Yasmin Finney, who will play Rose in Doctor Who season 14, offers some further insight into her character. The long-anticipated Doctor Who 60th anniversary special will set up the beginning of season 14, which will see the return of Russel T Davies as showrunner. The special, which is set to air in 2023, will bring back fan-favorite characters such as David Tennant's Tenth Doctor and Catherine Tate's companion Donna. In terms of new faces, the special will feature Ncuti Gatwa, who is replacing Jodie Whittaker as the Fourteenth Doctor, and new character Rose, played by Finney.
Due to the character's name, which is shared by the first companion to Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and his successor (Tennant), there has been much speculation about Finney's character, with fans initially wondering whether she is a new version of the beloved Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). Though most details about Rose, the special, and season 14 in general are being kept under wraps, it was previously revealed that Finney's character is named Rose Temple-Noble, seemingly sharing Donna Noble's last name. Finney also confirmed this year that her character is a transgender woman.
Speaking to Queerpiphany on MTV UK, Finney refers to her character as a "trans icon." She also provides some new details about Rose, revealing the character's age and circumstances. See what Finney has to say below:
[Rose is a] 15-year-old trans girl with a great, supportive family. Envision Heartstopper, but fighting aliens.
Finney's comments seem simple on the surface, but her mention of a supportive family is telling, especially considering her last name. If Finney's Rose does share a relation with Donna, it makes sense that Tate's character, after having felt unheard by her mother for so much of her life, would in turn build up a loving and supportive family unit, modeled after her sweet grandfather Wilfred's style of parenting. The fan theory that the new Rose is Donna's daughter seems to hold a little more weight after what Finney has shared. Whether her character is related to Donna, a parallel version of Rose Tyler, or a completely original addition to Doctor Who, her casting and authentic portrayal of yet another trans character after her successful debut in Netflix's queer coming-of-age series Heartstopper is a win for representation, especially considering Doctor Who's massive fanbase.
Built on found family and shifting identity, Doctor Who has more in common with Heartstopper than it seems, making Finney's comment about her character's journey as "Heartstopper, but fighting aliens" even more fitting. After the acclaim garnered by that series, hopefully Doctor Who season 14 will reach similar heights. After nearly six decades of the sci-fi series, it's encouraging to see the steps Doctor Who has taken to move more fully into the present era. The historic season 14, which will feature Gatwa as the first Black Time Lord, will be getting off to a fantastic start based on the news that continues to come out about the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special.
Source: Queerpiphany on MTV UK