The key to being prevalent is staying relevant. At a time when several major franchises are undergoing reboots or looking at their next chapters, studios are turning to new and young faces to headline those projects. The truth is relatively pronounced, with James Gunn for DC Studios leading the charge by swapping Henry Cavill for a “younger” actor in the form of David Corenswet for Superman. Additionally, now that the SAG-AFTRA strikes have receded, the makers are back with their content at full pace. Headlining one such major franchise is Ncuti Gatwa with Doctor Who.

The Sex Education star is all set to star in the next iteration of the franchise, which also has him joined by some of his Netflix peers.

Nicola Coughlan joins Ncuti Gatwa for Doctor Who

Ncuti Gatwa, who played Eric Effiong in Netflix’s Sex Education, will helm the role of the Fifteenth Doctor for BBC’s Doctor Who. The 31-year-old will be the first black actor to lead the famous franchise marking his biggest breakthrough and spill-over from Netflix. Joining him as the character of Joy will be Bridgerton actress, Nicola Coughlan. The Penelope Featherington actress recently shone in a first look shared by the series.

Cast in the leading role back in 2022, Gatwa’s stint already stands filmed, with him being signed on for at least two seasons. The next iteration will see the actor portray a cocky and mysterious version of the character. Additionally, he is set to reset the franchise’s timeline by taking control of the TARDIS. The two Netflix peers will land alongside each other in a fall special release coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the franchise.

On the other end of the spectrum, the duo’s respective Netflix franchises are at different scopes as of now.

Bridgerton will return but Sex Education will not

Netflix concluded a dramatic run of Sex Education with an emotional farewell to its cast with season 4. The eight-episode season aired its finale on the 21st of September, 2023. On his side, Gatwa’s character receives a happy ending as he mends the fences with his friend, Otis. The show’s creator had already called the season to be the right time to “graduate” as the cast was no longer staying in to play teenagers.

In its tale, Coughlan’s Bridgerton will return for at least two more seasons. Its season two ended on a sweet note with two pivotal characters tying the knot. Additionally, the show’s third season will land sometime in 2024 even if filming stands reportedly completed. Regardless of their respective trajectories, the Barbie co-stars are on their way to chart success with another paired franchise.

What are your thoughts and expectations from the two Netflix actors’ stint on Doctor Who? Let us know in the comments below.