Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry Mackler, “One Life to Live”) has joined the cast of “Doctor Who,” the BBC announced today. He will jump aboard TARDIS in a “mysterious and exciting guest role.”
In a statement, showrunner Russell T Davies said of casting Groff, “This is an incredible coup, and a great honour, to get such a huge star striding on to our set. So strap on your space boots, this is going to be a blast!”
On joining the series, Groff said, “I am so thrilled to jump into the extraordinary mind of Russell T Davies and watch the incredible Ncuti Gatwa soar in this iconic role!”
“Doctor Who” returns in November 2023 with three special episodes with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor to coincide with the 60th anniversary. Ncuti Gatwa’s first episode as the Fifteenth Doctor will air over the Christmas holidays.
The series will premiere exclusively on the BBC for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Disney+ is the exclusive home for new “Doctor Who” seasons outside of the UK and Ireland.
Following his brief run on “One Life to Live,” Groff went on to make a name for himself in primetime and on Broadway, most famously when he dazzled audiences with his performance as King George III in “Hamilton.” In 2021, he received a Primetime Emmy nomination for his portrayal in the live stage production of the Broadway musical aired on Disney+ in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The cast album won a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album in 2016.
On television, Groff played Jesse St. James in the musical comedy “Glee.” He then starred as Patrick Murray in the HBO original series “Looking” and its follow-up movie, aptly titled “Looking.” He also portrayed Holden Ford in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Mindhunter” and more recently made an appearance in the “Sex and the City” spinoff “And Just Like That…” for HBO Max.
On the big screen, Groff is best known for his voice role as Kristoff in the “Frozen” films. He also starred as the new Agent Smith in “The Matrix Resurrections,” the fourth film in the iconic franchise. Earlier this year he starred in Universal’s “Knock at the Cabin.”