“Representation Is What We Need”: Doctor Who’s Rose Actor Talks Importance Of Trans Story In 60th Anniversary Specials

Doctor Who actor Yasmin Finney explains the importance of her character’s story for representation in the series. Finney plays Rose Noble in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, who is Donna Noble’s daughter and a new companion. Rose’s character, like Finney herself, is a transgender woman, marking a landmark casting decision for the show.

Speaking with BBC, Finney talked about the importance of this trans story to Doctor Who. According to Finney, Rose is a character that she would have loved to see “growing up,” as she thinks “representation is what we need and what the younger generation needs to feel like they can do it too.” Check out the full quote from Finney below:

It was so surreal to me, because obviously Doctor Who is huge, and I remember watching Doctor Who when I was growing up years ago, especially the bride episode, David Tennant and Catherine Tate. And I just felt, like, lucky enough to be seen as a trans person in something so huge as Doctor Who, and I just felt lucky that like, I would be Catherine Tate’s daughter. In a way, that’s just insane, I mean, she’s an icon, and I love her. I think representation is so important, and if I had Rose growing up, it would be a completely different story, I think. I think representation is what we need and what the younger generation needs to feel like they can do it to. You know?

Rose Noble Is Part Of Doctor Who’s Ongoing Representation Effort

Historically, Doctor Who has been a very homogeneous show in terms of identity. The first 12 Time Lords were all played by white, predominantly middle-aged men, and the vast majority of the Doctor Who‘s original companions were also played by white actors. This has meant that during the revival era, Doctor Who has been under pressure to change their ways for the better to create a more inclusive and diverse cast.

Finney is a part of this ongoing effort by the BBC to make Doctor Who a more inclusive series that will hopefully continue to act as a beacon of hope for the younger generation.

And change they have in recent years, as Doctor Who has worked to be a more racially – and gender-diverse series. The Thirteenth Doctor marked the first time that the Time Lord was played by a woman, in Jodie Whittaker, and Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor will be the first Black actor to portray The Doctor. Additionally, Doctor Who will skew younger in the casting of both Gatwa and companion actor co-star Millie Gibson.

Finney is a part of this ongoing effort by BBC to make Doctor Who a more inclusive series that will hopefully continue to act as a beacon of hope for the younger generation. As Finney notes, her being “seen as a trans person in something so huge as Doctor Who” is a massively important casting decision in an industry where roles for transgender actors are still lacking. As Doctor Who enters its new era, further inclusive casting choices will hopefully follow sui