We bring you the facts about the star of WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY…
WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY is released in Irish cinemas this week, and tells the story of a family’s unconventional and rather strange summer holiday to Scotland. David Tennant plays Doug, the father of the family and we decided this was the perfect opportunity to gather together some facts about the actor…
1. Predestined…?
Tennant stated that he became an actor in the hopes that he would one day get to play the title role in DOCTOR WHO. His childhood dreams came true in 2005 when Tennant was cast as the tenth Doctor.
2. Do I Have To?
Tennant’s birth surname is McDonald, but there was already a David McDonald registered with the actor’s union. David took the name Tennant from Neil Tennant; singer with the Pet Shop Boys and, although he earlier stated he would never legally change his name, he did just that in 2011.
3. The Doctor’s Daughter
Tennant has been married to actress Georgia Moffett since 2011. They met on the set of Doctor Who in November 2007, but did not become a couple until some time later. She is the daughter of former DOCTOR WHO actor Peter Davison, and in a weird twist of coincidence, the episode the couple met on was titled ‘The Doctor’s Daughter’.
4. Hannibal Who
Tennant auditioned for the title role in the TV show HANNIBAL. Although he was ultimately unsuccessful, Bryan Singer has stated he wanted to create a role especially for the actor, since he was so impressed by Tennant’s work/
5. Don’t Blink… Or you’ll miss it
The props department of FRIGHT NIGHT snuck many DOCTOR WHO references into the Peter Vincent apartment set (for example, Gallifreyen writing – the Doctor’s native language – on certain items), as a homage to David Tennant. The majority of these references are not visible to the audience… Boo!
6. Improv
The occasional tongue flick done by the character of Barty Crouch Jr.in HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE was, in fact, not in the book at all, and was improvised, on the spot, by David Tennant.
7. All The World’s a Stage
Tennant has described theatre as his ‘default way of being’, and since leaving DOCTOR WHO, has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is returning to the RSC for the winter season of 2014, playing the title role in RICHARD II.
8. Filth
In late 2011, Tennant landed the role of Peter Inglis in the FILTH, however he had to drop out because filming was postponed by two months and would have clashed with filming for A MIRACLE. Tennant was replaced by Emun Elliot, and A MIRACLE ended up being scrapped. Shame.
9. Remake of a remake…?
Tennant is currently starring in BROADCHURCH on ITV and GRACEPOINT – BROADCHURCH’s US remake. Contrary to popular belief, however, neither BROADCHURCH nor GRACEPOINT are English language remakes of THE KILLING; the script for BROADCHURCH actually predates the Danish show by at least 10 years.
10. Coming Up…
As well as BROADCHURCH and GRACEPOINT, Tennant is also working on the film REDS AND GREYS, an animated film about a rivalry between red and grey squirrels.
WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY is released in Irish cinemas on September 26th 2014
Words: Brogen Hayes