David Tennant facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Tennant
Tennant in 2023
Born	David John McDonald (1971-04-18) 18 April 1971 (age 54) Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland
Education	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (BA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1987–present
Known for	Tenth and Fourteenth incarnations of the Doctor in Doctor Who
Spouse(s)	Georgia Tennant ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	5, including Ty
Relatives	Sandy McDonald (father) Archie McLeod (grandfather) Peter Davison (father-in-law) Sandra Dickinson (mother-in-law)
Signature

David John Tennant (born David John McDonald on 18 April 1971) is a famous Scottish actor. He is best known for playing the Tenth and Fourteenth versions of the Doctor in the science fiction show Doctor Who.

Some of his other famous roles include Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, DI Alec Hardy in the crime drama Broadchurch, and the villain Kilgrave in the superhero series Jessica Jones. He also plays the demon Crowley in the fantasy series Good Omens and funny versions of himself in the comedy Staged.

Tennant has also performed in many plays, including playing the main character in a famous production of Hamlet. He is also a talented voice actor, known for voicing Scrooge McDuck in the animated series DuckTales. In 2015, he received a Special Recognition award at the National Television Awards.

Early Life and School

David Tennant was born in Bathgate, Scotland. His father, Sandy McDonald, was a minister for the Church of Scotland. He grew up in Ralston with his brother and sister.

When he was only three years old, Tennant told his parents he wanted to be an actor because he loved the show Doctor Who. His parents wanted him to choose a more normal job, but he was very focused on acting. He watched almost every episode of Doctor Who and even met Tom Baker, the actor who played the Fourth Doctor, at a book signing.

He went to Ralston Primary School and Paisley Grammar School, where he acted in many school plays. An actress named Edith MacArthur saw him perform when he was 10 and told his parents he would be a great theatre actor one day.

At 16, he passed an audition for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, becoming one of its youngest students. He studied there for three years and earned a degree in Dramatic Studies.

When he started acting, he had to change his last name from McDonald because another actor already had that name in the actors' union. He chose the name Tennant after Neil Tennant, the singer from the Pet Shop Boys. He later made Tennant his legal last name.

Acting Career

First Roles

Tennant started acting professionally while he was still in school. At 16, he was in a TV film for the Glasgow Health Board about the dangers of smoking. His first role after graduating from drama school was in a play called The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.

He also had an early TV role in the Scottish comedy Rab C Nesbitt. In the 1990s, he acted in several plays at the Dundee Repertory Theatre. His first major TV role was as Campbell Bain in the BBC Scotland series Takin' Over the Asylum in 1994.

Tennant became well-known for his work in the theatre, especially with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). He played many roles in Shakespeare's plays, including Touchstone in As You Like It and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.

In 2005, he played the villain Barty Crouch Jr. in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This role made him famous to audiences around the world.

Becoming the Doctor in Doctor Who

Tennant with Doctor Who team members (from left) Russell T Davies, Euros Lyn, and Julie Gardner in 2009

As a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, getting to play the Doctor was a dream come true for Tennant. He had already been involved in a Doctor Who animated story and some audio plays.

In 2005, he was chosen to replace Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. He first appeared as the Tenth Doctor at the end of the episode "The Parting of the Ways". His first full episode was "The Christmas Invasion" on Christmas Day 2005. He starred in the show for three series, from 2006 to 2008, plus several popular Christmas specials.

In 2008, Tennant announced he would be leaving the role. His final regular episode aired on 1 January 2010, when Matt Smith took over as the Eleventh Doctor.

However, he returned to the show several times:

• He appeared in the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", in 2013.
• He voiced the Tenth Doctor in new audio stories from Big Finish Productions.
• In 2022, it was announced he would return for the show's 60th anniversary. He came back not as the Tenth Doctor, but as the new Fourteenth Doctor. He starred in three special episodes in late 2023 before Ncuti Gatwa became the Fifteenth Doctor.

Career After Doctor Who

Tennant at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009

While playing the Doctor, Tennant also worked on other projects. He starred in the TV dramas Secret Smile and Recovery. In 2008, he played the famous scientist Sir Arthur Eddington in the film Einstein and Eddington.

He also continued his stage career, playing the lead role in Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His performance was highly praised by critics. A TV film version of the play was made in 2009.

From 2011 to Today

Tennant with Jessica Jones co-star Krysten Ritter in 2015

After leaving Doctor Who, Tennant's career continued to grow. From 2013 to 2017, he starred as detective Alec Hardy in the popular ITV series Broadchurch.

In 2015, he played the mind-controlling villain Kilgrave in the Marvel and Netflix series Jessica Jones. Fans and critics loved his scary performance.

Tennant at a Good Omens panel at New York Comic Con in 2018

Here are some of his other major roles in recent years:

• DuckTales (2017–2021): He voiced the rich and adventurous Scrooge McDuck.
• Good Omens (2019–present): He stars as the demon Crowley, alongside his friend Michael Sheen who plays the angel Aziraphale.
• Staged (2020–2022): He and Michael Sheen played funny versions of themselves trying to rehearse a play online during lockdown.
• Des (2020): He played the real-life criminal Dennis Nilsen, a role for which he won an International Emmy Award.
• Ahsoka (2023): He returned to the Star Wars universe to voice the droid Huyang, a character he first played in The Clone Wars.

In 2024, Tennant hosted the 77th British Academy Film Awards and starred in the Disney+ series Rivals.

Political and Social Views

Tennant supports the Labour Party in the UK. He has lent his voice to their election advertisements. The Labour Party generally supports government programs that help people with healthcare, education, and other services.

He is also a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. He often wears pride pins to show his support. In 2024, he won an award for being a Celebrity Ally. In his acceptance speech, he spoke out in support of transgender people and criticized a government minister for her views on trans issues.

Personal Life

Tennant at the 2017 Wizard World Columbus Comic Con

Tennant is married to actress Georgia Tennant. They met in 2008 while filming the Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Daughter". Georgia's father is Peter Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor. This means David Tennant is married to the daughter of a former Doctor!

The couple married in 2011 and live in London. They have five children. One of them is actor Ty Tennant, Georgia's son from a previous relationship, whom David adopted.

Tennant does not often talk about his private life in interviews. He believes that relationships are personal. He has said that growing up with a father who was a minister has shaped who he is, and he sometimes attends church.

Accolades

In 2016, Tennant received an honorary doctorate degree in Drama from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the school where he studied acting.

See also

In Spanish: David Tennant para niños