Paul McGann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul McGann
McGann at the 2015 Florida Supercon
Born	(1959-11-14) 14 November 1959 (age 65) Kensington, Liverpool, England
Education	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1982–present
Known for	Eighth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who
Spouse(s)	Annie Milner ​ (m. 1992)​
Partner(s)	Susannah Harker (2006–2008)
Children	Joseph McGann Jake McGann
Relatives	Joe McGann (brother) Mark McGann (brother) Stephen McGann (brother) Heidi Thomas (sister-in-law)

Paul John McGann (born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He is well-known for playing the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. He also starred in the popular film Withnail and I (1987) and the TV series Hornblower (1998–2003).

Early Life and Education

Paul John McGann was born in Liverpool, England, on 14 November 1959. He grew up in a large family with three brothers, Joe, Mark, and Stephen, and a sister, Clare. All three of his brothers are also actors. In 1995, the four brothers even played siblings in a TV show called The Hanging Gale.

When he was 17, Paul was working in a shoe shop. One of his teachers suggested he try acting. He successfully auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), a famous acting school. In 1980, he even performed a scene he helped write from William Shakespeare's Macbeth for Queen Elizabeth II.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles and Breakthrough

Paul McGann's first big role was in the 1986 BBC TV series The Monocled Mutineer. In this show, he played Percy Toplis, a real-life British soldier and criminal from World War I. His performance in this series was highly praised.

In 1987, McGann starred in the movie Withnail and I. This film became very popular and is now considered a cult classic. He also appeared in other films like Empire of the Sun and The Rainbow. Paul McGann and other young British actors of that time, like Tim Roth and Gary Oldman, were sometimes called the 'Brit Pack'.

He also had small parts in big American movies, including Alien 3 (1992) and The Three Musketeers (1993).

Becoming the Doctor

Paul McGann is most widely known for playing the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 Doctor Who television film. This movie was a special event, meant to bring Doctor Who back to TV. It was a joint project between the BBC, Universal Studios, and the Fox network.

The film was very popular in the UK, with over 9 million viewers. However, it didn't get high ratings in the United States. Because of this, a new Doctor Who TV series wasn't made right away. The show didn't return until 2005, after the BBC got all the rights back.

Even though he only appeared in one TV movie, McGann continued to play the Eighth Doctor in many audio dramas produced by Big Finish Productions. These audio stories allowed his version of the Doctor to have many more adventures and face classic villains like the Daleks and Cybermen.

On 14 November 2013, which was his birthday, Paul McGann returned as the Eighth Doctor in a special mini-episode called "The Night of the Doctor". This short episode was part of the show's 50th Anniversary celebrations. In it, his Doctor changed into a new, previously unseen Doctor played by John Hurt. McGann also made a cameo appearance in the 2022 Doctor Who special "The Power of the Doctor", alongside other past Doctors.

McGann in March 2007

Later Career and Voice Work

After his time as the Doctor, McGann continued to take on many different roles in TV and film. In 2002, he played David Talbot in the film Queen of the Damned, based on a book by Anne Rice.

He also played Lieutenant William Bush in the popular Hornblower TV series from 2001 to 2003. This series was based on the books about Horatio Hornblower. McGann's character, Bush, was Hornblower's trusted first officer.

Paul McGann is also a busy voice actor. He has narrated many audiobooks and documentaries. Since 2021, he has hosted the podcast Real Dictators, which shares facts about historical leaders. He also narrates the popular A short history of… podcast series.

McGann at the 2014 Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest

Personal Life

Paul McGann married Annie Milner in 1992. They have two sons, Joseph and Jake. Joseph is a music producer, and Jake is a voice actor.

Acting Credits

Film Roles

Television Roles

Audio Roles

Paul McGann has voiced the Eighth Doctor in many audio dramas.

Video Games

Awards and Recognition

Paul McGann has received several awards and nominations for his acting.

See also

In Spanish: Paul McGann para niños