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David Tennant(I)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
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Top 5,00077
David Tennant in Gracepoint (2014)
Take a closer look at the various roles David Tennant has played throughout his acting career.
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David Tennant: Movie & TV Moments
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
Often considered one of Scotland's greatest actors, David Tennant was born David John McDonald in West Lothian, Scotland, to Essdale Helen (McLeod) and Sandy McDonald, who was a Presbyterian minister. He is of Scottish and Ulster-Scots descent. When he was about 3 or 4 years old, he decided to become an actor, inspired by his love of Doctor Who (1963).

He was brought up in Bathgate, West Lothian and Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland and was a huge fan of the band The Proclaimers. He attended Paisley Grammar school and while there he wrote about how he wanted to become a professional actor and play the role of the Doctor in Doctor Who (1963).

He made his first television appearance (which was also his first professional acting job) when he was 16, after his father sent some photos of him to a casting director at Scottish television. He also attended a youth theatre group at weekends run by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now renamed the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). When he was 16 he auditioned for and won a place at the academy; the youngest student to ever do so, and started as a full time drama student when he was 17.

He worked regularly in theatre and TV after leaving drama school, and his first big break came in 1994 when he was cast in a lead role in the Scottish drama Takin' Over the Asylum (1994). He then moved to London where his career thrived. Amongst other things, he spent several years as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and became famous from his lead roles in TV dramas Blackpool (2004) and Casanova (2005).

In 2005, his childhood wish came true. David was cast to play the role of the Doctor in Doctor Who (2005) alongside Billie Piper, after Christopher Eccleston decided to leave. Playing the Doctor made him a household name and a sex symbol, being voted "Sexiest Man in the Universe" by readers of The Pink Paper and 16th Sexiest Man in the World by a Cosmopolitan survey. Since leaving the series in 2010 his career has continued to rise, with lead roles in films, TV series and theatre.
BornApril 18, 1971
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BornApril 18, 1971
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From "Doctor Who" to Demon: A Look at David Tennant

From "Doctor Who" to Demon: A Look at David Tennant

David Tennant's latest role in "Good Omens" casts him as a demon, but he's also known for playing the iconic "Doctor Who." See what other roles he's played through the years.
Watch our video
Image caption not available
1:31

Photos309

David Tennant
David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma, and Leonie Benesch in Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens (2019)
David Tennant in Deadwater Fell (2020)
Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens (2019)
David Tennant in Criminal: UK (2019)
Elizabeth Banks and David Tennant in Elizabeth Banks/Bradley Whitford/David Tennant/Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens (2019)
David Tennant, Brett Gelman, and Arturo Del Puerto in Camping (2018)
Jennifer Garner and David Tennant in Camping (2018)
Kerry Condon and David Tennant in Bad Samaritan (2018)
David Tennant and Lydia Orange in Mad to Be Normal (2017)

Known for

Bradley Walsh, Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole, and Mandip Gill in Doctor Who (2005)
Doctor Who
8.6
TV Series
  • The Doctor
  • Doctor Who
  • Smith
Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin in Fright Night (2011)
Fright Night
6.4
  • Peter Vincent
  • 2011
David Tennant and Olivia Colman in Broadchurch (2013)
Broadchurch
8.4
TV Series
  • D.I. Alec Hardy
Krysten Ritter in Jessica Jones (2015)
Jessica Jones
7.9
TV Series
  • Kilgrave

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • ARK: The Animated Series
    • (voice)
    • In Production
  • Fuddy Meers
    • In Development
  • Hide
    • Pre-production
  • Standing By
    • (voice)
    • Pre-production
  • Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens (2019)
    Good Omens
  • Bradley Walsh, Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole, and Mandip Gill in Doctor Who (2005)
    Doctor Who
  • David Tennant in Litvinenko (2022)
    Litvinenko
  • Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Staged (2020)
    Staged
  • Hugh Laurie in The Amazing Maurice (2022)
    The Amazing Maurice
    • (voice)
  • Stanley Tucci, David Tennant, Dolly Wells, and Lydia West in Inside Man (2022)
    Inside Man
  • Stephen Fry, Tom Sturridge, Vanesu Samunyai, Jenna Coleman, Boyd Holbrook, Donna Preston, Gwendoline Christie, Mason Alexander Park, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Vivienne Acheampong in The Sandman (2022)
    The Sandman
    • (voice)
  • Andy Samberg and John Mulaney in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022)
    Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
    • (voice)
  • Meet the Richardsons (2020)
    Meet the Richardsons
  • The Legend of Vox Machina (2022)
    The Legend of Vox Machina
    • (voice)
  • Golshifteh Farahani, Michael B. Jordan, Kôichi Yamadera, Asia Kate Dillon, and Maisie Williams in Gen: Lock (2018)
    Gen: Lock
    • (voice) ...
  • David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma, and Leonie Benesch in Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
    Around the World in 80 Days
  • Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality (2021)
    Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality
    • (voice)
  • Grey Griffin, Jessica DiCicco, Nika Futterman, Michelle Gomez, Lara Jill Miller, Catherine Taber, David Tennant, Asher Bishop, Liliana Mumy, Cristina Pucelli, Katy Townsend, and Izabella Alvarez in The Loud House Movie (2021)
    The Loud House Movie
    • (voice)
  • Final Space (2018)
    Final Space
    • (voice)

Producer

  • Hide
    • Pre-production
  • Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Staged (2020)
    Staged
  • David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma, and Leonie Benesch in Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
    Around the World in 80 Days
  • Des (2020)
    Des
  • David Tennant and Cush Jumbo in Deadwater Fell (2020)
    Deadwater Fell

Director

  • David Tennant in Doctor Who Confidential (2005)
    Doctor Who Confidential

Videos102

David Tennant: Movie & TV Moments
Clip 1:31
David Tennant: Movie & TV Moments
Is SXSW 2019 the Best Fest for Horror?
Clip 2:25
Is SXSW 2019 the Best Fest for Horror?
Opening Title Sequence
Clip 1:28
Opening Title Sequence
Stars Choose Superhero NYC Tour Guides
Clip 2:10
Stars Choose Superhero NYC Tour Guides
"Good Omens" Cast Love Playing Angels and Demons
Interview 3:35
"Good Omens" Cast Love Playing Angels and Demons
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:01
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 1:09
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:32
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:39
Trailer
Season 2 Official Trailer
Trailer 1:47
Season 2 Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:43
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:38
Official Trailer

Personal details

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    • April 18, 1971
    • Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, UK
    • Georgia TennantDecember 30, 2011 - present (5 children)
    • Sandy McDonald
    • (Sibling)
  • Other works
    Plays Jeff in the UK premiere of "Lobby Hero" by Kenneth Lonergan - Donmar Warehouse/ New Ambassador's Theatre, London, England, UK.
  • Publicity listings
    • 5 Interviews
    • 27 Articles
    • 20 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Used to get in trouble at school because all of the essays he wrote were about Doctor Who (1963) in some way.
  • Quotes
    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 practices that I had no previous experience of. I wouldn't have known what I was doing as an actor if I hadn't gone.
    • Sideburns
    • Doctor Who
      (2005)
      £500,000 (2005)

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