This Saturday’s new episode of Doctor Who ‘Extremis’ sees the return of Missy, nemesis of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor. Michelle Gomez took to reddit.com to answer questions from fans and tease us about her return to Doctor Who. BlogtorWho presents some of the highlights…
Favourite things
The_100th_Doctor asked: What is your favorite part about being in Doctor Who? Freedom. Freedom to do and say and be anything I want. Obviously being good is not an option.
Girvvy asked: Which is your favourite episode out of the ones you’ve appeared in? The last episode of series 8 on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral with a Cyberman backdrop, upstaging St. Paul’s.
KittensAreEvil asked: Favourite Missy line so far? Hard to choose, but “Tell him the Bitch is back” is up there.
Izwe asked: What’s your favourite flavour of muffin? Well, there’s the classic blueberry, but also quite partial to carrot – carrot and raisin. Bring on the muffins!
MacduffFifesNo1Thane asked: What was your favorite part about your time with the Royal Shakespeare Company? Getting my mouth ’round all those vowels. It was a real education. I probably got more out of it than the audience did. Stand up for Shakespeare.
thedeepandlovelydark asked: What is your favorite book? Actually, Bonfire of the Vanities is a rollicking good story. Still very relevant to date.
thewholocklover asked: What’s your favorite memory from set? Walking into a studio filled with every generation of Dalek was heart-stopping.
Being Missy
MikeyFatFingers asked: Michelle, as an actor, how much of the Mistress did you derive from yourself? It’s hard to draw a line between the two.
allanb748 asked: What’s the trickiest part about playing such an iconic character? Having to be absolutely fabulous all the time. It’s very tiring.
dumbodoggies asked: What was your thought process on becoming what had only been a male role on such an iconic and long running show? I just brought my panties to the party with my fingers crossed.
Gremloblin asked: Do you have any say in the outfits Missy wears? I have no say in the outfits Missy wears, sadly. Great image, but bloody tight corset.
Spindash54 asked: How much input do you get on Missy’s mannerisms, characteristics, certain lines of dialogue, etc.? Well it’s my face, it’s my mouth, it’s my body. I’m merely a channel for Steven Moffat’s brilliance.
Whoscaper asked: Is there anything, if given the chance, which you would change about Missy? Or anything which has come up in a past script before which you haven’t 100% agreed with? Is it a collaborative process working out where the character is going in terms of development? I have thoroughly enjoyed everything about playing Missy and collaboratively speaking, it’s Steven’s vision, but I’ve been given a lot of freedom within and made it my own.
Iris_Wildthyme asked: If Missy was to meet up with any previous Doctor, who would you choose it to be and why? It would have to be a Baker and Pertwee interface because they were my Doctor from my generation. Missy would like to go to Paris with them for a croissant on the Champs Elysees followed by a quick trip up the Eiffel Tower.
Behind the Scenes
SHSLChemist asked: Hey Michelle! What’s the funniest thing that’s happened on set? Shoving Clara down a hole. It made me laugh.
GiraffePolka asked: I’m so excited, I absolutely adore you! My question is: is there anything (a prop, item of clothing, etc.) you’ve taken from the Doctor Who set as a souvenir? Yes, I have very sticky fingers. And I am very excited for you too.
amysturg asked: Have you improvised any of your lines on Doctor Who? There’s been a lot of what we call topping and tailing. Most of it ends up on the cutting room floor. Hey Missy You’re So Fine made the cut.
Peter Capaldi
lmccumiskey asked: Who has better hair, you or Peter Capaldi? I can’t deny Peter’s folical magnificence, but I have enough hair to stuff a large couch so you choose.
gaflima asked: What was it like kissing Peter Capaldi in Dark Water? Is he a good kisser? He’s incorrigible.
mattreyu asked: When they cast you, were they looking for a Scottish Master to play off a Scottish Doctor? I think it was a happy accident that Scotland took over Doctor Who for 3 years.
tmetic asked: Who from the Doctor Who cast would you most like to act alongside again and why? Peter Capaldi in a heartbeat. I am forever his servant.
ImpossibleMatthew asked: How is working alongside Pearl Mackie compared to Jenna Coleman? I didn’t know Jenna had left. I only have eyes for Peter.
HaroldSaxonTheMaster asked: What do you think Missy would have been like with David Tennant’s Doctor? I’m not at liberty to answer that, given I’m bound to Peter Capaldi.
The Fans
Gibbzee asked: What’s your weirdest fan encounter? Having my autograph tattooed on flesh, because I’ve got terrible handwriting.
peppertoes asked: What will you take away from the role and what’s the best thing about being part of the Doctor Who universe? I’ll take away a great sense of satisfaction and immense gratitude for all my wonderful fans. Also the umbrella for whacking people I don’t like the look of.
The Future
iVanessa27 asked: How would you describe Missy in Series 10 with three words? Strong. Fragile. Hostility.
grretchen asked: Who would you cast as the next Doctor? John Oliver.
walkintom asked: Out of all the villains featured throughout the show’s history, who would you most like Missy to team up with against the Doctor? Probably the Silence, I’d team up with the Silence and just whisper my evil around.
bluesunco asked: Your portrayal of The Master is my favorite character in the show. Is there any chance you will get your own spin-off? Missy Who? Make it happen, bitches. Now that’s worth campaigning for.
Finally…
BlogtorWho asked: Hi Michelle, as an actor how strange is it to be turned into an action figure and Mr Men/Little Miss character? I can die happy. To be immortalized in plastic and characterized in a Mr Men book with no apparent clothes on.
