Irish actor Liam Cunningham, who played Davos Seaworth in HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” nearly portrayed the beloved time lord in a “Doctor Who” movie (via Looper). Remember the 1996 film starring Paul McGann as the eighth incarnation of the Doctor? Here’s the synopsis to jog your memory:
“A time-machine malfunction strands the Doctor (Paul McGann) in 1999 San Francisco and enables archcriminal the Master (Eric Roberts) to escape.”
Though the film was a continuation of the original show, it was initially imagined as a reboot. The film would have followed the Doctor on the lookout for his missing father, Ulysses, while battling his sinister half-brother, The Master.
During the film’s early stages, multiple actors from across the globe were considered for the leading role. One of the actors in contention to portray the Doctor was “Game of Thrones” star Liam Cunningham. For his role as the Eighth Doctor, Cunningham auditioned in an American accent and his own Dublin accent. Unfortunately, the part was instead given to Paul McGann instead. Still, the Irish actor ended up in Time Lord history by making an appearance in “Doctor Who” season 7 in the eighth episode titled “Cold War,” where he plays Soviet submarine Captain Zhukov (seen above)
No one knows what it would’ve been like for Liam Cunningham to have starred in the “Doctor Who” film — maybe it would’ve been a success, maybe it would’ve still tanked. We’re just glad he was able to be a part of “Doctor Who” in some capacity! Any self-respecting Whovian would agree that Captain Zhukov was pretty badass — and Cunningham had the potential to be a great Doctor.
