Doctor Who: Five Actors Who Could Replace Jodie Whittaker
Who should play the Doctor after Jodie Whittaker leaves?
While not yet confirmed by the BBC, rumor has it Jodie Whittaker plans to leave Doctor Who after the specials following series 13. I’d be thrilled if Whittaker stayed through the 60th anniversary. I’ve loved her Doctor and feel we’ve barely scratched the surface, but British actors tend to move on to new projects faster than Americans and I’ve resigned myself to facing a regeneration scene by Easter 2022.
Playing the Doctor requires the utmost acting skill because the Doctor embodies several achetypes, depending on the story: hero, trickster, creator, magician, warrior, sage, mad scientist, lover, rebel, peacemaker, etc. Finding actors who are not only proficient, but excellent, across the board is no easy task. Given that, you’ll find my top five choices for Whittaker’s replacement below. (Caveat: Jo Martin would be my first choice, but I’m convinced her Doctor is a pre-Hartnell Doctor.)
1. Thandiwe Newton
Aside from the numerous roles she’s received accolades for over the years (Beloved, Crash, The Pursuit of Happyness), I am obsessed with Thandiwe Newton’s character Maeve on the show Westworld. While the show contains far too much horror for me, I keep watching because of performances like hers…