Let’s be real here ― nobody escapes a teenage Doctor Who obsession without at least a little crush on David Tennant.
So when the actor described himself as a “white, middle-aged, pretty-privileged bloke” on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, I thought to myself ― “ah, he knows.”
The Rivals actor made the comment after Fearne said his “voice helps a community that is often struggling” (referring to the LGBTQIA+ community who David has vocally supported in the past).
“Certainly in terms of anything I say in support of the LGBTQ community just... it just feels like common sense to me,” he shared.
“And I just find it ludicrous how some of those conversations have been weaponised and turned into an element of the culture wars.
“Especially when I see people doing it for what appear to me to be disingenuous reasons, especially when it’s weaponised politically ― to make an already-marginalised group more marginalised for the sake of someone’s poll numbers, I think is disgusting.”
So, he says, if his status as an actor helps him to boost that discussion, so be it: “I think ― when people are punching down, you just think, ‘it’s not going to cost me, I’ll be okay. I’m a sort of white, middle-aged, pretty-privileged bloke who doesn’t have to run some quite scary gamuts here.’”
David Tennant has previously worn a pin in solidarity with the non-binary community while promoting Good Omens, donned a T-shirt which read “Leave trans kids alone you absolute freaks” in the show’s press tour, and rocked a Tardis with the colours of the trans flag on its panels during the Rolling Stone UK awards.
He also spoke on Ed Miliband’s Reasons To Be Cheerful podcast, saying that “the fact that Pride Month is existing and flourishing and is something that’s happening at a time when the world seems to be getting in some corners worryingly intolerant and weirdly backward.”
There are many other examples of the star using his “pretty privilege” for good ― and long may it continue.