TRUSTTHEDOC
Jodie Whittaker says she wept on hearing she was to be the next Doctor Who. But then, knowing what the BBC pay people without penises, who could blame her?
However, it wasn’t her wages that drew the tears but realising her professional ambitions had been achieved.
“All I ever wanted to do was be an actor because I wanted to play pretend and that is the ultimate,” she said. Thank you, Jodie. We needed that reminder of what it is actors do, because for too long we’ve had to suffer them telling us they’re responsible for curing AIDS and passing civil rights legislation, as they stare at some shiny award.
At this year’s Oscars, a wailing Viola Davis thanked God for making her an actress “because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life”.
No you’re not darling, scientists, cancer researchers and doctors do that.
And as the most famous Doctor of all says, all you really do is play pretend.