‘Doctor Who’ fans were emotional after viewing the powerful third episode of the series, ‘Rosa.’ They weren’t alone, as Mandip Gill, who plays Yaz, has spoken about feeling emotional while filming the episode.
‘Rosa’ was a retelling of the story of civil rights activist Rosa Parks, Vinette Robinson, refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white man, and becoming a major player in the civil rights movement. The team behind ‘Doctor Who’ did not hesitate to show how real the racism was that ran rampant in 1950s America.
During a Reddit Ask Me Anything thread, a viewer asked Gill about the episode, and she confessed that it was ‘tough’ to film. She said:
“You know the scene when we’re in the bus? I kept crying. I kept looking back at Vinette [Robinson, who played Rosa Parks in the episode]. I didn’t want Yaz to be crying in that moment that goes on to change history. I could not look at Vinette without crying. It just felt so real. The supporting artists were so brilliant and the set was amazing. I just couldn’t stop crying.”
Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor will continue to find herself in the middle of historical moments. The sixth episode of season, ‘Demons of the Punjab,’ takes place during the partition of India. Yaz will take center stage as she uses the Tardis to visit her grandmother in India during the volatile time period.
Gill expressed her excitement about the episode, saying:
“There’s another episode which is historical, which I’m really excited about. I am genuinely excited on a Sunday, what I’m tweeting is real. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.”
While there are some highly emotional moments on screen and set, Gill was sure to tell fans that her co-stars Whittaker, Tosin Cole, and Bradley Walsh are able to make every day on set a good time. She said:
“The most memorable thing that happened behind the scenes was when Bradley threw himself down eight wooden steps. He properly set it up and he often trips up to entertain us. He really tries to make us laugh. He’s really good at it, and he rolled down eight wooden steps and then he laid at the bottom of the steps and said ‘Anybody want a cup of tea?’”
‘Doctor Who’ airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC America.
