BBC Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa's life off-screen from homelessness to question he's always asked
25.12.2023 - 15:21
/ ok.co.uk
Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa's journey to stardom hasn't been a walk in the park, as he's battled with depression and homelessness.
The Rwandan-Scottish actor, who shot to fame on Netflix's Sex Education, has become the 14th Time Lord, following in the footsteps of Jodie Whittaker, David Tennant, and Matt Smith. But what's the story behind this 31 year old actor? Let's delve into his off-screen life, from his struggles with homelessness to his fight for privacy, breaking stereotypes and the question he's always asked. Born in Rwanda, Ncuti and his family moved to Scotland amidst the 1994 genocide.
He recalls being one of "like three Black families in the whole of Edinburgh", reports The Mirror. "I was quite an easy target in a state Scottish high school. I grew up in a working-class area, and I stood out – for my voice, my appearance, I did dance and things like that," he shared with The Independent.
Despite his father being a minister, Ncuti maintains his faith but admits he's "not the biggest fan of organised religion". Ncuti moved from Edinburgh to London to chase his acting dreams, but he's faced some challenges due to his accent. He shared with the publication: "The amount of times I've almost been beaten up for saying I'm Scottish.
It's given me an identity crisis," explaining that people "really cannot understand the concept of a Black boy in a tracksuit in London being from Scotland." In 2014, Ncuti started his acting journey as an extra on the sitcom Bob Servant.
Two years later, he played Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe. His big moment came when he landed the role of Eric Effiong, a young gay British-Nigerian and best friend to Otis, the main character in Sex Education. However,
.