Steven Moffat says Maisie Williams will play “a brand new character” on Doctor Who
As everyone knows, there are two kinds of lies: Bad ones that are hurtful, and less bad ones that are a little less hurtful. For example, telling someone you like their outfit even though it’s awful isn’t nearly as bad as, say, telling them you’re not sleeping with their husband even though you totally are. They’re both lies, but one probably won’t result in you getting punched in the face, and the other probably will. For people who work in certain kinds of movies and TV shows, the more benign type of lie is sometimes a deeply important part of the creative process. That’s why J.J. Abrams refused to admit that Khan was in Star Trek Into Darkness before the movie came out. He thought lying to the audience would be worth the big chuckle he’d get when we all realized the truth. (Even though it wasn’t.)
Now, Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat seems to be in an almost-identical situation. Back in March, we reported that Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams would be appearing in the show’s upcoming season as an undisclosed character. Fans speculated rampantly about who she’d be playing, and when Williams briefly appeared in the Doctor Who Comic-Con trailer, that speculation somehow got even more rampant. Apparently, though, we should all stop trying to guess who she’s playing, because an Associated Press report says that she’s “a brand-new character, not someone from the Doctor’s past.” Well, that settles that! Unless, of course, we’re being lied to…
Moffat goes on to pat himself on the back a little, adding that “once you see what she’s up to…you’ll appreciate what a clever idea it was.” He also says that it’ll take the audience “a moment or two” to figure out what’s going on, but apparently it’ll be a great reveal. To us, this practically screams “Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t playing Khan in Star Trek,” but there is a slim chance that Williams will really be a totally new character. If that’s the case, here’s our theory: She’s playing herself. It’ll be Maisie Williams, the actor, going on an adventure with the Doctor.
We’ll find out how right we are when Doctor Who returns on September 19. (We’re totally right.)