David Tennant

We are not David Tennant
We are, however, huge fans. When we saw him regenerate as the Tenth Doctor we were immediately seized by the urge to find out how good the guy who was taking over our favourite TV program would be. Needless to say, we were not disappointed
Biography and info
David Tennant was born on the 18th April, 1971 in Paisley, Scotland. His father is a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was born David McDonald, but when he tried to get an Equity card he learnt that there was another David McDonald so he couldn’t use that name. Whilst he was trying to think of another name, he read an interview with the Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant, and decided that he would use that last name for his actor’s card.
David has wanted to be an actor since he was very young; he is quoted as saying “I was very small, about 3 or 4 I think, and just wanted to be the people on telly telling these wonderful stories. Obviously the idea grew and matured with me but I can't ever remember wanting to do anything else. I’ve just sort of taken it for granted all my life that that was what I would do”
David Tennant attended Paisley Grammar school, and graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he met Louise Delamere. They shared a flat, and have been best friends ever since. He’s also lived with Arabella Weir from “The Fast Show” , and is now Godfather to one of her children.
On his time at Drama School, he said ”Drama school is a pretty intense experience and I think it changes who you are. I think I grew up at drama school (which was fairly useful personally as much as professionally) and I certainly got exposed to a huge range of ideas, techniques and practises that I had no previous experience of. I wouldn’t have known what I was doing as an actor if I hadn’t gone”
David Tennant has been a life long fan of Doctor Who . Whilst at Paisley Grammar School, he wrote an essay on how his greatest want was to play Doctor Who on TV, and he had a Tom Baker doll too. He says that Tom is one of his main acting inspirations. Also, before he landed the title role, David starred in lots of Doctor Who audio stories and the BBC webcast “The Scream of Shalka”
As for his love life, he used to be with Anne-Marie Duff , but his current girlfriend is Sophia Myles , who he met whilst filming “The Girl in the Fireplace” for the second series of “Doctor Who”
What’s he been in?
David is a highly respected classical actor, and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He’s had many starring roles with them, including Touchstone in “As You Like It”, Antipholus of Syracuse in “The Comedy of Errors”, Captain Jack Absoloute in” The Rivals” and Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” He has also acted with the 7:84 Theatre company, which has been described as a “genre-bending, ground breaking political Scottish Theatre Group” He has also won an Olivier award for the role of Jeff in “Lobby Hero” at the Donmar
One of David’s earlier TV roles was as Campbell in “Takin’ Over the Asylum” . He’s played a slimy vicar in “He Knew He Was Right” , murdering wife-stealer DI Carlisle in “Blackpool” , jilted madman Brendam Block in “Secret Smile” , Jean-Jacques Rousseau in “The Romantics” and Barty Crouch Jr in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” . Perhaps one of his most famous roles is of the legendary lover Casanova , in which he had the starring role. He also stared in Recovery with old friend Sarah Parish , which aired in 2007, as the victim of a road accident, as well as starring in a short with Catherine Tate for Comic Relief.
On April 16th, 2005, the BBC announced that David was to play the 10th Doctor Who , taking over from Christopher Eccleston and starring alongside Billie Piper and later Freema Ageyman . He has been described as “making Doctor Who a sex symbol”, and he finally managed to live out his dream role. He also seems to generally take first place in any "Who is the greatest Doctor Who?" poll, such as this one
(He’s not always been so lucky though…he auditioned for a role in Taggart 16 times and never got a part…they obviously can’t see talent!)
Currently Working On
Learners : David plays Chris, a Driving instructor involved in a love triangle with one of his pupils
Einstein and Eddington : A look at the evolution of Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, and Einstein's relationship with British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington (Tennant), the first physicist to understand his ideas
Doctor Who : Is filming the first block of Series Four
For a full list of David’s acting roles, click here