Ncuti Gatwa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ncuti Gatwa
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![]() Gatwa in 2024
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Born |
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa
15 October 1992 Nyarugenge, Kigali, Rwanda
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Citizenship |
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Education | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (BA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2013–present |
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa (born 15 October 1992) is a talented Rwandan-Scottish actor. He became well-known for playing Eric Effiong in the TV series ... Education (2019–2023). He then gained even more fame as the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who (2023–2025).
Ncuti started his acting journey on stage at the Dundee Repertory Theatre. He was even nominated for an award for his role as Mercutio in a 2014 play called Romeo & Juliet.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ncuti Gatwa was born in Nyarugenge, Kigali, Rwanda, on 15 October 1992. His father, Tharcisse Gatwa, is a journalist from Rwanda.
Ncuti's family moved from Rwanda to Scotland during the 1994 genocide. They first lived in Edinburgh and later moved to Dunfermline when he was 15. Ncuti went to Boroughmuir High School and Dunfermline High School. He then moved to Glasgow to study acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting in 2013. While studying, he worked at a club called The Polo Lounge. The Conservatoire later gave him an honorary doctorate in 2022.
Career Highlights
Early Stage Work and Breakthrough with ... Education
After finishing his studies, Ncuti joined the Dundee Repertory Theatre. He acted in several plays there, including Victoria. Around this time, he had an accident where his jaw was fractured, but it was fixed. He also had a small role in the 2014 TV show Bob Servant. In 2014, Ncuti was recognized for his performance as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Home, Manchester.
In 2015, he appeared in the TV miniseries Stonemouth. That same year, he performed in a play called 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. This play was about a large practice for the D-Day landings in 1944. In 2016, Ncuti played Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe.
In May 2018, Ncuti was chosen for the Netflix comedy-drama series ... Education. He played the character Eric Effiong. The show was released in 2019 and became very popular. Before getting this role, Ncuti had been without a permanent home for five months. Critics praised Ncuti's acting as Eric. He won a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in Television in 2020. He also received three nominations for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Male Comedy Performance.
In April 2022, Ncuti was cast in Greta Gerwig's movie Barbie. He performed a part of Romeo and Juliet at the 2023 Coronation Concert. He was also named the top person on the Radio Times's TV 100 power list in 2023.
Becoming the Doctor in Doctor Who
In May 2022, it was announced that Ncuti Gatwa would be the new Doctor in Doctor Who. He took over the role from Jodie Whittaker. Ncuti was the first Black actor to lead the series. He was also the fourth Scottish actor and the first actor born outside the United Kingdom to play the Doctor.
He first appeared in "The Giggle" on 9 December 2023. This was one of the 60th anniversary specials. His first full episode as the Doctor was "The Church on Ruby Road" on Christmas Day 2023. This was followed by the show's fourteenth series. Critics have highly praised his performance in Doctor Who. Many writers called his acting "amazing" and "mesmerizing". Some believe he is "bringing Doctor Who into a new era."
In May 2025, it was confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa would leave his role as the Doctor. He starred in 18 episodes across two seasons between 2023 and 2025.
Recent Stage Work
In November 2024, Ncuti Gatwa appeared in the play The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre in London. He played the character Algernon Moncrieff. This play was also shown in cinemas around the world.
In April 2025, it was announced that Ncuti would star as Christopher Marlowe in a new play called Born With Teeth. This play will be at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End starting in August 2025.
Personal Life
Ncuti Gatwa has shared that he is inspired by his work and by meeting other people from Rwanda. He believes in astrology and is a Libra.
Acting Credits
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2019 | Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans | Timidius | |
2021 | The Last Letter from Your Lover | Nick | |
2023 | Barbie | Artist Ken | |
2025 | The Roses |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2014 | Bob Servant | Male Customer | Episode: "The Van" | |
2015 | BBC News | Himself | 23 November 2015 | |
2019–2023 | ... Education | Eric Effiong | Main role, 40 episodes | |
2023 | An Adventure in Space and Time | Fifteenth Doctor | Cameo appearance; re-edit of 2013 film | |
2023–2025 | Doctor Who | Lead role, 19 episodes | ||
2024 | Masters of the Air | 2nd Lt. Robert Daniels | Miniseries | |
Tales of the TARDIS | Fifteenth Doctor | Episode: "Pyramids of Mars" |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
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2013 | Victoria | Gavin/Callum/Patrick | Dundee Rep | |
Hecuba | Polydorus | |||
The BFG | Sam/Head of Army/Childchewer | |||
2014 | And Then There Were None | Anthony James Marston | ||
Cars and Boys | Robert | |||
Woman in Mind | Tony | Dundee Rep / Birmingham Rep | ||
Romeo & Juliet | Mercutio | HOME | ||
2015 | Shakespeare in Love | Wabash | Noël Coward Theatre | |
Lines | Valentine | The Yard Theatre | ||
2015–2017 | 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips | Adolphus | Shakespeare's Globe | |
2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Demetrius | ||
2017 | Trouble in Mind | John Nevins | Print Room at the Coronet | |
2017–2018 | The Claim | Serge | Crucible Theatre | |
2018 | The Rivals | Captain Jack Absolute | Watermill Theatre | |
2024–2025 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Algernon Moncrief | Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London | |
2025 | Born With Teeth | Christopher Marlowe | Wyndham's Theatre |
Audio
Year | Title | Role | Production | Notes | Ref. |
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2022 | Lusus | Christopher | BBC Radio 4 | Episode: "Khar Darakh" | |
2023 | David Copperfield | David Copperfield | Audible | ||
2025 | Gatsby in Harlem | Jay Gatsby | BBC Radio 3 |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2022 | Grid Legends | Valentin Manzi | Voice and motion capture |
Awards and Nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
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2014 | Ian Charleson Awards | Best Performance in a Play | Romeo & Juliet | Nominated | |
2019 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance | ... Education | Nominated | |
Best Kiss (with Connor Swindells) | Nominated | ||||
BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actor in Television | Nominated | |||
Edinburgh International Television Festival | Best Breakthrough Talent | Nominated | |||
2020 | Newport Beach Film Festival | Breakthrough Artist Honouree | Won | ||
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |||
Best Breakthrough | Won | ||||
Royal Television Society Awards | Comedy Performance (Male) | Won | |||
Young Scot Awards | Entertainment | Won | |||
BAFTA Television Awards | Best Male Comedy Performance | Nominated | |||
BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actor in Television | Won | |||
Rose d'Or | Performance of the Year | Won | |||
2021 | BAFTA Television Awards | Best Male Comedy Performance | Nominated | ||
2022 | National Comedy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Role | Won | ||
Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |||
NME Awards | Best TV Actor | Nominated | |||
BAFTA Television Awards | Best Male Comedy Performance | Nominated | |||
BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actor in Television | Nominated | |||
Audience Award | Nominated | ||||
2024 | BAFTA Cymru | Actor | Doctor Who | Won | |
2025 | Critics Choice Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Ncuti Gatwa para niños
- List of British actors
- List of Scottish actors