10 Doctor Who Stars Before They Were Famous
The long and winding road to fame.
Fame can be a fickle friend. One day you're the star of the BBC's flagship drama, and the next... you're... well, not. Doctor Who actors always find themselves under an intense level of scrutiny when they decide to leave the safety of the Whoniverse behind them as their fans eagerly await their next projects to determine whether or not stepping down as a coveted Earth defender was even worth the hassle. Usually, it was. Just look at the likes of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, for example, who have gone on to enjoy international acclaim thanks to Doctor Who's ever growing popularity across the pond. But what about their respective journeys to the TARDIS? The long and winding road to stardom is turbulent at the very best of times and most actors never manage to secure that one role that catapults them from the unpredictable confines of working as a jobbing actor to the honorary realms of becoming a household name. Everyone's got a story and not all of them are worth telling. Here are 10 of them that are, though, in our countdown of what your favourite Doctor Who actors were up to before they became famous for their reputable roles in one of TV's most formidable fantasy franchises. Some of these are impressive, some are downright embarrassing, and some even started off on a completely different career path altogether...