JUNIOR DOCTOR

Ty “David’s stepson” Tennant plays plucky teen Tom

Did you have any particularly challenging scenes in the series?

We had to run down some Tube steps about 100 times, all day. It was really fun though. When I was filming, I was just about to turn 17, and I can’t be in many action sequences until I’m 18. If there is a season two, I’ll be 18 by then! There’s one emotional scene later on where I had to sit in silence for five minutes to try and put myself in a scenario where I’m at rock bottom. It took a lot out of me, but it was worth it.

What would you have done differently to your character, in the same situation?

I don’t really have a lot of power in this scenario; I’m 14 in this series, and just following my mum wherever she goes.

If I didn’t have my mum there, I don’t know what I’d do. But you’d want to protect your loved ones over anyone and anything. Motives would change completely and natural instincts would kick in.

You made your film debut in the JRR Tolkien biopic, and now you’re in an HG Wells adaptation – two big names in British literature. Did they influence you in picking these projects?

To be honest, at this early stage in my career, I don’t really feel like I have a choice in what I do! If a role comes my way I’m going to try and do it the best I can. The more roles you play, the better an actor you become. This show was the best case scenario for me. Surrounded by amazing people, the crew was awesome, the story was wicked, and I loved my character!

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given, and who gave it to you?

My mum [Georgia Moffett], I think! She used to be an actor and is now a producer. Every self-tape I do she’s there, being like, “You could do this…” The one thing she told me is, it’s not pretending to be someone, you’re being them. To convey a level of naturalism you have to be this character, not pretend.