XPost: uk.media.tv.sf.drwho, rec.arts.drwho, rec.arts.sf.tv   
   XPost: rec.arts.tv, can.arts.sf   
   From: mouth@onlegs.org   
      
   Ubiquitous  wrote in   
   news:ulcsk0$uq1h$4@dont-email.me:   
      
   > According to Doctor Who casting director Andy Pryor, the backlash to   
   > the series’ race-swapping of real-world historical figure Sir Isaac   
   > Newton has nothing to do with historical accuracy or a growing   
   > exhaustion with identity-politics, but is instead based solely in –   
   > you guessed it – viewers’ own racist attitudes.   
   >   
   > Taking place in Wild Blue Yonder, the second of three new Doctor Who   
   > holiday specials helmed by returning showrunner Russell T Davies’ and   
   > produced in honor of the series’ 60th anniversary, the historical   
   > revisionism in question saw the real-world English physicist brought   
   > to life by half-Indian The Witcher: Blood Origin actor Nathaniel   
   > Curtis, in doing so portraying him not as the white man he provably   
   > was, but rather as someone of an unspecified ethnic descent (despite   
   > his actor’s noted heritage, the episode never specifically addresses   
   > the background of its race-swapped Newton).   
   >   
   > Following the special’s premiere, Pryor provided insight into his   
   > subversive casting decision during an interview with Digital Spy’s   
   > David Opie.   
   >   
   > First broaching the topic after being met with praise from Opie for   
   > how well he was able to keep Curtis’ appearance a secret, the casting   
   > director explained, “Because it’s a brief but important moment, you   
   > can get an actor in and out quite quickly, with parts like that.”   
   >   
   > “That was Russell’s idea, actually,” Pryor added. “We had talked about   
   > trying to get Nathaniel in the show at some point and I think it’s a   
   > sort of rather cheeky, but fun interpretation of Isaac Newton. You   
   > know, it’s not a historical drama [Laughs]. Let’s just have some fun   
   > with it.”   
   >   
   > “Nathaniel was very game,” he further recalled. “He’s a fan of the   
   > show. Such a lovely guy, and he had a great time.”   
   >   
   > From there, Opie then turned their discussion to how “there’s been   
   > backlash from so-called ‘fans’ of Doctor Who in regard to these   
   > particular castings, that they’re too ‘woke’, for want of a better   
   > word,” subsequently asking the casting director, “You’ve engaged a bit   
   > with this discussion online, but I wondered if you had anything else   
   > to add on this response to castings such as these?”   
   >   
   > In turn, Pryor asserted, “It’s sad that we’re in a time where people   
   > villainise minorities.”   
   >   
   > “This sort of chatter, I’m very good at kind of tuning it out,” he   
   > told his host. “And I’m also very, very happy to block people on   
   > Twitter. I don’t really have any time for bigotry at all.”   
   >   
   > Proceeding to broaden his argument, Pryor continued, “It then becomes   
   > even more important to give people a voice and for people to be   
   > represented, especially for young people growing up who might be trans   
   > or from any minority. If they can see themselves on screen, then that   
   > can be a huge lifeline for some people. That can make them feel part   
   > of the world, which indeed they are.”   
   >   
   > “Social media is a bit of a dangerous place because I think people get   
   > sucked into saying things that I don’t know that they truly believe?”   
   > he questioned. “It just becomes a game for them. Unfortunately, real   
   > life isn’t a game, and I think it’s important to stand up for people   
   > who are marginalised.”   
   >   
   > Pryor then declared, “Growing up as a gay man, I’m as aware as anybody   
   > else of how this stuff makes you feel when you see it. How that   
   > negativity can affect you. I don’t really think anyone should have to   
   > go through that.”   
   >   
   > “It’s an important thing for me,” he said. “It’s an important thing   
   > for Russell and the whole Doctor Who team.There are so many ways of   
   > telling a story and the more you can introduce other ideas and other   
   > kinds of people, the more exciting it is.”   
   >   
   > Receiving subsequent praise from Opie regarding how the “show has   
   > always been forward-thinking and progressive in that way, so it’s   
   > really nice that in 2023, Doctor Who can embody that now more than   
   > ever,” Pryor ultimately concluded, “It always has been a show about   
   > people ‘outside of the norm’. From day one, really. So, we’re just   
   > carrying that tradition on in a more modern way.”   
      
   He sounds really gay.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)