Recasting Doctor Who’s 2005 Relaunch If It Happened Today: All 7 Main Characters

If Doctor Who relaunched the 2005 series today, seven actors would make the perfect new cast. Few sci-fi shows have had as lasting a cultural influence as Doctor Who, which has held its place in the pop culture zeitgeist for six decades. Unfortunately, right now, we Whovians are in a dry spell onscreen. The BBC shared plans for Doctor Who to return in 2028 or 2029, potentially using iconic villains but not overly relying on past lore. They hope to announce their new partner in March 2027.

To fill the time, many folks have subscribed to AMC+ to watch Doctor Who at its new home. Others have started listening to Big Finish Audio’s best Doctor Who audio drama stories, which are phenomenal. Many of the best franchise actors have returned in these stories. Meanwhile, many folks have started fancasting. As a massive Whovian, I’ve decided to get in on the fun.

Looking forward, Billie Piper shut down rumors she’d play the Sixteenth Doctor. Still, there are great choices to play the Doctor, including Aimee Lou Wood and Robert Carlyle. But what if we look back instead? If we remade the 2005 relaunch today, who could play the main and recurring roles in the Ninth Doctor era? Setting fame aside and staying as true to the original characters as possible, here are the modern actors who could take on the iconic roles.

7

Asa Butterfield As Adam, The Hated Companion

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Adam Mitchell is one of the most despised companions the Doctor has ever had. He goes from the likable boy genius to a selfish antagonist who gets kicked off the TARDIS. Asa Butterfield would be the ideal actor to play him if the 2005 revival were redone today. To be clear, my thinking that Asa Butterfield would play the hateable character well doesn’t mean I hate the actor. I actually think he’s fantastic.

Rather, Butterfield built his career on playing brilliant young men, like Ender Wiggin in Ender’s Game and Gardner Elliot in The Space Between Us. His most famous role, Otis in Sex Education, shows the same kind of charm and likability of early Adam. Meanwhile, his role as Adam in Unchosen proves he can play morally complex characters who do bad things without being bad people. Any actor who played Adam Mitchell would need to walk that fine line, as the character isn’t evil, just selfish and greedy.

6

Will Poulter As Pete Tyler

Technically, Pete Tyler isn’t a recurring role in the Ninth Doctor’s season of Doctor Who, but he’s first introduced there and then returns in the Tenth Doctor’s first season. Across the different episodes, he is part of Rose’s most heartbreaking moment, a funny grifter, and a resistance leader. It takes a versatile actor to tackle all these storylines while making them feel like the same character. I stand ten toes down that Will Poulter is one of the most versatile actors. He has acted in nearly every genre, and he could easily play Pete Tyler.

Will Poulter has proven he can carry the emotional weight of “Father’s Day.” He actually started in comedy, despite being known for his more dramatic and action-oriented roles. As such, he could lean into the “get rich quick” ideas Pete Tyler pursues during the Prime Universe while coming across as charming instead of slimy. On top of that, Poulter’s roles in Warfare and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 show he can play a hardened leader.

5

Billie Piper As Jackie Tyler

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At this point, 21 years have passed since Billie Piper first appeared as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who. Piper has continued to voice Rose in Big Finish Productions audio dramas. However, the original actor couldn’t return to the same role if they redid the Ninth Doctor era, unless they fundamentally changed the character to be older, more mature, less naive, and more grounded. However, she could absolutely be cast as Jackie Tyler if the show were redone today. Is this nostalgia casting? Absolutely. Could she still do it? Also, yes.

Jackie is much more grounded in reality, and she is deeply protective of her daughter. She’s just as brave and resourceful as Rose but much less restless and self-absorbed. They both share the same impulsiveness and emotional reactivity. However, unlike her daughter, Jackie doesn’t trust others immediately. Her skeptical views of the world seem shaped by her hard work and resilience as a working-class single mother. Ultimately, Piper could easily play this mother, as they share enough core traits while also reflecting the actor’s more mature roles.

