Varada Sethu, the latest addition to Doctor Who, has praised the show’s commitment to diversity and representation, saying that embracing a more inclusive cast and storylines is the “right thing to do.”
The Indian-born actress, who grew up in Newcastle, will star as Belinda Chandra, a new companion to the Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa.
Sethu, best known for her roles in Star Wars spin-off Andor and Netflix’s thriller I Came By, will join the beloved sci-fi series alongside Gatwa, who became the first black Doctor in the show’s history in 2023.
‘Doctor who has always been about kindness and inclusion’
Speaking to Radio Times, Sethu acknowledged the backlash that sometimes accompanies diverse casting choices but insisted that the show was staying true to its core values.
“I’m really excited about it because the show has been this intangible, beautiful thing in my head, but the moment it comes out, I’ll have to deal with people’s opinions.
“There’s been a couple of Doctor Woke references or whatever, but I just think we’re doing the right thing if we’re getting comments like that.”
The 32-year-old star pushed back against criticisms of “woke” casting, saying that being inclusive and progressive is part of what Doctor Who has always represented.
“Woke just means inclusive, progressive, and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love, and doing the right thing.”
A surprising casting choice
Sethu previously appeared in Gatwa’s first series as Mundy Flynn, a soldier in the Anglican army, and admitted that she was initially shocked when she was offered a leading role as a companion.
“The turnaround was like whiplash. I was dropped into filming within two weeks of being told I had it.
“So a lot of the confusion and stress that Belinda is going through is the confusion and stress that I was going through.”
The speed of the casting decision left Sethu barely any time to process the news, but she quickly embraced her new role as one of the Doctor’s most important allies.
Gatwa on dealing with online backlash
Gatwa, also 32, has spoken candidly about the online criticism he faced after being cast as the Fifteenth Doctor, but he remains unbothered by negativity.
Speaking to Attitude magazine last year, he said:
“The hate? It is kind of fascinating to me because there’s so much energy they’re putting into it.
“You are so angry over something so inconsequential that you can’t be an interesting person.
“You can’t have much in your life. I don’t have the time to do that.”
Rather than being discouraged by negative comments, Gatwa sees them as proof that meaningful change is happening.
“We do see a shift happening in casting, in positions of power, and in the status quo.
“I mean, not a fast shift—things could tip over the other way a little bit quicker—but you see people kind of malfunctioning because things are changing.”
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Diversity in Doctor Who’s future
Since Russell T Davies’ return as showrunner, Doctor Who has taken a more inclusive approach, reflecting the modern world in its casting choices and storytelling.
Alongside Sethu’s casting, the upcoming series will see an array of fresh characters and guest stars, as well as returning favourites.
With the Doctor’s new companion, Belinda Chandra, set to play a major role in the upcoming series, fans are eager to see how her character arc unfolds.
Doctor Who returns soon
The new series of Doctor Who will premiere on 12 April at 8am on BBC iPlayer, with an evening broadcast later that day on BBC One.
You can read Varada Sethu’s full interview in Radio Times.
