If you were wondering why that brunette bombshell singer from the latest episode of “Doctor Who” looked a lot like the brunette bombshell singer that won a Grammy with Zedd for “Clarity,” it’s because it is the brunette bombshell singer that won a Grammy with Zedd for “Clarity.”
The British singer Foxes makes her small-screen acting debut on the October 11 episode of “Who,” a Companion-lite episode called “Mummy on the Orient Express,” and MTV News spoke to the singer to get the straight scoop on what that (obviously mind-blowing) experience was like:
MTV News: So first off, how did this experience come to pass? Were you a fan of the show growing up?
Foxes: It’s funny, I was, I was a bit of a geek. My grandma and my family growing up were fans of the show. It’s so iconic, it really is one of those family shows.
I was doing a gig in Liverpool. Behind me, it was a BBC conference, and there was some kind of “Doctor Who” event going on. I sneaked back after sound check, and I knew that my family were fans of the show, so I started talking to these guys. Little did I know they were the producers. I was like, “I love ‘Doctor Who!’ I’m doing a show, you should come watch it.”
Then they all came to watch the gig, and two weeks later, I got a call out of the blue. [Producers said] “Hey we watched the show, and we’d love you to come do a song for us, and not only that, but be in the episode.” It was one of those things where I was like, “oh my God, this is the most random thing that’s ever occurred.” But if I didn’t do it, I’d definitely regret it. Being in an episode of “Doctor Who” is quite brilliant, really.
MTV News: We know you’re playing a singer from the previews — are you performing one of your own songs?
Foxes: The song I did was something — not out of my comfort zone, but something a little bit different from what I usually do. It was quite nice to do something new. I wore a black wig, and I can’t say much, but to be on the set was incredible. It’s a quite scary episode from what I was seeing. It was quite fun. Being in the TARDIS was one of those pinch-yourself moments. You’re like, “this surely must be a dream. What on earth is going on here?”
MTV News: You got to go in the TARDIS! What’s it really like in there? Bigger on the inside?
Foxes: It was quite mad. I was just really fascinated by the fact that all of the buttons had an actual job. They literally had to pull me away, I was just running around like a big kid, being like “oh my God, the buttons work!” I think everyone just thought I was a bit of a freak, really.
You see things [on TV], and you think it’s just props — all of the little knobs and buttons. You think they don’t work. But actually, there’s little computers and stuff like that. It’s all designed to have that feel, which is quite mad.
MTV News: We know the monster in the episode is a mummy, thanks to the title. Was it scary?
Foxes: I have seen the monster, and it’s very scary. I was actually singing in the episode, and I remember looking over saying, “Oh my God, what the hell?” Because they didn’t tell me — I think they were trying to scare me a little bit.
MTV News: Was it a guy in a suit, like the Daleks?
Foxes: You know, I can’t get over the prosthetics of the monsters and the creatures. To see it in the flesh is just mind-blowing. You’re like, “you know what, this isn’t CGI!” That’s the weirdest thing. There’s such an amazing talent behind it. It’s really scary, because it feels real. You can see the actors — it’s not like they’re talking to no one when there’s a monster there. It’s actually quite horrifying in itself.
MTV News: What were Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman like?
Foxes: I actually knew Jenna for a little bit [before the shoot]. We sort of go back. Peter Capaldi was amazing. It was one of those things where I was like, “you are amazing!” and he was like, “oh, I’m a big fan!” Like, you can’t know who I am! But he was lovely, and really, really charming.
MTV News: What was the best part of the whole experience?
Foxes: Being in the TARDIS, and meeting Peter Capaldi and seeing how much of a gentleman he is. Also, the set, to be honest. The whole experience of being there really blew me away. It really is magical. It’s got that very magical feeling that feels otherworldly, and it is actually [like that] on set. It’s not something that’s just onscreen, it’s really there. It was exciting, and quite scary, because the monster is very horrifying.
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