Doctor Who Actor Jon Davey did an AMA on Reddit
By David Hill
Ever wonder what it would be like to play a monster on Doctor Who? Recently, Jon Davey, who has been a fixture in the revival, answered some questions on Reddit to let us inside the costumes.
Every so often, there is an AMA (Ask Me Anything, for those who do not know) on Reddit that catches the eye. One of these occurred the other day, when Jon Davey, who has been a monster in approximately 40 episodes of Doctor Who, took time to answer fan questions.
He has run the gamut of creatures, appearing as an Ood to a Dalek, a Cyberman to a Judoon. He appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood, as well as performing with Doctor Who Live, The Doctor Who Proms, and Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular. He has had quite a few experiences revolving around the show in the past decade, and quite a few stories to tell.
As such, it was interesting to get a sense for the show through his eyes, and to learn a bit about what happens behind the scenes. For instance, the Daleks are still powered by walking, just as they were when first introduced. However, a person still needs help getting out of a Dalek costume, as he was once left inside one for a time during lunch break. And, understandably, once that mask goes on, it is easy to get in the character of the monster, even if their motivations are alien to the rest of us.
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We also got a chance to learn more about Davey as a person and a fan. His favorite monsters to play have been either Cybermen or Whisper Men. The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane were his favorite Doctor and companion. He also has a favorite episode that he was a part of: ‘The Name of the Doctor.’
It is also interesting to note that Davey is a fan of Mark Gatiss’ work, considering the writer’s episodes amongst his favorites. This is in contrast to the popular opinion amongst fans of the program. In the end, the cast and crew help shape what we see on the show by having an influence over which scripts to use.
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