The Darth Vader Minotaurs of Doctor Who
By David Hill
One of the interesting parts to Doctor Who is that, if given enough time, history will repeat itself. That is the case when it comes to two actors who appeared both on Doctor Who and in Star Wars in very particular roles.
Back in the classic days of Doctor Who, there was an actor named David Prowse. He had appeared as a minotaur in the episode ‘The Time Monster’ back in 1972. That alone would give him a bit of a cache in the science fiction world, but Prowse managed to one up that appearance, as he was Darth Vader’s physical form.
Fast forward to the modern day. As we know, the current Doctor Who will borrow from its illustrious past, giving nods to the classic program. It may not be a surprise that, given how history repeats itself on the show, this pattern would branch out into the larger genre of science fiction.
That is the case with another actor who will appear in both Doctor Who and in Star Wars. As it was pointed out on Reddit, Spencer Wilding will follow in Prowse’s footsteps. A minotaur in the 2011 episode ‘The God Complex,’ Wilding is rumored to portray Darth Vader in Rogue One. Uncanny!
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Another interesting parallel is that there would be five years between the two appearances. It certainly adds another dimension to the similarities between the two actors, and how — at least in this instance — their careers have mirrored each others.
It does also give a bit of a blueprint to an aspiring actor. If one wants to be Darth Vader in the future, perhaps they need to set their sights on being a minotaur in Doctor Who first. The success rate of those who portrayed the mythological being, and then went on to be one of the most feared villains in the Star Wars universe, has to count for something.
On a related note, we unfortunately unlikely to see a Star Wars/Doctor Who crossover occurring. Luke Skywalker will probably not suddenly find himself face to face with the Doctor as they team up against their mutual enemy. But, that does not mean that the two shows are not intertwined, at least in some small way.
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