2852 replies to this topic

[areacode212]

One of the nice things about the announcement of the new series was that, for the first time, I had heard of the actor playing the incoming Doctor. I knew Christopher Eccleston mainly as the bad guy in 28 Days Later. I thought his character was really evil and vile, so if you only know him as the 9th Doctor, you may want to check him out in that, if only to see Eccleston in a different light. I also knew him as Nicole Kidman's husband in The Others

Harry Potter fans will probably already know the face of the 10th Doctor, as David Tennant played Barty Crouch, Jr. in the most recent movie.

Some bits of DW casting trivia that I found interesting:

Peter Davison (the 5th Doctor) once appeared in an episode of Magnum, P.I., which thanks to DVD, I'll finally get to see one day.
Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey the butler on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was in "Remembrance of the Daleks".

[LJC]

Billie Piper is amazing in both her episode of "Canterbury Tales" and the BBC Shakespeare-told adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" where she plays Hero (as a weather girl, as the story has been moved from a villa to a local TV station, and Claudio is the sportscaster, and Beatrice and Benedick are co-hosts).

I haven't seen "Our Friends in the North" yet, but of CE's work, I've seen and adored "Second Coming" (also written by RTD) and ""Revengers Tragedy" directed by "Sid & Nancy's "Alex COx--which is a lot like "Hamlet" meets "The Crow" filtered through "Mac Headroom" and co-stars Eddie Izzard and Derek Jacobi. It's good crack. Seriously. And I still love "28 Days Later" liek whoa.

Tennant is WONDERFUL in RTD's "Casanova" and that will eb showing up on PBS's "Masterpiece Theatre" in 2006 so watch for it. He's also absulutely amazing in "Blackpool" which just aired (cut to ribbons, alas) on BBCA. And if you can find "Takin' Over the Assylum" I can't recommend it enough.

Also, the BBC live "Quatermass Experiment" from last spring not only co-stars Tennant, but also has DW writer Mark Gattis as well. And the special features o the DVD are one great big DW love-fest. No lie.

Edited by LJC, Mar 4, 2006 @ 1:15 PM.

[Promethea]

Our Friends In The North and Jude are my favourite CE roles. He's pretty good in everything but I think at heart he is an old-school TV actor - he's often spoken in interviews about the importance of the old Play For Todays and other intelligent, socially engaged TV drama in the days before reality shows took over.

[kieyra]

It's really hard for me to shake the tendency to think of Eccleston as the Duke of Norfolk in Elizabeth even after prologed Doctor Who exposure. I keep expecting him to refer to someone as 'that heretic gehl'.

[Aurelian]

I went to see The Producers (the new movie version) while I was in the middle of getting through the new first season of Who, and nearly jumped out of my seat when suddenly John Barrowman showed up as a singing Nazi.

[Namarie]

As an American, the only time I think I had seen CE was in Gone in 60 Seconds. Not a great movie (some good music though), but his role was good. Of course.

[Earlham]

Barrowman also has a nice singing part in De-Lovely.

[adhonus]

CE is also Detective Billborough in the first series of the UK version of Cracker. That's where I knew him first.

[Eegah]

I adored Tom Baker's appearance in Blackadder II as an insane, legless old salt. "You have a woman's hand!"

[Tirtzah]

I went to see The Producers (the new movie version) while I was in the middle of getting through the new first season of Who, and nearly jumped out of my seat when suddenly John Barrowman showed up as a singing Nazi.

I had the same reaction. He was also one of the policemen who come to arrest them after the opening night. I almost didn't connect who he was, it was the blonde hair. I think I like him better with dark hair.

I also had a weird reaction seeing David Tennant in Harry Potter and that was before I'd even seen TCI.

Edited by Tirtzah, Mar 4, 2006 @ 11:04 PM.

[Mr. Excitement]

LJC writes:

I haven't seen "Our Friends in the North" yet, but of CE's work, I've seen and adored "Second Coming" (also written by RTD) and ""Revengers Tragedy" directed by "Sid & Nancy's "Alex Cox--which is a lot like "Hamlet" meets "The Crow" filtered through "Max Headroom" and co-stars Eddie Izzard and Derek Jacobi. It's good crack. Seriously. And I still love "28 Days Later" liek whoa.

If you haven't seen it, it's worth your while to hunt down Jude, which is out of print in North America; Eccleston is very powerful in it (and he shares a scene with David Tennant!).

[krob]

I've loved Christopher Eccleston ever since the 'Cracker' days.
Nobody's mentioned "Shallow Grave" with Ewan McGregor.
It was a great film. Chris was better known than Ewan at the time so he really got the plum role in that one.

And as other people have said, David Tennant's 'Casanova' is not to be missed. And 'Blackpool' - I loved how he was constantly eating in that show)

And John Barrowman in anything where he sings. He's got a great voice.

Edited by krob, Mar 6, 2006 @ 2:14 PM.

