It’s a Fannish Inquisition, SFX website-style! Earlier this week, SFX had the chance to chat to Alexandra Moen, who plays Lucy Saxon, the Master’s wife in Doctor Who. She last appeared in the season three two-part finalé “The Sound Of Drums”/“The Last Of The Time Lords", and (as we know from the trailers) she’s back in “The End Of Time". She also played Emily in Hotel Babylon, which isn’t exactly fantasy but certainly seems to take place in some freaky parallel universe…
We gave you lot the chance to provide the questions, and asked as many as we could in the time provided. So congratulations if your poser made the cut!
What does John Simm taste like?
Llama God
"Fantastic! Like peaches and cream!"
Were you surprised when you read the script for “The End Of Time" to discover what had happened to Lucy since "The Last Of The Time Lords“?
John
“I was actually, yes. She had been incarcerated for a long time, so that was surprising, yes.
Is Lucy insane, deluded or misled?
Allison C
“I think she's definitely misled, and is a bit deluded, but she's definitely not insane. She's just been very impressionable. But in the Christmas special she's had a long time to reflect on good and evil, so there is an element of her redeeming herself. She's more in the real world.“
Do you think Lucy loves The Master? Or did he have some other hold over her?
Maureen
“Did she love him? Definitely. She definitely loved him. I think she's a daddy's girl. And then the Master, who is very charismatic and became her husband, he chose her because she had the full package – the society girl – but she was also quite impressionable. So I think she definitely loved the Master."
What was the thinking behind Lucy's black eye in "The Last Of The Time Lords"?
holdenmcneil
“I thought it was really appropriate, and, without talking too much about domestic violence, it was quite typical of a bully, wasn't it? To knock their partner's self-esteem and then be very, very sweet to them afterwards, which can be very confusing for the person being bullied. I think for that relationship to work on screen, especially because Lucy was so much in the background and not having a lot of lines, I think that little symbols like that were really important to summarise their relationship as opposed to a big old domestic barney.”
Was it your idea for Lucy to do the awkward little dance to "Voodoo Child" in "The Sound of Drums"?
Fricky
“It was my idea. First of all, the Master dances a lot and that was in the script. And, you know, I think that if it's a big part of the Master to dance then Lucy needed something similar. And also, as I said, there are fewer lines to express how odd she is, so I thought that was a really good opportunity to show that. Plus, I love to dance, I pretty much do dance like that, I have to say! That's clearly what drew the Master in. He saw her at a disco!”
Who is your favourite Doctor?
Leslie
“David Tennant. He's just such a caring person, and so funny, and fun to work with, and such a true leader on set. He's really got the dry wit of the Doctor. I'm too young for the original Doctor Who, so that passed me by, although I always was aware of them and the effect that it had on people. But I did watch it when it came back and I was quite excited about it.”
Do you think The Master looks better with blonde hair?
Cate Morgan
“It's fabulous. Typical of a narcissist so perfect for the Master.”
Do you have a change of image as well for "The End Of Time"?
Killdozer
“Actually I do. I'm definitely not glamorous any more. I would describe my style as ‘prisoner’ in this one, basically – Prisoner Cell Block H.”
Did you know you were going to be returning to the show after finishing “The Last Of The Time Lords"?
Son Of Solo
“No. I'd hoped. And I'd had really great feedback from Russell. He wrote me this lovely little letter saying what fun it was to work together, so I thought well, who knows? I didn't actually know I was coming back until quite late in the day, probably about two months before we filmed.”
Was there great secrecy about the regeneration scene when you were filming?
Desiloopy
“Yes. When you audition you only get your scenes. And even on the read-through with all the members of the cast, none of us, apart from David, was given the last four pages of the episode. They didn't want anyone to know how it ended. Although, it's not just David involved in those last four pages, but we didn't know who was! That's probably why they didn't want us to read them. I have an inkling, which I'm obviously not going to talk about.”
Was there a different feel on set this time around?
Tammy Floo
“Yes it did feel different. It really did. First of all I have to say that coming back to the Doctor Who set was so wonderful because they're all so wonderful… it feels like you've been missed! Everyone on the crew knows exactly who you are, and they're all so warm and committed. And of course, it's not just an end of an era for David. Russell won't be writing for the show any more. So there was definitely a feeling that every single moment was precious. It was very sad at some points!”
Do you like Cardiff?
Sir Diddy Mouse
“I love it! It's fab! I like Welsh people. It's true!“
If he's The Master, would you like to be called The Mistress?
tameblue
“Oh yes. The Mistress of the Universe, specifically. Much better than the Master's wife.”
Are you sick of being asked if that was your hand picking up the ring at the end of "The Last Of The Time Lords"?
Gabriel Chase
"No! I don't know if I'm allowed to say anything about that [consults with PR rep] I've been told I'm allowed to say it wasn't my hand that picks up the ring, but unfortunately I'm not able to say who it was…."
Which actor would you like to see the Master regenerate into? And would you like to see Lucy remarry him if you got your choice?
Combining questions from Paulky and Asa Green
“Daniel Craig. And yes I would!”
What's your favourite Elvis song?
Kudos
“Actually, I do have an answer. “You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog”. Because my little brother used to be obsessed by Elvis and he used to sing it when he was really small. So it brings back really good memories.
Do you have a hidden talent?
Phil Miller
“I love to sing and I'm in a band. Its a very quirky kind of... a bit of acapella, rock and electro. A mix between Velvet Underground and Jane Birkin. We're called Kiki Neon and we have a MySpace page . It's definitely got a future. We're slowly picking up come underground interest.”
Do you think we'll ever see Lucy again in Doctor Who?
Curious Rat
“I really hope so. I would say, knowing how it ends, and although some people would disagree and knowing the absurdity of how Doctor Who characters can be brought back from different states of living and dying, I would definitely say there is potential for Lucy to come back. And I definitely would.”
Is there going to be another series of Hotel Babylon?
Noami French
“No there is not another series. It has been axed. It's a real shame isn't it?”
What else will we be seeing you in soon?
Viv Chorley
“I just did a horror film, which was a lot of fun. Very gory. It's called Not Alone and it's set in 1950s America. It's a director called Tristan Vershloos. I play a dead person throughout, but not a zombie. More an innocent-looking 1950s apple pie making American girl. I think it's going to be a really good film. "
Thank you Alexandra Moen
Every day’s Doctor Who day throughout December until the broadcast of "The End Of Time, Part One” on Christmas Day…
Go to Day One of the Countdown
Go to Day Two of the Countdown
Go to Day Three of the Countdown
Go to Day Four of the Countdown
Go to Day Five of the Countdown
Go to Day Six of the Countdown
Go to Day Seven of the Countdown
Go to Day Eight of the Countdown
Go to Day Nine of the Countdown
More Doctor Who related fun - just click on the links:
The Wafers Of Mars: The Doctor Who Typo Game
The 26 Scariest Moment In Doctor Who Ever
The 7 Doctor Who Questions Everyone Is Asking Post-"Waters Of Mars"
Water Cooler Of Mars
