”
It's unsurprising that Gatwa kept his Doctor Who casting from his Barbie co-stars, given the role of the next Doctor has historically been shrouded in intense secrecy. However, Liu's comments suggest that Gatwa is also having to adapt quickly to his new place in the spotlight. Liu himself is familiar with Gatwa’s position, as his lead role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings saw the actor take on an MCU superhero and become a household name. Though Sex Education has certainly had a successful run, Gatwa’s leading role in Doctor Who will be by far his largest role to date, launching him into fame in exponential ways. The long-running sci-fi series has a loyal and vocal fanbase, many of who were delighted at Gatwa's casting as Whittaker's successor.
Gatwa’s top secret Doctor Who casting is now well-known, both to his Barbie castmates and the world. Between Doctor Who and the much-hyped Barbie, Gatwa’s career is taking huge strides. A largely unknown actor just a few years ago, Gatwa is now on his path to stardom. As the actor takes the reigns from Whittaker and leads Doctor Who into a new era, only time will tell what Gatwa's interpretation of the Time Lord will be.
Source: Variety