Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi took to Twitter today to answer the questions of fans.
Earlier today, in an AMA on the official Doctor Who Twitter account, actor Peter Capaldi answered some questions posed by fans. These questions ranged various topics, both related to the program and not.
The medium that he uses to respond to the textually tweeted questions is by means of brief videos, one for each query. Because Twitter videos can only be thirty seconds long, a couple of his answers get cut off.
The event begins with an introductory video with his invitation for people to participate.
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The first questioner wants to know what it is like to work with Matt Lucas, who plays Nardole on the show. Capaldi replies that “it’s absolutely wonderful because he’s one biggest and most talented comedy stars that the UK has ever presented.” He mentions some of his favorites of Lucas’ characters from Little Britain: Daffyd, Vicky Pollard, and Andy. He says that the comedic actor is “lovely,” “absolutely a great person to have around,” and “makes laugh all the time.” Capaldi remarks that we will “really enjoy in Doctor Who,” before jokingly asking if Lucas was the one asking the question.
The second question is a two-parter regarding Capaldi’s interest in art. The questioner wants to know a) what sparked his passion as an artist, leading to his decision to become an art student, and b) who his favorite artists are. He replies that his ability to draw began when he was a small child. His favorite artists are: Edward Hopper, Caravaggio, Van Gogh, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, and Michelangelo.
Next he is asked his favorite Doctor Who villain, in response to which he gives a list. He calls Missy/the Master and Davros “pretty sensational.” As for general monsters, he loves Wirrn, Zygons, Dæmons, and Weeping Angels “because everybody loves them.”
The next fan wants to know Capaldi’s perspective on the challenges of making the episode ‘Heaven Sent.’ It was difficult for him to almost always be the only actor performing. He even “got fed up with the sound of own voice at the end of it and not having other actors to react against.” He does think, however, that it was worth it in the end. He expresses his appreciation for director Rachel Talalay, as well as the crew.
After this, a fan wants to know if Capaldi has any input regarding the Twelfth Doctor’s wardrobe. He thoughtfully answers:
"Where do I begin? Um… I would never have thought that choosing some clothes would be of such importance to so many people, but indeed they are. At the end of the day, I have to wear what makes me feel like Doctor Who and that’s my rule. And if it doesn’t make me feel like Doctor Who, I don’t wear it. So, you guess which ones I like."
And what drew him to the Doctor Who universe as a child? It was “the magical, strange quality of it.”
"It seemed to me that Doctor Who could also show up in your own world. The TARDIS could arrive in your own street. In fact, when I grew up in Glasgow, they still had police boxes. And there was actually a police box at the end of my street."
In turn, he asks the same of the fans.
His favorite Christmas song is ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’ This is “because, within the context of the film it appears in — which is called Meet Me in St Louis — it is also a very sad song. So, for , sometimes Christmas can be happy and sad.” He feels that the song “perfectly encapsulates that,” and also wants to know what the favorite Christmas songs of the fans are.
A “fellow fan” of the classic serial ‘The Web Planet’ asks him if he “had much luck persuading Steven Moffat to bring back the Zarbi. Alas, “he hasn’t gone for it… not yet.” The actor wonders what happened to all of the “wonderful fiberglass costumes.”
Capaldi’s “favorite superhero growing up, apart from Doctor Who, was Batman” because he loved the Adam West series.
"Although, we had to be warned not to do any superhuman activities because there was a terrible spate of kids thinking they were superhuman. Kids, you’re not superhuman. I am, but you’re not."
He is then asked to describe the upcoming Christmas special, ‘The Return of Doctor Mysterio,’ in three words.
"I would describe the Christmas special as very, very Christmassy in three words… That’s two words, isn’t it? Uh, very blooming Christmassy. Very, uh, exceedingly Christmassy. And Very Doctor Who-y. Well, Doctor Who-y is a bit Christmassy in the first place, don’t you think? What would Christmas be like in the TARDIS? Christmas Day with the doors closed, smell of-"
Frustratingly, it gets cut off there. Use your imagination to fill in the blank.
In his closing video, he thanks the fans, wishes them a Merry Christmas, and expresses his regret that he was not able to answer more questions.
So, there you have Capaldi’s delightfully charming answers to fan questions.
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