The engrossing, fan-favorite sci-fi juggernaut Doctor Who has completely captivated audiences all cross the world for decades, having first made its electrifying debut on November 23, 1963 and swiftly establishing itself as a must-see television staple. The show famously follows the eponymous extraterrestrial being known simply as the Doctor, a Time Lord who travels throughout the universe using his spaceship the TARDIS. The original series ran from 1963 to 1989 before the first attempt at a revival was carried out in 1996 with the television film Doctor Who. It wasn’t until 2005 that the beloved classic was successfully relaunched.
Some of Hollywood’s most charismatic and unforgettable performers have starred in the titular role, with familiar faces like David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi all tackling the iconic character and truly making it their own. Being cast as the legendary doctor is a prestigious honor and something many hope and pray for, yet there have been some notable actors who have actually passed on the opportunity to star in the groundbreaking series.
Here are 10 actors who were offered the lead role in Doctor Who and said no.
10 Hugh Grant
The charming and delightfully sarcastic Hugh Grant has been a constant presence on the silver screen for over four decades, though the Golden Globe-winner first skyrocketed to prominence within the ’90s with unforgettable roles in beloved hits like Sense and Sensibility, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Notting Hill. He continued establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men with roles in Bridget Jones’s Diary, About a Boy, Two Weeks Notice, and the beloved Christmas classic Love Actually.
Grant’s Big Career Regret
Grant has also done some impressive television work over the years, appearing in the critically acclaimed miniseries’ A Very English Scandal and The Undoing, though he almost starred as the iconic character when the enduring sci-fi program was rebooted back in 2005.
Showrunner Russell T Davies reached out to the actor in 2004 to see what his availability was like, with Grant ultimately declining the offer at the time thinking it would be a flop, a decision he would go on to regret once he saw how successful the revival became. Grant said in 2007:
“I was offered the role of the Doctor a few years back and was highly flattered. The danger with those things is that it’s only when you see it on screen that you think, ‘Damn, that was good, why did I say no?’ But then, knowing me, I’d probably make a mess of it.”
9 Boris Karloff
Horror icon and classic cinema film sensation Boris Karloff is perhaps best known for his unforgettable performance as Frankenstein’s monster in the groundbreaking 1931 picture Frankenstein, with Karloff going on to reprise the legendary character in two thrilling sequels. He would stick to his horror roots and starred as Imhotep in The Mummy as well as in The Old Dark House, The Ghoul, The Black Cat, and The Raven, appearing in a whopping 174 films over the course of his more than fifty-year career.
From Frankenstein to Doctor Who?
Karloff previously had a popular and celebrated presence in the world of radio, and in the late ’60s he was approached to not portray the Doctor in a television series but rather on air, an offer he politely declined. Fellow horror staple Peter Cushing subsequently agreed to record the pilot for the Doctor Who radio program, but the new series was never fully developed after the BBC passed on it.
Karloff passed away in 1969 at 81 years old, so his time as the Doctor likely would have been a short stint had he actually agreed to headline the show, though his approach to playing the extraterrestrial being would have been interesting to see.
8 Peter Cushing
Decorated film, television, and stage star Peter Cushing became one of the cinema’s most distinguishable talents, appearing in more than 100 films and twenty-two horror pictures from Hammer Studios from the ’50s to the ’70s. Famous for portraying both Baron Frankenstein and Doctor Van Helsing and starring alongside famous faces like Christopher Lee and Vincent Price, Cushing was often typecast as a horror film actor despite expanding and also having notable roles in Hamlet, The Hounds of Baskervilles, and Star Wars.
Cushing Had No Desire to Star in the Series
Though Cushing did go on to portray the role of the Doctor in two Doctor Who movies: 1965’s Dr Who and the Daleks and 1966’s Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 AD, he expressed no interest in committing to starring in the television series, having been sought after as a replacement a few times for both the First Doctor William Hartnell and Third Doctor Jon Pertwee.
According to Cushing, he had to pass due to other creative obligations, and it seems as though he didn’t regret his decision in the least bit, going on to later reveal:
“They did [offer it to me] at one time. I couldn’t [do it], because I was otherwise engaged, but even if I could, I doubt I would have done it. I didn’t really care for the
Doctor Who
pictures [or] the television series… they weren’t my cups of tea. And I must say, the Daleks did rather get on my nerves.”
