David Tennant is a talented Scottish actor who gained fame for his roles as the Tenth Doctor in the science fiction TV series "Doctor Who," Barty Crouch Jr. in the movie "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and the demon Crowley in the mystical series "Good Omens."
David Tennant
Thousands of women fell in love with David after he portrayed Giacomo Casanova in the eponymous series. He is a recipient of several National Television Awards, as well as the People's Choice Award in the category "Favorite Actor."
Childhood and Adolescence
David John McDonald (the actor's real name) was born in the spring of 1971 to Alexander "Sandy" and Essdale Helen McDonald from the Scottish town of Bathgate. He was the third and youngest child, with an older sister, Karen, and brother, Blair. The actor's grandfather, Archie MacLeod, was a well-known footballer in Britain.
The boy's father, a Presbyterian church minister in Scotland, was assigned to parishes in Paisley and then in Ralston, Renfrewshire, after getting married. He introduced his children to faith from an early age, hoping that his sons would follow in his footsteps. David's mother dreamed that he would become a lawyer.
In childhood, David Tennant was obsessed with 'Doctor Who'
But the boy was unique – he had been passionate about cinema since he was a child. At three years old, David was enchanted by "Doctor Who" and already knew that he didn't want to be a Time Lord; he wanted to be the person who played the Time Lord. He recalled later:
I remember a conversation with my parents after we watched the regeneration of Jon Pertwee into Tom Baker on 'Doctor Who.' I was very young, but we talked about actors and what they do. I remember realizing the difference between the character and the actor when they explained it to me. I understood very well what a fictional character was – and I'm always uncomfortable when people say that children don't understand the difference between fantasy and reality.
The boy first performed in public in his primary school choir. David did well in school, earning excellent grades in English, but he didn't take part in school plays. Instead, he traveled with his father to summer church missions on the island of Great Cumbrae. There they conducted various games and activities, and David performed in plays based on biblical parables. His desire to become an actor grew stronger.
David was 17 years old when he became a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. The young man made a group of friends with whom he went to theaters and cinemas and had fun at parties.
David Tennant in his youth
His mother strongly wanted him to earn a teaching diploma after graduating from the academy, as she worried he would be unemployed. But David, changing his surname (since there was already a David McDonald in the actors' union) and taking the stage pseudonym of a member of the Pet Shop Boys, immediately began getting roles. His start was with the Edinburgh theater company "7:84" in the pantomime "Cinderella and the Magic Monkey.
Acting Career
In 1996, the press called Tennant "an extraordinary actor of his time." He rehearsed with three theater companies simultaneously – Manchester Royal Exchange, Dundee Rep, and Royal Lyceum Edinburgh. Then he moved to London, where he played Alan in The Slab Boys Trilogy (Young Vic Theatre), Nick in the production of What the Butler Saw (National Theatre), and Touchstone in As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company).
David Tennant in The Slab Boys Trilogy
Tennant wrote a detailed essay about his last role, in which he mentioned that initially, he auditioned for Orlando and was very surprised when offered the role of the jester:
I remembered Touchstone in the play, and it seemed to me something I was utterly unsuited for, filled with clichéd moves and hints that had been outdated for 300 years. So I had nothing to worry about; they would definitely find some brilliant comic for this role who would enliven it with humor and modernity.
However, director Stephen Pimlott saw Touchstone in Tennant. The actor brilliantly embodied this character on stage, after which he began to be offered comedic roles. From there, David switched to the opposite side and appeared in plays like Romeo and Juliet, The Rivals, Hamlet, Richard II, and others. For his performance in The Glass Menagerie, Tennant was honored with the Theatre Management Association's award for Best Actor.
David Tennant as Touchstone in As You Like It
His film debut was the role of Neil McDonald in the mystical series Dramarama. The actor also starred in other British series – Children in Need, Takin' Over the Asylum, and Midsomer Murders.
David Tennant in Dramarama
He appeared as a drunken student in the popular drama Jude, and in 1998, he landed the main role of undertaker Richard in the melodrama L.A. Without a Map. His character's Hollywood actress love interest was played by Vinessa Shaw. Johnny Depp also appeared in a cameo role, whom Tennant described as the least diva-like and very punctual actor.
