Ncuti Gatwa says he feels 'sad' for those tuning out of the new season of 'Doctor Who' because of its push for diversity

Gatwa is the first openly queer and Black actor to portray the beloved TV show character.

• Ncuti Gatwa, who plays the latest Doctor on "Doctor Who" has addressed the backlash to his casting.
• Gatwa is the first openly queer and Black actor to portray the beloved British TV show character.
• "I find it fascinating that it matters so much to these people," he said on NPR.

Ncuti Gatwa has addressed the backlash from "Doctor Who" fans criticizing the sci-fi series for leaning into diverse casting and storylines.

Gatwa, who joined the British TV show as the 15th Doctor in its 2023 Christmas special and this week began starring in his first official season as the beloved Time Lord, is the first openly queer and Black actor to portray the character.

During an interview on NPR, the 31-year-old star said he finds it "really sad" that longtime fans of the show have chosen to stop watching in light of his casting and other decisions made to bid for inclusivity.

"I find it fascinating that it matters so much to these people," Gatwa said.

"You are going to limit yourselves from a show that you claim to love because you don't like something about someone's appearance or their race. It's just really sad for them," he added.

Although he is the 15th Doctor, 13 other actors have played the role before Gatwa (last year, David Tennant, who played the 10th Doctor, returned for a short while as the 14th Doctor). All of the previous actors, with the exception of Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor, have been white male actors born in the UK.

"The character is a shape-shifting alien. It can be anyone," Gatwa said of the character's history. "So for it to be - for there to have only been one representation of the character, I think it's just quite limiting."

He noted that for a long-running British show like "Doctor Who," embracing diversity was important, if overdue.

""It's tricky because you want to celebrate the win [for inclusion], and you do celebrate the win because this signifies progress," he said. "But let's not stop here. There's lots more to go. And this should have happened a little while ago, as well."

"But it warms my heart to know that little Black kids out there will be like, 'Oh, I can be The Doctor,'" Gatwa added. "It feels like a huge, lovely responsibility."

The new "Doctor Who" season is being treated as a rebranding of sorts for the franchise — it's being referred to as both season 1 and season 14.

The changes are also reflected in the show's streaming options. The newest episodes will air on Disney+ in most parts of the world.

The latest episodes are also said to feature queer characters, representations of disabilities, and a multiracial cast, showrunner Russell T. Davies told the Daily Beast.

On his decision to promote inclusivity on the show, he told the outlet: "You can't be too old to not learn. You've just got to keep your eyes and your mind open to try to make the world better."