Scottish actor (born 1992)
Ncuti Gatwa
Gatwa in 2024
Born Mizero Ncuti Gatwa
(1992-10-15 ) 15 October 1992 (age 32) Citizenship Education Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (BA )Occupation Actor Years active 2013–present
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa [ 1] ( (N)SHOO -tee GAT -wah ;[ note 1] born 15 October 1992) is a Rwandan-Scottish actor.[ 7] [ 8] Beginning his career on stage at the Dundee Repertory Theatre , he was a nominee for an Ian Charleson Award for his performance as Mercutio in a 2014 production of Romeo & Juliet at HOME .
Gatwa's screen breakthrough came with playing gay teenager Eric Effiong in the Netflix drama television series Sex Education (2019–2023), which earned him a BAFTA Scotland Award and three BAFTA Television Award nominations. He had supporting roles in the film Barbie (2023) and the television series Masters of the Air (2024), and rose to further prominence portraying the fifteenth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who since 2023.
Early life
Gatwa was born in Nyarugenge , Kigali , Rwanda , on 15 October 1992.[ 9] [ 10] [failed verification ] His father, Tharcisse Gatwa, from Rwanda's Karongi District , is a journalist.[ 11] [ 12]
The family escaped from Rwanda during the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 and settled in Scotland.[ 7] [ 8] They lived in Oxgangs in Edinburgh , and moved to Dunfermline when he was 15.[ 13] Gatwa attended Boroughmuir High School and Dunfermline High School before moving to Glasgow to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland , graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2013.[ 14] [ 15] While studying, he worked at the LGBTQ+ club The Polo Lounge, handing out flyers and later becoming a go-go dancer .[ 13] The Conservatoire awarded him an honorary doctorate at the class of 2022 graduation ceremony.[ 16]
Career
2013–2021: Early stage work and breakthrough with Sex Education
Gatwa in 2019
After graduating, Gatwa was granted a position in the Dundee Repertory Theatre acting graduation scheme where he performed in several productions including David Greig 's Victoria .[ 17] [ 18] [ 19] Around this time, Gatwa was attacked by three strangers in the street who fractured his jaw; this was fixed with titanium.[ 13] He had a brief role in the 2014 sitcom Bob Servant , which was also set and filmed in Dundee.[ 20] In 2014, Gatwa received a Commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 2014 performance of Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Home, Manchester .
In 2015, he appeared in a supporting role in the miniseries Stonemouth , an adaptation of the 2012 novel of the same name .[ 21] That same year, he performed in the Kneehigh Theatres production of 946 , which was adapted from Michael Morpurgo 's The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips about the rehearsals for the D-Day landing in Devon with numerous fatalities.[ 22] [ 23] Gatwa played Demetrius in the 2016 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe directed by Emma Rice .[ 24] [ 25]
In May 2018, Gatwa was cast in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education as Eric Effiong;[ 20] the show was released in 2019 and garnered critical acclaim.[ 26] For five months prior to this casting, he had been homeless after running out of savings, and had couch surfed .[ 8] [ 27] [ 28] Gatwa received praise for his portrayal of Eric from critics, particularly for how his character was not relegated to the cliché of "gay or black best friend slash sidekick stock character".[ 29] [ 30] He has earned numerous accolades for the role, including a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in Television in 2020, and three BAFTA Television Award nominations for Best Male Comedy Performance , one in 2020, 2021 and 2022 consecutively.[ 31] [ 29] [ 30] [ 32] [ 33]
2022–present: Doctor Who and rise to prominence
In April 2022, Gatwa was cast in Greta Gerwig 's Barbie .[ 34] He performed an excerpt of Romeo and Juliet with Mei Mac at the 2023 Coronation Concert ,[ 35] and topped the Radio Times's TV 100 power list the same year.[ 36]
Gatwa filming Doctor Who in 2023
