Jenna Coleman in Madrid
Jenna Coleman was absolutely fantastic in Madrid Heroes comic-con last weekend. She and Lena Headey were stars of the convention. The guests got some incredible photos with her and she gave some hilarious answers in the panels and a very good interview, with some feminist musings on Clara’s character, on the history of Doctor Who, of course, Peter Capaldi, and lots lots more. Here is my summary of some of the things I read and liked (I have been selective from the interviews):
Q: Peter Capaldi or Matt Smith? (This is all over twitter)
Jenna: Matt Capaldi or Peter Smith!!! :D
And then where Clara does a “I am not your boyfriend!”
Q: Is Clara in love with the Doctor? (The link is in Spanish)
Jenna: No! I was? Do not!!
(Gotta love the over-the-top “doth protest too much” answer and Jenna’s immediate use of speaking in first person as Clara JUST FOR THIS QUESTION. And the newspaper has specifically put Clara’s attach hug from Listen in the response. Yes, Clara, no one, no one believes you or the Doctor. :D :D :D)
My favorite Photo Op: “You’ve come to us on a leaf. Remember us, your Madrid Fans”
She also gave a couple of very good interviews here and here and here. It is in Spanish and Google translate helps somewhat, but the translation is quite terrible in places. So here are some better translations for some of the answers.
On Doctor Who
Jenna says “The heart of Doctor Who is that we should not stop being children inside.”
She became a fan of the series after she started working on it and then realized everything she had missed growing up (the long DW hiatus)! (That means Jenna is now a Whovian!!!).
When she signed up, she did not know that there were going to be so many fans all over the world. “Doctor Who has always been very British , he has been running fifty years, but he was not aware of the scope he had in the rest of the world .”
She says the the key to the duration and the success of 'Doctor Who' lies in the capacity of regeneration of the Doctor and the endless kind of stories that can be told through travel in time and space. Although the show remains true to itself, it is not limited to any type of tone or genre, and that is why it can keep moving forward.
Jenna emphasizes that in the decades of the series' broadcast, it is easy to trace the paradigm shift in the representation of female characters, from the initial 'assistants' of the Doctor to the current' companions', who many times do not need the male character to save the day.
On Clara Oswald and the Hell Bent ending
One of the reasons why she likes Clara Oswald, because she is "a normal teacher who, nevertheless, can save the world, and it is no longer necessary for the Doctor to be the hero and she the lady in distress". “One day the destiny of the world is in her hands and the next day she goes back to teaching.” (Yessss! Clara, our feminist companion/Doctor!!!!!!!!!!!).
She loved the Hell Bent ending and her choosing to fly the Universe in her own Tardis and it would take a very special story for her to come back to change the ending. (Whew! So at least the Christmas Special is not going to show her going back to the Trap Street) BUT the interviewer has hopes:
“Maybe that's why the door is not closed to a future return. "I would never say, but I feel we left Clara's plot in a good place, although I would go back if the right story was told ."”
On Peter (Of course)
The interviewer:
“One thing that has always been made clear is Coleman’s admiration and special connection with Peter Capaldi, and before (we could ask) the question of the highlights with her partner for two years, she answered : " His 'Scottishness' , his Scottish particularity, his generosity, kindness and his ability to give me self-confidence. Peter is an actor who is always asking the right questions, because he is an intuitive, sensitive and very curious actor. His ability to play around (with the script) was one of the many things I learned at his side " .
Other Stuff
There is a lot of praise for Jodie and her “chameleonic” abilities and what she would say to the New Companions? RUN (but of course).
She has signed onto other projects!!!!! (Please, Jenna, I hope you are doing something with Peter Capaldi. A political satire written by Iannucci, perhaps?)
Yes, yes, chop, chop! Enough chit-chat. Give us some more Capaldi-Coleman shows please.