7 Alan Cumming
The quirky and charismatic Alan Cumming is a respected film and stage performer, having won numerous accolades throughout his stellar career including a BAFTA, two Tony Awards, and two Emmys. Cumming is perhaps most known for starring as Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United and as Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy, and his other screen credits include GoldenEye, Emma, Spice World, and Eyes Wide Shut. He has also had a brilliant run with his television work, having roles in shows like The Good Wife, Schmigadoon!, and The Traitors.
Cumming Refused to Relocate
After Hugh Grant turned down leading the 2005 revival series, Russell T Davies turned his attention to Cumming, who at the time was riding high on the box office hit X2: X-Men United. The actor was not willing to relocate from New York to Wales (where Doctor Who was filmed) and therefore turned down Davies’ offer to portray the fan-favorite character.
Though Cumming did go on to have a guest role as King James in a 2018 episode of the show, he just couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye to his home and Broadway career (even if it would have been temporary). Cumming told The Huffpost in 2017:
“I said, ‘Sure, I still have a flat in London, it’d be perfect.’ Then he said, ‘It’s eight months of the year in Cardiff… And I said, ‘What?’ And I think that might have been what blew it. Nothing against Cardiff, but…I’d do anything for Doctor Who, but I won’t do that.”
6 Bill Nighy
The dynamic Golden Globe and BAFTA Award-winning screen sensation Bill Nighy is undeniably one of the cinema’s most illustrious performers, showcasing his incredible acting chops in a slew of lauded hits including Love Actually, the Underworld series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (among countless others). Nighy’s television credits are also stacked, as he notably had roles in revered programs such as State of Play, Page Eight, and Ordeal by Innocence.
Nighy Didn’t Want the Excessive Baggage
Though Nighy has refused to confirm when he was first approached to star in Doctor Who (and if it was before or after Christopher Eccleston was cast), many believe it was back in 2004 when creators were preparing for the revival and looking for their lead actor. Like Alan Cumming, Nighy may not have agreed to appear as the titular character but he did pop up in the Doctor Who universe in 2010, portraying an art curator in the episode “Vincent and the Doctor.”
When looking back on his choice to pass on the coveted role, Nighy wasn’t interested in the intense fandom that came with the show, telling Daily Express in 2013:
“I won’t tell you when, because the rule is that you are not allowed to say you turned that job down because it’s disrespectful to whoever did it. I will say that I was approached. But I didn’t want to be the Doctor. No disrespect to
Doctor Who
or anything, I just think that it comes with too much baggage.”
5 Peter Capaldi
Doctor Who fans are fully aware that the great Peter Capaldi did in fact deliver a dazzling performance as the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the sci-fi series, but he actually could have taken on the iconic role far earlier in his career had the gifted actor not stood in his own way. Prior to further making a name for himself on the groundbreaking hit, Capaldi starred as Malcolm Tucker in the British comedy The Thick of It in addition to appearances in films like Paddington, Christopher Robin, and The Personal History of David Copperfield.
Nerves Get the Best of Superfan Capaldi
Capaldi jumped at the chance to star as the Doctor, beginning his fantastic tenure in 2013 and starring in Doctor Who for three series and four specials, departing the show in 2017. However, he almost joined the universe in 1996 when Capaldi was first approached to audition for 1996’s Doctor Who: The Movie, though he turned down the opportunity because he was too big of a fan and felt he was not established enough to truly have a fighting chance for the role. Capaldi looked back on his decision in 2014:
“I knew I wouldn’t get it. I loved the show so much that I didn’t want to have anything to do with it, unless it was going to be me [definitely playing the part]. I didn’t want the disappointment [after] going through all the palaver – jumping through hoops for something I would never get. So I said to my agent, ‘Thank you very much, but I don’t want to go along’.”
4 Benedict Cumberbatch
After entertaining the masses as the iconic literary detective Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock and as the brilliant superhero Dr. Stephen Strange in the MCU, Benedict Cumberbatch has continuously proven he is one of Hollywood’s most captivating leading men. Outside of those two massive franchises, Cumberbatch has earned Academy Award nominations for his powerful work in The Imitation Game and The Power of the Dog, while also appearing in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 12 Years a Slave, 1917, and The Hobbit film series.