[Miss Cam]

Christopher Eccleston is also in "I Am Dina", an English-language Scandinavian movie based on a Norwegian novel. (Ironaically, everyone speaks English in the movie, but CE is the only native English speaker and plays a Russian. Heh.) He's hot, the movie is so-so. The movie is infamous here for having the biggest budget ever in Norway, and I didn't even realise where I'd seen CE before Doctor Who until I saw his Imdb page. Heh.

David Tennant will also be voicing a character for the English version of Norway's biggest ever animated feature, "Free Jimmy".

I find this amusing.

[Pooki]

And John Barrowman in anything where he sings.

Or skates - he ruled in Dancing On Ice, and was very wrongly eliminated halfway through, but I won't get into that...

Bonnie Langford (companion Mel in the old series) was in it too of course, and also went out earlier than she probably should have done.

It's really hard for me to shake the tendency to think of Eccleston as the Duke of Norfolk in Elizabeth even after prologed Doctor Who exposure. I keep expecting him to refer to someone as 'that heretic gehl'.

He was great in Elizabeth, so virile! And in the sex scene he had he showed off a very nice rear end indeed.

[EllycatinOz]

He was great in Elizabeth, so virile! And in the sex scene he had he showed off a very nice rear end indeed.

I loved him in Elizabeth and am about to see this film again. I had no idea who he was when I saw it at the cinemas but was hypnotised by him. When he turned up as Dr Who I couldn't beleive he was the same man. Still sexy but... so different!!!!

John Barrowman is in the Producers? Why didn't anyone TELL me? Sheesh! I skipped that movie due to so-so reviews. Teach me not to religious imdb!!!!

[Promethea]

He's not in The Producers that much though - one song, but a good one.

And, ahem, there's even more of Eccleston naked in Jude, should you wish.

[xtreme]

And John Barrowman in anything where he sings. He's got a great voice.

In that case, permit me to suggest, the show Hey Mr Producer, he does an amazing number in that. and if memory serves, he wears leather trousers during it.

[cutecouple]

[.]

Edited by cutecouple, Mar 7, 2006 @ 10:50 AM.

[EllycatinOz]

:faints:

[Earlham]

Oh, that does sound lovely....

A slightly obscure one. Jack Tarlton (the reddish haired BBC reporter from Aliens of London and WWIII) was in Coram Boy at the National Theatre (in London) this winter as Mish/Meshak. He was my favorite character in the play, so it was quite a shock to see him in DW (I didn't see them until Christmas).

[Heatherbelle]

I agree about the Dancing on Ice elimination. Hugely unfair. I haven't managed to see the final yet (on video) so must get round to watching to find out who won.

John Barrowman was fab in 'A Few Good Men' last year, playing opposite Rob Lowe. Really, really good. And the Uniforms certainly added to the charm..

I keep meaning to watch the Producers - I guess I'll wait for the DVD now.

[Pooki]

Watching music TV over the weekend, I was quite surprised to see that Mary Tamm (Romana I from the original series) is in the video for The Streets' new single, ‘When You Wasn't Famous’. If you watch it, she's wearing a pink skirt suit in the part of the video where Mike Skinner's at the self-help group. She still looks great.

[areacode212]

Wow, that's her? She does look great. Hard to believe it's been nearly 30 years since she first popped up in "The Ribos Operation".

Edited by areacode212, Mar 15, 2006 @ 11:19 AM.

[cutecouple]

Is this the video? She looks pretty good.

Edited by cutecouple, Mar 15, 2006 @ 10:41 AM.

[JeanPoole]

I became a Chris Eccleston fan with "Shallow Grave" and he was also superb in "Othello" with Eamonn Walker ("Oz"-Said) and Keeley Hawes. Eccleston was Ben Jago (Iago) and you either loved him or hated him...completely over the top making wood chips of all the scenery. It worked! That "modern" day version of Othello is still one of the best I've ever seen. Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones, Tipping the Velvet, etc.) adapted it and did a bang up job.

David Tennant was terrific in "Blackpool", its only redeeming feature (ducks...I wasn't a fan.) I remember him from his very first movie "The Last September" where he played a gob smacked soldier in love with Keeley Hawes (again) who met a tragic end. The movie had a terrific cast, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Fiona Shaw, etc.

As for Piper? She is almost a cartoony version of a pretty girl. I just wish she would close her mouth once in a while. She does act better than she can sing, but that isn't saying a lot. This role fits her though.

[payndz]

Agh, a dilemma! I love Mary Tamm, but I loathe The Streets with the fiery passion of a thousand burning yadda yadda. Can I bring myself to watch a video for that ghastly chav 'rapper' just to see how she's looking almost 30 years after being my first crush?

[cutecouple]

Fast forward through it. Her appearance is very brief.

[jeet]

Can I bring myself to watch a video for that ghastly chav 'rapper' just to see how she's looking almost 30 years after being my first crush?

Dry your eyes, mate. I know it's hard to take.

[cutecouple]

Mary Tamm, Gallifrey One 2006.

[ladyboy]

I first saw CE in "The second coming," so I was used to him being a good guy. Did that show in America? It was written by Russel T. Davies as well, and I think the fat guy who gets possed by the devil is in Aliens of London too.