Movies Gallery 14 faces of Doctor Who Many men (and one woman) have brought the cult sci-fi classic's Time Lord to life. Here's a breakdown of all 14 actors who have stepped into the TARDIS. By Clark Collis Clark Collis Senior Writer EW's editorial guidelines Updated on December 5, 2023 09:24AM EST Trending Videos Close this video player David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, and Ncuti Gatwa. Photo: BBC (3) Stepping into the role of the Doctor on Doctor Who is an enormous responsibility, as the many actors who played the time-traveling extraterrestrial can attest. Since 1963, 14 actors have made the Doctor their own, some for extensive tenures (Tom Baker, David Tennant), others only for a year (Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston). Plenty of arguments have taken place over the decades as to who ranks as the best Doctor — both performance and character-wise — but we’ll let you draw your own conclusions as we explore the evolution of the Doctor from William Hartnell to Ncuti Gatwa, and everyone in between. 01 of 14 William Hartnell (1963–1966) BBC William Hartnell's First Doctor was a professorial, and fairly irascible, gent — although he gets big points for facing off against the dreaded Daleks in the show's second-ever serialized adventure. Speaking of Daleks, Hammer horror legend Peter Cushing filled Hartnell's shoes in two big screen Time Lord adventures: 1965's Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., although, unlike Paul McGann's TV movie Eighth Doctor, Cushing's appearances are not regarded as ''canonical.'' 02 of 14 Patrick Troughton (1966–1969) BBC Patrick Troughton's impish Second Doctor was much, much cleverer than his bumbling, scruffy appearance (and his love for playing the recorder) would imply. Unfortunately, many of the episodes starring Troughton would later be wiped by the BBC for space-saving reasons. Unlike the TARDIS, the corporation's storage facilities are seemingly not ''bigger on the inside.'' 03 of 14 Jon Pertwee (1970–1974) BBC A dandy and a man-of-action, Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor spent much of his time exiled on planet Earth. The good news: This allowed him to cruise around the U.K. in a vintage roadster named ''Bessie.'' Why? Why not! 04 of 14 Tom Baker (1974–1981) BBC The most beloved of the ''old'' Doctors, the hobbies of Tom Baker's Time Lord included wearing lengthy scarves, handing out ''jelly baby'' candy, and generally being awesome. 05 of 14 Peter Davison (1982–1984) BBC As if the purportedly alien Time Lord didn't seem enough like a uniquely British character, Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor dressed in the style of an Edwardian cricket player. (FYI: In real life, the Fifth Doctor is now the father-in-law of the Tenth Doctor, after Davison's daughter Georgia Moffett married David Tennant in December 2011.) 06 of 14 Colin Baker (1984–1986) BBC The Sixth Doctor, played by Colin Baker, had a petulant streak and an idiosyncratic dress sense even by the Time Lord's unusual sartorial standards. Baker had his fans, but BBC1 controller Michael Grade was not among them. The network chief would later claim that Baker was ''utterly unlikeable, absolutely god-awful'' and the actor was ultimately sacked. 07 of 14 Sylvester McCoy (1987–1989; 1996) BBC When he took the role of the Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy had already enchanted a generation of British kids with appearances on a clutch of different, ankle-biter-friendly shows. And it is easy to imagine his eccentric and increasingly dark interpretation of the role being a big success in an earlier era. But by the late-'80s, both the BBC and many fans had fallen out of love with the show, production on which was suspended following the end of the 1989 season. 08 of 14 Paul McGann (1996) BBC Best known for his starring role in the 1987 British cult classic Withnail & I, Paul McGann played the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 TV movie. Whovians have very mixed feelings about the film, which was planned as the pilot for a full series before being crushed in the ratings by an episode of Roseanne. But McGann was by no means the worst thing about it. 09 of 14 Christopher Eccleston (2005) Colin Bell/BBC Christopher Eccleston's contribution to Doctor Who tends to get overlooked thanks to the huge popularity of his successor, David Tennant, and the fact that he exited after just one season. But his stripped-down Time Lord was a flintily lovable thing of wonder — and he sure could wear the hell out of a leather jacket. 10 of 14 David Tennant (2005–2010; 2023) David Tennant on 'Doctor Who'. ADRIAN ROGERS/BBC; BBC Yes, David Tennant benefits in the popularity stakes thanks in part to the thespian's swoon-inspiring looks. But the partnership between the Tenth Doctor and Billie Piper's companion Rose is one of the most memorable in the show's history and there's little doubting Tennant's acting chops. There aren't many people who can claim to have gotten rave reviews for playing both a Time Lord and Hamlet. The actor reprised the role of the Tenth Doctor for the 50th-anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," in 2013 and returned again in 2023 for three 60th-anniversary specials, not as the Tenth Doctor but as the Fourteenth. 11 of 14 Matt Smith (2010–2013) Todd Antony/BBC Following Tennant was never going to be an easy task, but Matt Smith won a legion of fans with his seriously silly Eleventh Doctor. Smith remains the youngest Doctor, having been cast at age 26, and his take on the character helped the show reach new heights. We're still not entirely sold on the bow ties, though — and don't get us started on the fez. 12 of 14 Peter Capaldi (2014–2017) Peter Capaldi on 'Doctor Who'. Everett Collection Peter Capaldi's incarnation as the Twelfth Doctor came after multiple previous appearances in the franchise, including an episode during Tennant's first tenure and on the spin-off Torchwood. Capaldi's Doctor had a decided gruffness to start, but his inner kindness was revealed over time. 13 of 14 Jodie Whittaker (2018–2022) Jodie Whittaker on 'Doctor Who'. James Pardon/BBC Studios/BBC America Jodie Whittaker had the honor (and heavy responsibility) of being the first woman to portray the Doctor. While a vocal minority of Doctor Who purists were against the idea of a woman being cast in the role, her warm, adventurous portrayal was well-received, even if the writing during her tenure was divisive. 14 of 14 Ncuti Gatwa (2023–present) Ncuti Gatwa on 'Doctor Who'. BBC Sex Education alum Ncuti Gatwa debuts as the Fifteenth Doctor during the 2023 holiday special. The first Black actor to take on the role, Gatwa's first full season as the Doctor will air in 2024. Updated by Kevin Jacobsen