Every Actor Who Played Doctor Who In BBC Sketch The Curse of Fatal Death
Doctor Who’s special The Curse of Fatal Death episode attracted a host of major names to play the iconic Time Lord for charity. Here are all of them.
You Are Reading :Every Actor Who Played Doctor Who In BBC Sketch The Curse of Fatal Death
Here are all the acting legends that (briefly) portrayed Doctor Who’s hero in 1999’s “The Curse of Fatal Death.” Ever since it was decided that William Hartnell would be the First Doctor in a long line of Time Lords, the role has become one of the most coveted gigs on TV. The careers of Tom Baker and Matt Smith were set for life after being handed the keys to the TARDIS, while names such as Christopher Eccleston and Peter Capaldi were attracted to Doctor Who’s starring berth despite already being well-established.
Ever since the concept of regeneration was introduced into Doctor Who, fans have dream-cast the role with all manner of actors and actresses, but such is the burden of fronting the BBC’s iconic sci-fi classic, some simply can’t commit to the intense schedule. In 1999, however, fans and actors alike were treated to a rapid-fire conveyor belt of Doctor performances from world-famous names. Released for Comic Relief, “The Curse of Fatal Death” pits The Doctor against Jonathan Pryce’s Master in a story written by future Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat. The sketch’s main gimmick is The Doctor’s many deaths, with the Time Lord cycling through one regeneration after the next.
“The Curse of Fatal Death” begins with Rowan Atkinson in the main role. Best known then for Mr. Bean and Blackadder, Atkinson would later star in spy spoof franchise Johnny English. Atkinson’s Doctor falls somewhere between the brash confidence of the Sixth Doctor and the more contemporary, romantic sensibilities of the Eighth – a natural continuation from the Doctor Who TV movie 3 years prior. Exterminated by a Dalek, Atkinson regenerates into Richard E. Grant, who most recently appeared as Classic Loki on Disney+. Grant is also known for Withnail & I, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and appeared in the actual Doctor Who as the Great Intelligence. His Doctor is almost a prelude to Captain Jack Harkness, but doesn’t last long before being electrocuted into Jim Broadbent. The actor famous for playing Slughorn in Harry Potter and an award-winning turn in Moulin Rouge! portrays a Doctor defined solely by his fear of talking to women.
Another electric incident transforms Jim Broadbent into Hugh Grant, who fans will recognize from Love Actually, Notting Hill, Four Weddings & A Funeral, and official best film ever, Paddington 2. Hugh Grant’s Doctor is exactly as you’d imagine a Hugh Grant Doctor to be, spoofing his many romantic comedy characters. A blast of “Zectronic energy” triggers the fourth and final regeneration in “The Curse of Fatal Death,” with Hugh Grant morphing into Joanna Lumley, breaking new ground almost 20 years before Jodie Whittaker would be officially cast as the first female Doctor. Famed for roles in Absolutely Fabulous and The New Avengers, the Lumley Doctor is too preoccupied with the gender-switch to gauge properly, but she’s certainly a far cry from anything that came before.
“The Curse of Fatal Death” came at a curious time for Doctor Who. The aforementioned TV movie starring Paul McGann failed to reignite the franchise, and the revival of 2005 was but a pipe dream. Comic Relief sketches were the best fans could hope for, and Moffat’s “The Curse of Fatal Death” is clearly his attempt to keep the Doctor Who spirit alive. Despite the fart jokes and unnecessarily heavy focus on breasts, the 20-minute episode has a solid central premise and an authentic, old-school Doctor Who aesthetic, which might’ve just helped pave the way for Russell T. Davies’ eventual franchise regeneration.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-curse-fatal-death-all-actors-regenerations/