David Tennant and Johnny Depp
After the film's release, David's movie career developed rapidly. He appeared in The Last September (Captain Gerald Colthurst), the melodrama Love in the 21st Century (John), and the movie Foyle's War (Theo Howard). With James Dreyfus and Adam Levy, he acted in the comedy Being Considered, and with Stephen Campbell Moore and Emily Mortimer – in Stephen Fry's war film Bright Young Things. At that time, Tennant was also nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
A scene from Bright Young Things
2005 was a landmark year in David's career. He became a British sex symbol, playing the role of Giacomo Casanova in the eponymous film. His childhood dream also came true – he was offered the role of the Tenth Doctor, the time-traveling alien in the famous series Doctor Who.
In 2005, David Tennant got the role of the Doctor
Tennant joined the set of the series, which had started long before he was born – in 1963. He was recognized as the best performer of this role according to Doctor Who magazine readers.
David Tennant in Doctor Who
David starred in the series for five years, not forgetting about other projects. At the height of his fame, he starred in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Barty Crouch Jr.), The Quatermass Experiment (Gordon Brisco), and The Romantics (Jean-Jacques Rousseau).
Harry Potter: David Tennant played Barty Crouch Jr.
Tennant's performance was multifaceted and striking in the historical film Einstein and Eddington, where he portrayed the famous scientist Arthur Eddington. Andy Serkis played his partner, Albert Einstein.
A scene from Einstein and Eddington
In the drama Lady Chatterley's Lover, David appeared as Richard Hoggart, and in the science fiction series The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off of Doctor Who, he returned as the Time Lord.
On the set of The Sarah Jane Adventures
Tennant's work in the drama series Single Father was recognized with a TV Choice Award. He brilliantly played the widower Dave Tiler, who had to care for four children alone after his wife's death.
David Tennant in Single Father
Simultaneously, the actor starred with Alice Eve and Kelly Macdonald in the comedy The Decoy Bride, and then landed the main role of Jimmy Murphy in the sports drama United, based on the Munich air disaster.
David Tennant in The Decoy Bride
In several detective series, David appeared as a detective or spy: Broadchurch (Alec Hardy), Spies of Warsaw (Jean-François Mercier), The Escape Artist (Will Burton).
Broadchurch: David Tennant and Olivia Colman
In 2013, the actor returned to the role of the Doctor in the sci-fi action film The Day of the Doctor. He worked on the set with Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, and Billie Piper.
David Tennant introduces The Day of the Doctor
In 2015, the TV series Jessica Jones was released, where Tennant transformed into the detective Kevin Thompson/Kilgrave. His co-stars in the thriller were Kristen Ritter, Rachael Taylor, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Concurrently, David participated in voicing characters in animated series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Fugitoid), DuckTales (Scrooge McDuck), and Final Space (Lord Commander).
This scene from Jessica Jones even became a meme
With Robert Sheehan and Kerry Condon, Tennant starred in the American crime drama Bad Samaritan, embodying the character of thief Carl Erendreich.
A frame from Bad Samaritan
In 2019, alongside his Welsh colleague Michael Sheen, the actor appeared in the comedic miniseries Good Omens based on Neil Gaiman's novel, where he masterfully played the fallen angel Crowley, who, together with his old friend, the angel Aziraphale, tries to prevent the apocalypse.
David Tennant & Michael Sheen surprise Good Omens Guests
In 2020, David joined the series Criminal: UK, playing the character Dr. Edgar Fallon. Another interesting project during the pandemic lockdown was the series Staged, where he and Michael Sheen played themselves rehearsing a new production online.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen - Art Comparisons (Staged)
In 2021, the actor, who celebrated his 50th birthday, continued filming in the original British desktop series Staged, spawned by the lockdown. In the first and second seasons, Tennant starred with Welsh actor and old friend Michael Sheen. Both portrayed themselves and their quarantine everyday life without work.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen in Staged
According to director Simon Evans, he would take the opportunity to write another script for the brilliant acting duo of the Welshman and the Scotsman. Tennant is also expected to participate in the comedy series Around the World in 80 Days, where he will appear in the main role of Phileas Fogg.
In September 2021, it was announced that David Tennant would play the former FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko, author of the book "Blowing Up Russia: Terror from Within," poisoned with polonium in London, and his wife was played by Margarita Levieva. The four-part series Litvinenko, revealing the details of the murder investigation, was released in 2022.
