Once upon a time, when rumours abounded that the next guy to play The Doctor would be a black actor, I tipped Idris Elba. An Englishman making a big impression in Hollywood thanks to the role of a lifetime in THE WIRE, Elba still had strong links to UK TV drama, having recently been in the Beeb's adaptation of THE LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, and even had vague links to figures in the nu-WHO regime. I thought that playing The Doctor would have been a hell of a volte-face from Stringer Bell, which would have been a pleasing challenge for the hip-hop dabbling thesp if the part had been offered. There is, of course, absolutely no evidence that the Londoner was ever offered the role, or even tried out for it, or even considered by the production team (speculation remains that Chiwetel Ejiofor was in serious negotiations at one stage), it was all a crazed opium dream on my part, but he has now been cast as Heimdall in Uncle Kenneth Branagh's THOR movie. It's a bit of a non-role, really: stand to attention on the Rainbow Bridge; look stern but noble; take one for the team, that sort of shit. The Marvel role he should have held out for is Luke Cage, obviously. He'd rock that tiara.
Anyway, when I saw this story over at /Film, I chuckled, 'cus the photo they ran to illustrate the piece has the man dressed in a manner I would describe as very Whovian. I'm sure Matt Smith will make a fine Timelord, but the lingering impression remains that he is the Beeb's credit crunch Doctor. Maybe next time Moffat and co will find the nerve to cast a taboo-busting black Doctor, rather than just another skinny white dude will big hair.
