Heartstopper Breakout Yasmin Finney Is Joining the Doctor Who Cast

Finney is currently filming scenes that will premiere in 2023, according to a Monday press release from the BBC, making her one of only a handful of openly trans actresses to have landed a role on the lauded sci-fi show. In a statement via the BBC, Finney spoke about the personal meaning of playing her character, whose name is Rose.

“If anyone would have told 8-year-old Yasmin that one day she’d be part of this iconic show, I would have never in a million years believed them,” Finney said. “This show has a place in so many people’s hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it’s made my life. I cannot wait to begin this journey and for you all to see how Rose blossoms. Get Ready.”

As fans know, Doctor Who already has an iconic character named Rose, played by Billie Piper, who was a companion to the Ninth and Tenth Doctors. The character was also created by Russell T Davies, who is returning to the show for this forthcoming season. 

Notably, the press release didn’t include Finney’s character’s last name, only referring to her as “Rose,” so it’s unclear whether this Rose is Rose Tyler, an alternate universe version of her, or someone else entirely. (Considering that names in Doctor Who are pretty important, though, the latter probably isn’t the case.)

A statement from Davies did not provide any clarifying information on Finney’s character either.

“Life on Doctor Who gets brighter and wilder, how can there be another Rose?” he wrote cryptically. While Davies left the answer to that question for 2023, he added that it was “an absolute joy to welcome Yasmin to the Doctor Who set.”

“We all fell in love with her in Heartstopper, one of those shows which changes the world — and now Yasmin can change the Whoniverse!” Davies said. 

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