David Tennant

David Tennant (born David John McDonald, 18.4.1971)

David Tennant is a Scottish TV and stage actor, best known for taking on the lead role of the BBC series Doctor Who.

David Tennant: Childhood

David Tennant was born in Bathgate, West Lothian and raised in Ralston, Renfrewshire. His father, Reverend Alexander McDonald was the local Church of Scotland minister. He was the youngest of three children and was educated at Ralston Primary school and then Paisley Grammar School.

It was at secondary school that David Tennant's talents were first recognized, by his English teacher, Moira Robertson. He studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He has since said that he has been doggedly determined to play Doctor Who from a very early age. He met Tom Baker at a book signing in Glasgow, which further cemented his ambition. When choosing his professional acting name, he was influenced by Neil Tennant of the band Pet Shop Boys.

David Tennant: Acting Role

David Tennant's debut acting job, after graduating from drama school was in a performance of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, which also starred Ashley Jensen. He also landed an early role as a transsexual barmaid named Davina in an episode of Rab C Nesbitt.

David Tennant then worked with Arabella Weir on Takin' Over the Asylum. When he eventually moved to London, he lodged with her for five years. They have subsequently worked together on Posh Nosh (also starring Richard E. Grant) and the audio drama Exile.

Tennnant built a successful stage career with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also appeared semi-naked onstage at the Royal National Theatre in Joe Orton's What The Butler Saw.

In Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's Randall & Hopkirk, David Tennant played an eccentric Scottish artist in the first episode. He also appeared in a large number of BBC drama series, such as He Knew He Was Right with Bill Nighy, Blackpool with David Morrissey and Sarah Parish in The Quatermass Experiment.

Tennant has also appeared in a number of films, including Stephen Fry's Bright Young Things, which had a ensemble cast, including Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, James McAvoy and Dan Aykroyd. He also played the role of Barty Crouch Jr. in the film adaptation of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The film also starred Daniel Radcliffe, Ralph Fiennes and Michael Gambon.

David Tennant had his name put forward for the role of Doctor Who before he actually landed it, missing out originally to Christopher Eccleston. When Eccleston announced that he would not return for a second series, David Tennant was confirmed as his replacement.

Among the actresses playing the Doctor's sidekicks have been Billie Piper, Jessica Hynes and Catherine Tate. He also played the Doctor in an episode of Ricky Gervais' comedy series Extras.

In May 2008, David Tennant appeared on Derren Brown's Trick or Treat, seemingly predicting the future using automatic handwriting.

In 2009, David Tennant starred in a BBC film version of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet. He also filmed a pilot for a NBC show entitled Rex Is Not Your Lawyer and presented Comic Relief with Davina McCall. Tennant also played the role of Pomfrey in the December 2009 release of St. Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold.

David Tennant: Personal Life

David Tennant's mother, Helen, died of cancer in 2007. His father had a non-speaking cameo in the Doctor Who episode 'The Unicorn and the Wasp'.