In May 2022, it was announced that Gatwa had been cast in Doctor Who as a new incarnation of the show's protagonist, the Doctor , succeeding Jodie Whittaker in the role.[ 37] Gatwa, who was cast in February,[ 38] was the first black actor to lead the series, the fourth Scottish actor, and the first actor born outside the United Kingdom to do so.[ 39] [ 40] [ 41] [ 42] [ 43] He was expected to take over the role in the third and final of the 2022 specials in October 2022,[ 44] but the final Thirteenth Doctor story "The Power of the Doctor " revealed that Gatwa would play the Fifteenth Doctor , with David Tennant (who had previously played the Tenth Doctor ) returning to play the Fourteenth Doctor .[ 45] [ 46] He debuted in "The Giggle ", the third of the 60th anniversary specials , on 9 December 2023,[ 47] and starred in his first full episode, "The Church on Ruby Road " on Christmas Day 2023, which was followed by the show's fourteenth series .[ 48] His performance in Doctor Who has earned praise from critics. Many writers for The Independent called Gatwa's acting "interstellar" and "mesmerising".[ 49] [ 50] Naina Bajekal of Time magazine believed that Gatwa was "bringing Doctor Who into a new era".[ 51] Mary McNamara of Los Angeles Times called Gatwa "an absolute delight" and wrote that his "unbridled exuberance makes this an easy sell and serves as a data bridge between new viewers and old."[ 52]
In April 2024, it was announced that Gatwa was cast as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest in the Lyttleton Theatre at the National Theatre, London from November 2024 until January 2025.[ 53]
Personal life
Gatwa publicly came out as queer in an August 2023 interview with Elle magazine, having previously avoided discussing his sexuality, in spite of popular speculation, for his "safety and mental health."[ 54] [ 55] [ 56] In the interview, Gatwa noted that he preferred not to label himself, and that he had been inspired by both his work on Sex Education and an encounter with a Rwandan woman at Manchester Pride some years prior, having "never met another queer Rwandan person before".[ 54] He later stated that he had "never been in the closet, you know. I just never talked about it. The work I do is what's important."[ 13] [ 56]
Gatwa enjoys astrology , and is a Libra Sun.[ 28] [ 13]
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
Audio
Video games
Year
Title
Role
Notes
Ref.
2022
Grid Legends
Valentin Manzi
Voice and motion capture
[ 76]
Awards and nominations
Notes
^ Gatwa has said he pronounced Ncuti as SHOO -tee until his mother told him when he was 26 years old that the correct pronunciation was NSHOO -tee .[ 2] However, he has continued to use when introducing himself in English.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] Its pronunciation in Kinyarwanda is [nʃùtí] .[ 6]
References
^ The cast of Sex Education (2020). The Cast Of 'Sex Education' Takes The BFF Test (Video). BuzzFeed Celeb. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020 – via YouTube.
^ "Meet the Doctor. Stream the new season of Doctor Who now on Disney+!" . Disney+ . 10 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024 .
^ "Ncuti & Kedar from Sex Education Interview Each Other" . Between 2 Favs . Netflix. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020 .
^ Sex Education: Thirst Trap 101 . Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 – via IMDb.
^ "10 Things Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa Can't Live Without | 10 Essentials" . British GQ . 20 November 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2024 .
^ Zorc, R. David; Nibagwire, Louise (2007). Kinyarwanda and Kirundi Comparative Grammar . Hyattsville, Maryland: Dunwoody Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-931546-32-4 .
^ a b "Black and Scottish — 'I thought I was the only black person in the world' " . BBC . 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022 .
^ a b c Jane McLeod (9 May 2022). "Who is Ncuti Gatwa? Meet the Rwandan-Scottish actor taking over as Doctor Who" . The National (Scotland) . Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022 .
^ Anderson, Gillian (5 February 2020). "Ncuti Gatwa Embraces His Electrifying Power" . Teen Vogue . Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020 .
^ Negi, Shrishti (6 February 2019). "Ncuti Gatwa of 'Sex Education' on His Unapologetic & Carefree Portrayal of a Gay, Black Teenager" . News18 . Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2019 .
^ Gatwa, Tharcisse (25 March 2009). "Victims or Guilty?". International Review of Mission . 88 (351). World Council of Churches: 347–363. doi :10.1111/j.1758-6631.1999.tb00164.x .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa, Umunyarwanda wihagazeho muri filime 'Sex Education' yaciye ibintu kuri Netflix" (in Nyanja). Isimbi.rw. 4 February 2019. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019 .
^ a b c d e Greenwood, Douglas (8 November 2023). "Ncuti Gatwa Rising" . British GQ . Retrieved 8 November 2023 .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa" . Dundee Rep Theatre. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2019 .
^ "BA Acting Showcase Class of 2013" (PDF) . Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019 .
^ Webster, Laura (7 July 2022). "New Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa back in Glasgow to collect honorary degree" . The National . Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022 .