4

Damson Idris As Mickey Smith

If they ever remade the 2005 Doctor Who revival, they’d probably replace Mickey Smith with a different character because of the allegations against the original actor. However, if they brought back the character, Damson Idris would be a great recast. The Doctor Who season 1 character is an everyday mechanic who grows into a heroic freedom-fighter. He becomes so much more than just “Rose’s insecure boyfriend.” Idris’ performances in Snowfall and F1: The Movie show he can play the underdog blue-collar worker who rises to greatness.

In retrospect, Mickey is also a very emotional human being, and reacts pretty understandably to a very non-human situation. Idris has already shown a wide emotional range, and he can handle the different sides of Mickey. On top of that, the actor has authentic London roots, and he can play early 20s with the right styling and haircut, even though he’s 35 years old.

3

Jonathan Bailey As Jack Harkness

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Jack Harkness feels like the James Bond archetype except omnisexual and more rogueish. He has that magnetic charm and flirtatiousness. At the same time, he never shies away from a challenge. He has a flair for the dramatic, with a Broadway-esque energy. Jack is the kind of character you can never fully predict what he’s going to do. If any modern actor can fill that role, it’s Jonathan Bailey. He did formerly appear on one episode of the BBC show, but it’s not uncommon for actors to play multiple roles in Doctor Who.

Bailey would bring authentic queerness to the screen as a gay man, and he has chemistry with almost anyone. Anthony and Kate from Bridgerton rank alongside Hawkins and Tim from Fellow Travelers as one of the steamiest TV romances. His Wicked character, Fiyero, embodies hedonism and adventure. Adding to that, his role in Jurassic World Rebirth shows he can handle sci-fi stunt work. On top of that, Fellow Travelers’ heavy, dark story proves Bailey can handle Jack Harkness’ more tragic storylines.

2

Rhea Norwood As Rose Tyler

Of all the actors in this fancasting, Rhea Norwood is the least well-known, but she’s quickly rising in fame both onscreen and on stage. Her most popular role, Imogen from Heartstopper, has a similar down-to-earth, working-class relatability to Rose Tyler. Imogen and Rose both try to break out of what’s expected of them and embrace their authentic selves. They’re also fiercely loyal and brash.

Norwood’s roles in Heartstopper, Your Christmas or Mine 2, and in the audio story Jilly Cooper’s Pressing Engagement show that she has fantastic comedic timing and can deliver punchy quips. Her powerhouse performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on the West End, with a snippet available on the Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club YouTube, shows she can handle the more emotional and heavy parts of Rose Tyler’s storyline. Most importantly, Norwood is a commanding presence who could hold her own, which is absolutely essential for any “best” Doctor Who companion from any era.

1

Jack O’Connell As The Ninth Doctor

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Much like Christopher Eccleston, Jack O’Connell has the Northern anti-establishment attitude and grit that define the Ninth Doctor thanks to his Derbyshire upbringing. Nine is defined by the trauma and thinly veiled anger caused by the Time War, and movies like Unbroken and ‘71 show O’Connell can handle that haunted quality. I could fully see him nailing the “I watched it happen. I made it happen!” outbursts during “Dalek.”

Rather than matching the whimsical humor of his earlier and later incarnations, the actor’s most notable roles, like Skins and SAS: Rogue Heroes, share the same chaotic, frantic style of humor. Dark humor is almost a coping mechanism for most of Jack O’Connell’s characters. No matter how dark his characters are, he’s still extremely charismatic, and I could see O’Connell smiling and bobbing his head along to “Tainted Love” as Eccleston does. Ultimately, I can’t think of many actors who could play my favorite Doctor if Doctor Who season 1 were rebooted, but Jack O’Connell is probably the best.

Release Date

2005 – 2022-00-00

Directors

Graeme Harper, Euros Lyn, Douglas Mackinnon, Jamie Magnus Stone, Charles Palmer, Rachel Talalay, Joe Ahearne, James Strong, Jamie Childs, Saul Metzstein, Toby Haynes, Wayne Che Yip, Nick Hurran, Richard Clark, James Hawes, Daniel Nettheim, Colin Teague, Keith Boak, Azhur Saleem, Adam Smith, Andrew Gunn, Nida Manzoor, Lawrence Gough, Paul Murphy

Writers

Steven Moffat, Russell T. Davies

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  Jodie Whittaker

  The Doctor

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