David Tennant as Alexander Litvinenko
David Tennant's Personal Life
According to his sister, David was never a heartbreaker. He preferred spending time with friends, going to the movies, and attending theater performances. Tennant was named Europe's sexiest man four times, but he did not engage in serious relationships with women for a long time. Or perhaps, he skillfully concealed his romances from the press.
David Tennant in his youth
It was only in 1999 that David's relationship with actress Anne-Marie Duff became public. They had worked together on stage, and their shared interests brought them closer. Their romance lasted four years, but David was not ready for marriage.
David Tennant and Anne-Marie Duff were theater colleagues
Immediately after their split, news emerged of his relationship with actress Natalie Walter, which lasted just over a year. Then David was seen with Keira Malik, but that relationship was very brief. Fans eagerly awaited an engagement announcement between Tennant and actress Sophia Myles, who he dated from 2005 to 2007, but alas.
David Tennant and Sophia Myles
Finally, in 2010, David proposed to actress Georgia Moffett. They married on December 30, 2011. The Scotsman met her in 2008 on the set of "Doctor Who" – a show that proved twice pivotal for David. Georgia is the daughter of the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, and played the Doctor's daughter in the series, with Tennant portraying the Doctor.
David Tennant and Georgia Moffett in 'Doctor Who'
When proposing, David wrapped a larger gift box in wrapping paper, which contained another box, and then another, with the ring in the smallest one. Georgia was puzzled as she opened the boxes, and the actor thought his idea was rather unsuccessful. However, to his relief, when she reached the last box, Georgia said yes.
David Tenant & His Wife Are Preparing for Child
In March 2011, the couple welcomed their daughter, Olive. At that time, David also adopted his wife's son from a previous relationship, Tyler. In 2013, they had a son named Wilfred, followed by the birth of their daughter Doris two years later. Their third daughter, Birdie, was born in 2019.
David Tennant with his wife and children
Tennant says that when Tyler learned they were expecting another child, he asked if his parents knew about contraception and even gave them a small lecture on the subject. However, Tennant believes that his large and close-knit family is what makes him truly happy.
In 2020, David's wife joined him in the TV series "Staged," playing herself just like he did.
A shot from the TV series 'Staged'
David Tennant Now
In 2022, David Tennant featured in another adaptation of Neil Gaiman's work, this time the graphic novel "The Sandman," with Tom Sturridge in the lead role. Tennant and his wife provided the voices for Dora and Laura Lynn. He also starred alongside Stanley Tucci and Dolly Wells in the British thriller "Inside Man."
David Tennant in the series 'Inside Man'
In 2023, viewers saw David reprise his role as Crowley. The highly anticipated second season of "Good Omens" shifted its focus to the relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale, and the finale gave hope for a third season. In December, it was announced that Amazon had renewed the series for another season, which would be its last.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen ('Good Omens')
Another exciting project in 2023 with the British actor is the science fiction series from the "Star Wars" universe, "Ahsoka," in which he voiced the architect droid Huyang.
Interesting Facts
From his early childhood, Tennant's room was dedicated to "Doctor Who": filled with books, souvenirs, and various figurines, including a replica of the robot dog K-9. According to a close family friend Innes Smith, he decided to become an actor because he really wanted to play the Doctor. His grandmother even knitted him a long striped scarf like Tom Baker's, who was the fourth actor to play the role.
One of Tennant's first theater productions in Edinburgh left a lasting impression on him. In the pantomime "Shinder, the Magical Monkey," a mechanical toy fell on David and broke his index finger.
In the TV series "Doctor Who," Tennant appeared in four forms: as the Tenth Doctor's reincarnation, then as Lady Cassandra O'Brien who transferred her mind into his body, John Smith, who in the episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood" was a different person but considered to be the Doctor. The fourth incarnation was a half-human clone known as the "Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor."
In 2006, The Pink Paper, named Tennant the sexiest man in the world, to which David, with his characteristic irony, noted that "it's fine to think that Doctor Who is gay."
For the actor's 50th birthday, an e-book "Tennant of Clan Macdonald" by Ukrainian author Galina Pavlenko was released with the help and cooperation of Russian journalist Anastasia Koroleva.