^ Rep Theatre, Dundee (8 May 2022). "We are SO PROUD of Ncuti Gatwa, a former Rep graduate actor, who has just been announced as the next Doctor!" . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 – via Twitter. [non-primary source needed ]
^ "Theatre review: Victoria, Dundee Rep" . The Scotsman . 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 .
^ Volpe, Allie (4 June 2020). "Ncuti Gatwa Nearly Quit Acting—Then He Booked 'Sex Education' " . Backstage . Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 .
^ a b "BBC One – Bob Servant, Series 2, The Van" . BBC. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021 .
^ a b "Educating Ncuti" . Review . 3 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022 .
^ "946 review – Kneehigh's D-day drama brings cats and razzmatazz" . The Guardian . 5 August 2015. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021 .
^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (21 March 2017). "Review: Instead of a 'War Horse,' This Time a Lost Cat Opens a Child's Eyes" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016)" . player.shakespearesglobe.com . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022 .
^ a b "Ncuti Gatwa – Curtis Brown" . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Sex Education: Season 1" . Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Archived from the original on 23 May 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019 .
^ McLoughlin, Lisa (2 February 2023). "Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa shows off new London pad, having battled homelessness" . Evening Standard . Retrieved 8 November 2023 .
^ a b Harris, Hunter (20 January 2020). "Ncuti Gatwa Is Such a Libra" . Vulture . Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ a b c Lockett, Dee (22 January 2019). "Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa Doesn't Want to Play the Gay Best Friend" . Vulture . Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2019 .
^ a b Okundaye, Jason (22 January 2019). "Sex Education's vital, complex portrayal of black queer teenhood" . Dazed . Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2019 .
^ "From Ncuti Gatwa to floral tributes: this week's fashion trends" . The Guardian . 1 February 2019. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2019 .
^ Smith, Kate Louise (4 June 2020). "Ncuti Gatwa earns BAFTA nomination for Sex Education" . PopBuzz . Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020 .
^ "BAFTA TV 2021: Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards" . BAFTA . 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021 .
^ "Greta Gerwig's Barbie cast expands to include... almost everyone" . The A.V. Club . 15 April 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022 .
^ "Coronation concert: William says he is 'so proud' of his father King Charles" . BBC News . 7 May 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023 .
^ Vinter, Robyn (2 April 2023). "Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa tops Radio Times UK TV power list" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023 .
^ Belam, Martin (8 May 2022). "Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa to replace Jodie Whittaker, BBC announces" . The Guardian . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 .
^ Flook, Ray (8 May 2022). "Doctor Who: New Doctor Ncuti Gatwa Knew in February: "Been Emotional" " . Bleeding Cool . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022 .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa to take over from Jodie Whittaker as new Doctor Who, BBC announces" . The Scotsman . 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa becomes first person of colour to play Doctor Who and fourth Scot" . The National . 8 May 2022. Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 .
^ Ward, Victoria (8 May 2022). "Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa announced as first black Doctor Who" . The Telegraph . ISSN 0307-1235 . Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 .
^ a b Belam, Martin (8 May 2022). "Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa to replace Jodie Whittaker, BBC announces" . The Guardian . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 .
^ Ewing, Jack. "Ncuti Gatwa: The Scottish-Rwandan roots of the 14th Doctor Who" . BBC. BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023 .
^ Fullerton, Huw; Knight, Lewis (8 May 2022). "Ncuti Gatwa announced as the next Doctor in Doctor Who" . Radio Times . Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 .
^ "Tennant IS the 14th Doctor" . Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022 .
^ "Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker's regeneration reveals a new Doctor" . BBC News . 22 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2022 .
^ "Doctor Who airs Ncuti Gatwa's debut as the Fifteenth Doctor" . Digital Spy . 9 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023 .
^ Craig, David (12 December 2023). "Doctor Who unveils new trailer for Christmas special with Ncuti Gatwa" . Radio Times . Retrieved 12 December 2023 .
^ Power, Ed (11 May 2024). "Doctor Who: Space Babies and The Devil's Chord review – Ncuti Gatwa is the perfect Doctor with megawatt charm" . The Independent . Retrieved 19 May 2024 .
^ Spencer-Elliott, Lydia (7 May 2024). "Doctor Who review roundup: Critics praise 'mesmerising' performance from Ncuti Gatwa" . The Independent . Retrieved 19 May 2024 .
^ "How Ncuti Gatwa Is Bringing 'Doctor Who' Into a New Era" . Time . 16 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024 .
