Ncuti Gatwa Brings the Ken-ergy in 'Barbie' and 'Doctor Who' Crossovers

The “Barbinheimer” phenomenon may seem like a promotional crossover for the ages, but Doctor Who fans know that the most significant crossover in the galaxy is Barbie and Doctor Who (Doctor Barbie? Barbie Who?), spurred by Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa’s role in Greta Gerwig’s summer blockbuster. The crossover hit a fever pitch on July 12 when a pink TARDIS appeared in front of London’s Tower Bridge. No, this wasn’t a remake of “The Happiness Patrol.” It was a social media stunt coordinated by Warner Bros (the studio behind Barbie) and the BBC.

The pink TARDIS is a perfect match for the incoming Doctor. Gatwa, who stars as a version of Ken in Barbie, and graced the Internet with his Ken-ergy in the lead-up to the movie’s UK premiere. Although it’s usually Barbie glamorously balancing multiple careers, Gatwa has no problem shouldering the roles of Ken, the Doctor, and fashion icon all at once.

In an interview with Rolling Stone UK on July 10, he shared his take on the character of the Doctor. Gatwa and his family fled genocide in Rwanda as a child, and he relates his experience to the Doctor’s. “This person survived a genocide,” Gatwa said in the interview. “This person fits in everywhere and nowhere. I am the Doctor. The Doctor is me. I decided that I had to get this role.”