Girl Power: Casting the 13th Doctor Who

<em>Doctor Who</em> has been a BBC mainstay since the dawn of time (OK, 1963 with a significant break from the mid-90s to mid-aughts). Twelve actors have played the part of the gallivanting and extraterrestrial Time Lord, while the story has followed one fairly cohesive storyline. <p>With current lead Peter Capaldi on the way out, many fans are calling for a more significant reinvention – after 12 white male leads, a change would do Doctor Who good. -- <em>By Maria Tallarico</em>
<h3>Gwendoline Christie</h3> On a series as revered and sprawling as <em>Game of Thrones</em>, Gwendoline Christie has managed to breakout as a favourite of fans and critics (and landed a plum role in <em>Star Wars: The Force Awakens</em>). She’s primed to take the lead on a project as interesting as her. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Naomie Harris</h3> Naomie has a prestigious IMDb page (<em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em>, <em>Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom</em>, <em>Skyfall</em>, and Oscar-nominated <em>Moonlight</em>) and the OBE to match. Playing Doctor Who would be going back to her roots, in a way: her first gig was a children’s show on the BBC. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3> Dame Judi Dench</h3> Give her eight minutes, and she’ll sashay away with an Oscar. Imagine what she could do with a whole series worth of work – if anyone can find the empathy, warmth and humour in an ancient intergalactic time traveller, it’s her. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Tilda Swinton</h3> An alien who travels through time and space, falling into wild adventures and working to save unwitting earthlings from intergalactic danger? It’s a natural fit for the one of the most intriguing, unconventional and painfully cool actresses in the world. (Plus, the wardrobe options would be out of this world) <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Sarita Choudhury</h3> Sarita is the familiar face in favourites like <em>Homeland</em> and <em>Blindspot</em>, and her veritable career has included work on Broadway, indie films and a massive franchise (<em>The Hunger Games</em>). We could certainly see her charming audiences on a (literal) universal level. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Helena Bonham-Carter</h3> A time-travelling alien sent to rewrite history and gently meddle in historical events? Helena could play this role in her sleep. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Archie Panjabi</h3> She left <em>The Good Wife</em> with drama in her wake and the show suffered for it. Archie is the perfect mix of sexy, playful, intriguing and sharp, a boon to any cast. We’d love to see her cool take on the mad-cap Doctor. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Kiera Knightley</h3> More and more A-listers are making the jump to TV – the storylines, writing, and scheduling make it very attractive to even the busiest Hollywood stars. We’d love to have Keira’s dry wit and curious charm beamed into our living room on a regular basis. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Carmen Ejogo</h3> She’s played Coretta Scott King in two separate films (with the civil rights legend’s blessing), so going deep into a complex and beloved character is certainly in Carmen’s wheelhouse. And she’s also dived into another UK institution – she stars in JK Rowling’s <em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em>. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
<h3>Gugu Mbatha-Raw</h3> We’ve been obsessed with Gugu since <em>Beyond the Lights</em>, but she was already established in the UK… thanks to a role in <em>Doctor Who</em>. Intergalactic reincarnation is not unheard of given that the outgoing Doctor played a entirely different, albeit minor, role on the series back in 2008. <p>Photo: © Getty Images
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