^ "Being a 'Doctor Who' fan means learning how to love and lose and love again" . Los Angeles Times . 17 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024 .
^ Wiegand, Chris (29 April 2024). "Ncuti Gatwa cast in National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 29 April 2024 .
^ a b Mahanty, Shannon (30 August 2023). "ELLE Style Awards: Ncuti Gatwa Is The Modern Pioneer" . Elle . Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023 .
^ Riedel, Samantha (31 August 2023). " 'Sex Education' Star Ncuti Gatwa Has Come Out As Queer" . Them . Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023 .
^ a b Lewis, Isobel (8 November 2023). "Ncuti Gatwa addresses 'confusing' sexuality comments" . The Independent . Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa: A Timelord making history" . Royal Television Society . 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022 .
^ "Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa appears in revamped An Adventure in Space and Time" . Radio Times . Retrieved 23 November 2023 .
^ "Theatre review: Victoria, Dundee Rep" . 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Hecuba Dundee Rep" . 21 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "The BFG" . Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ Radcliffe, Allan. "And Then There Were None, Dundee Rep" . Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Cars and Boys review – A dreamlike play that never ceases to grip" . TheGuardian.com . 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Photo Flash: First Look at Birmingham Repertory Theatre's WOMAN IN MIND, Opening Tonight" . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Review: Romeo & Juliet @ Victoria Baths" . 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "New Cast to Take Over in West End's Shakespeare in Love" . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Lines Review, Yard Theatre" . Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ " '946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips' at Berkeley Rep" . 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "SHAKESPEARE, W.: Midsummer Night's Dream (A) (Shakespeare's Globe, 2016) (NTSC)" . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Trouble in Mind, The Print Room review – Tanya Moodie is a treat to watch" . 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "Cast Complete for THE CLAIM UK Tour" . Broadwayworld.com . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ "The Rivals" . jonathanhumphreys.com . Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 .
^ Wiegand, Chris (29 April 2024). "Ncuti Gatwa cast in National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 29 April 2024 .
^ "Lusus" . BBC Radio 4 . Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022 .
^ Wiseman, Andreas (16 August 2023). "Ncuti Gatwa, Helena Bonham Carter, Theo James, Jessie Buckley, Richard Armitage, Jack Lowden & Indira Varma Set For Sam Mendes Audible Update Of 'David Copperfield' " . Deadline . Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023 .
^ "Man. Machine – Ncuti Gatwa Takes Players Inside The Mind Of A Grid Legend" . Electronic Arts Inc . 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2022 .
^ "Ncuti Gatwa | BBA Shakespeare" . bbashakespeare.warwick.ac.uk . Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022 .
^ a b Dupre, Elyse (14 May 2019). "MTV Movie & TV Awards 2019: The Complete List of Nominations" . E! News . Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019 .
^ "2019 Scotland Actor – Television" . BAFTA Awards . Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "EDINBURGH TV AWARDS 2019" . The Edinburgh International Television Festival . Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022 .
^ "2020 UK Honours" . Newport Beach Film Festival . 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "Broadcasting Press Guild Awards (2020)" . IMDb . Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "2020" . Broadcasting Press Guild . 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "RTS Programme Awards 2020 in partnership with Audio Network" . Royal Television Society . 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "Meet the #YSAwards 2020 Winners" . Young Scot . Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "2020 Television Male Performance in a Comedy Programme | BAFTA Awards" . awards.bafta.org . Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "Scotland | Actor – Television in 2020" . BAFTA Awards . Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "Rose d'Or 2020 winners announced – Rose d'Or Awards" . Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "2021 Television Male Performance in a Comedy Programme | BAFTA Awards" . awards.bafta.org . Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ "In Full: National Comedy Awards 2022 – The Winners" . Media Mole . 3 March 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ Pedersen, Erik (6 December 2021). "Critics Choice TV Nominations: 'Succession' Leads Field As HBO Edges Netflix" . Deadline . Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ Campbell, Erica (2 March 2022). "Aisling Bea wins Best TV Actor at the BandLab NME Awards 2022" . NME . Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022 .
^ "2022 Television Male Performance in a Comedy Programme | BAFTA Awards" . awards.bafta.org . Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022 .
^ a b "BAFTA Scotland Awards 2022: Full Nominations List" . bafta.org . 12 October 2022. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022 .
^ https://www.bafta.org/television/awards/bafta-cymru-awards-winners-2024
External links