Too Much Branding & Merchandise for Cumberbatch
Cumberbatch was given the opportunity to become the Eleventh Doctor prior to Matt Smith starring as the legendary character from 2010 to 2013. The Marvel superstar’s fellow actor and close friend David Tennant invited him to come and audition for the part, but Cumberbatch did not feel he was a good fit and believed he wouldn’t be able to bring something new to the series; he later said, “They’re huge shoes to fill and I think I’m more similar to David than I am to Matt [Smith].” Though Cumberbatch would go on to star as Sherlock Holmes from 2010 to 2017, he did not want to be the face of merchandise and brand for Doctor Who, adding in 2011:
“One of the reasons the
Doctor Who
job is so hard is because you are on the flask, you are on the school lunch box, you have to sometimes go on the school bus as
Doctor Who
on promotional tours. I like to keep the work on the set!”
3 Ron Moody
Actor, composer, and singer Ron Moody is perhaps most celebrated for his winning performance as the villainous Fagin in both the 1968 musical drama Oliver! and the Broadway revival, receiving both a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination for his scene-stealing portrayal. Moody’s other noteworthy roles were in The Mouse on the Moon,Mel Brooks’ comedyThe Twelve Chairs, and Flight of the Doves, and he also had roles in an array of television shows such as The Edwardians, Starsky & Hutch, Into the Labyrinth, and Nobody’s Perfect.
Too Much Time & Commitment
After his electrifying performance in Oliver!, Moody could have starred as the Time Lord in 1969 and was given the opportunity to play the Third Doctor, though he ended up passing on the offer and the role was instead played by Jon Pertwee.
Moody had no desire to completely devote himself to one specific role again so soon after portraying Fagin for years, and he felt that starring in Doctor Who would have tied him down to television and the same character for an extensive amount of time. Moody would later express that passing on the sci-fi series was the biggest acting regret of his career.
2 Brian Blessed
With his booming, powerful voice, signature bushy beard, and larger-than-life demeanor, Brian Blessed has crafted an enduring film and television career, having appeared as Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon, Thomas Beaufort, the Duke of Exeter in Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, and Boss Nass in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, while also voicing the antagonist Clayton in Disney’s Tarzan. Blessed’s many television roles include I, Claudius, Blackladder, Z-Cars, and Doctors.
Blessed’s Scheduling Conflicts
Blessed was considered as a replacement for the very first doctor William Hartnell back in 1966, after the actor departed the exciting show after three series. At the time, Blessed was just 30 years old and the Doctor Who creators were wanting to go in a new and fresh direction for Hartnell’s replacement, setting their sights on the Z-Cars star to take over as the Second Doctor.
Blessed had to turn the offer down due to scheduling conflicts but in a 2014 interview with the Radio Times, said he would now jump at the chance to star and he even made a guest appearance in a 1986 episode. Blessed told the outlet:
“After I was in Z Cars, the head of BBC serials took me aside and said, ‘we’re thinking of having a young Doctor Who and we’d like to cast you’. But it clashed with other things.”
1 Geoffrey Bayldon
Famed stage performer and television star Geoffrey Bayldon was known for starring in many theatrical productions of William Shakespeare works, and also starred in the titular role in the children’s fantasy show Catweazle, Crowman in Worzel Gummidge, and as Magic Grandad in Watch. Bayldon also had many noteworthy performances in horror films including Dracula, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, and Tales from the Crypt, and in other popular flicks like Casino Royale, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and Porridge.
Sci-Fi Wasn’t Bayldon’s Cup of Tea
Bayldon is largely believed to have turned down the lead role in Doctor Who on two separate occasions, having first been approached to headline at the initial creation of the series before William Hartnell was cast as the First Doctor and played the character from 1963 to 1966. Bayldon then went on to turn down the offer to replace Hartnell once he departed the show after three installments, though he yet again declined the chance.
The seasoned actor would later elaborate on his decision to say no in an interview with Sci-Fi Bulletin:
“I’ve never been in love with sci-fi – it doesn’t terribly interest me. It doesn’t terribly interest me. I turned it down simply because I’d been playing old men and I didn’t want to play any more…and when I got
Catweazle
, I thought, “That’s why I turned
Doctor Who
down.”