Thursday, April 23, 2009

X Files' Gillian to play Doctor Who baddie?

X Files' Gillian to play Doctor Who baddie?

23/04/2009 - 17:02
X Files' Gillian to play Doctor Who baddie?
Gillian Anderson is reportedly being lined up to play an enemy of the Time Lord in Doctor Who.

Well known to science fiction fans, the actress who played FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in The X Files is likely to take on the part of the renegade Time Lady The Rani opposite the new Doctor Matt Smith, according to the Daily Express.

A source told the newspaper: "The team behind the show are keen for the next Doctor to have lots of new enemies and Gillian would be a glamorous and impressive addition to the list."

Gillian, 40, will follow in the footsteps of Kate O'Mara who played the role of The Rani, an alluring scientific mastermind the 80s.

The insider said: "Gillian obviously has a massive sci-fi following and it's felt that it would be a major coup to have her appear in Doctor Who.

"The Rani would be a perfect role for her as the character used to be regarded as one of the Doctor's most deadly opponents."

Fry and Laurie hope to reunite in House

Fry and Laurie hope to reunite in House

23/04/2009 - 15:56
Fry and Laurie hope to reunite in House

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie plan to work together again in Hugh's Golden Globe-winning US drama House, which screens in the UK on Five.

But the multi-skilled 51-year-old admits they still have to find the perfect role for him to play.

“We joke about whether I could play a doctor even crueller, nastier, ruder than House,” says Stephen, who met Hugh at Cambridge University and has since worked with him in Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster and their sketch show A Bit of Fry and Laurie.

“Or perhaps I should be a better diagnostician than House, but incredibly nice just to annoy him. Or he should have a smarter older brother, because House is based on Sherlock Holmes. Instead of Watson he has Wilson, and he lives in Baker Street, and of course he has a drug addiction, so I could be his brother Microft!”

Stephen adds that he won’t be sporting an accent like Hugh Laurie, whose American drawl initially alienated some English viewers.

“I would be English,” he insists. “I wouldn’t attempt to be American!”

Stephen was set to appear in House before, but due to other commitments he instead appeared in Sky1's Bones – a forensic drama made by Fox in the same studio.

“I always stay with Hugh whenever I appear in Bones,” says Stephen, who has a regular on-off role as shrink Dr Gordon Wyatt. “They’ve asked me to go back and do series five this year, which will be a pleasure!”

Stephen has just completed filming a documentary series for the BBC, and a new series of Kingdom, which screens in June. He is also about to film another 16 episodes of QI, which screen on BBC Two.

“I may even write a diet book, because I struggled to shed over five stone!” says Stephen, who went from 21 stone to just over 15 stone since the beginning of the year. “It’s mostly through walking and dieting. It’s also certainly helped with my depression!”