Who's Calling
- Publication: HX
- Date: 2006-04-14
- Author: Dan Avery
- Page: 58
- Language: English
John Barrowman sweeps the new Doctor Who off his feet
With his leading-man good looks and talent for stealing the spotlight, out stage star John Barrowman, recently seen in The Producers film, was an audience favorite on the U.K. celebrity skating show, Dancing on Ice. The Scotland-born, Illinois-bred 39-year-old has traded in his blades for a laser gun on the Sci-Fi Channel's latest iteration of the classic British science-fiction series Doctor Who as Captain Jack Harkness, a dashing polysexual time traveler who beguiles both the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and his young female companion Rose (Billie Piper) in war-torn London.
HX: Are you a longtime fan of Doctor Who?
John Barrowman: Definitely. When I was a kid, I was terrified of the Autons, who were these store mannequins that came to life. For years, I was scared of shop dummies — my mother had to put me inside her coat when we walked along High Street. They actually make an appearance in the first episode of the new show.
Describe your character, Captain Jack.
He begins as a self-centered rogue out to get everything he can, but in time he turns into a very caring character. The producers gave him such a great personality. Jack was just an idea when I was cast, so they put a lot of me in the character.
How would you define his sexuality?
Jack's from the future, where who you have sex with doesn't define you. It's totally natural for him to fall for both Rose and the Doctor. The whole sexuality question is stirred up, but it's not made an issue—it's irrelevant to his being a hero.
How did you feel when you heard Queer as Folk creator Russell Davies was executive producer?
I was over the moon! He's one of the top TV writers of our generation. He might be too risqué for Middle America—he pushes the envelope, for sure—but he touches on subjects that are relevant to our times.
You've got a rather revealing nude scene in one of the later episodes. Was that uncomfortable for you?
Not at all. I'm a person who likes to take his clothes off, so I had no problem with that! [Laughs.] They had to pixilate my bottom out because it was before 9pm, the so-called watershed hour.
Tell us about Torchwood, the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off that Russell's writing.
I've only seen the first script, but it's amazing. It starts filming in April and will probably air in the fall. It's basically Jack and a team of experts who investigate alien crimes and other strange events on Earth. It's very dark and sexy, but with a lot of humor.
I understand it will air after the watershed hour, so your butt could be all over TV.
It wouldn't be the first time!
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Avery, Dan (2006-04-14). Who's Calling. HX p. 58.
- MLA 7th ed.: Avery, Dan. "Who's Calling." HX [add city] 2006-04-14, 58. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Avery, Dan. "Who's Calling." HX, edition, sec., 2006-04-14
- Turabian: Avery, Dan. "Who's Calling." HX, 2006-04-14, section, 58 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Who's Calling | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who%27s_Calling | work=HX | pages=58 | date=2006-04-14 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=4 May 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Who's Calling | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who%27s_Calling | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=4 May 2025}}</ref>
