Doctor Who’s Arthur Darvill reveals his immediate first impressions of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan

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Arthur Darvill, known for his role in Doctor Who, fondly remembers the immediate connection he shared with his co-stars, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

The three actors appeared together in the BBC science fiction show from 2010 to 2012, marking a fresh start for the series under showrunner Steven Moffat.

Jenna Coleman played Clara Oswald, while Matt Smith was the Eleventh Doctor, succeeding David Tennant. Karen Gillan played his companion, Amy Pond, and Arthur Darvill portrayed her husband, Rory Williams, who eventually became a companion himself.

Before becoming known for their roles in Doctor Who, Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan first worked together on a stage production of Swimming With Sharks.

In a recent interview with TopMob, Darvill described a strong connection with his co-star, Smith. He explained they quickly became kindred spirits while working on a challenging play called ‘Swimming with Sharks,’ which also featured Christian Slater, Helen Baxendale, and himself.

Performing on a West End stage for the first time was amazing. I remember thinking, ‘This is perfect!’ During those early rehearsals, I was quite nervous and self-conscious, but we quickly connected with each other and became close. It was wonderful working with him – he’s incredibly talented and dedicated. Although we’re around the same age, I learned so much from him, and we just really clicked.

Meanwhile, Darvill went on to meet Gillan on the set of Doctor Who.

I remember meeting Kazza for the first time, and she was just… striking. Honestly, my first thought was how incredibly tall she was, especially with those heels! Being 5’11” myself, she towered over me – easily eight feet tall! It was funny, but also a little intimidating, in a good way. I immediately thought it would be great to see how we looked together.

Honestly, I was completely taken aback by how delightfully goofy she was right from the start. It’s a fantastic performance, and I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting that level of playful energy from her. She’s truly wonderful in this!

The team, including showrunner Moffat, knew their first episode, “The Eleventh Hour,” marked a turning point for the show, building on the successful reboot Russell T Davies had launched in 2005.

But Darvill had a sense that their first episode was something special.

He said the script was amazing, and praised Karen and Matt’s performances. They all really enjoyed working on it, and he had a particularly good time. He mentioned that it’s the only episode he’s watched multiple times, unlike others he hasn’t even seen.

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Honestly, I think it’s a fantastic bit of TV. It feels like a fairytale, and the way it sets up the emotional core of the story is just beautiful. It introduces so many characters and locations, and really just kicks the whole show off again in a way that’s epic, dramatic, and surprisingly funny. It’s a great relaunch, in my opinion.

Matt instantly had a knack for playing this quirky alien character who somehow seemed both youthful and ancient – it was truly impressive.

Arthur Darvill’s full interview will be published later this month.

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Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, writing about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-03-22 12:04