One of the best loved and longest running British TV series is Doctor Who. It began in 1963, and the ever-evolving sci-fi saga still regularly draws millions of viewers per episode. It is partly kept fresh and interesting by the regular recasting of the main character, and his, or indeed, her, sidekicks. This makes it very appealing to up-and-coming young actors!
So what is the best way to go about landing a role in this iconic show? Backstage recently had a look at this very issue. Encouragingly, the article explains that casting is very diverse, and you don’t necessarily need stacks of prior experience, or to have an anorak’s level of knowledge about the show, which can get pretty complex!
Casting director Andy Pryor has cast all the most recent series of Doctor Who. He explains that he is constantly looking out for new talent at drama schools, and he looks at the smaller agents, rather than just the major ones. He is very keen to reflect the diversity of modern life, which is more important than lots of previous acting experience.
He comments: “The most important thing an actor can do is … learn the role as best they can in the time that they’ve been given. You note a lack of camera technique in an actor if she’s green. But that’s part of what we’re here for, to help with that, correct that, and teach people who might be less experienced in camera auditions on how all of that works”.
Further tips include keeping an eye on Andy Pryor’s social media for audition information, as well as looking in the usual press outlets. You can even send a clip to him directly via his website, although he doesn’t guarantee a response. He also advises doing as much research as you can on the director, and demonstrate an awareness of the previous series.
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