Peter Capaldi is a Glasgow actor, writer and director whose career has taken him from an Oscar-winning short film to two of the most iconic roles on British television: the ferocious spin doctor Malcolm Tucker, and the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who.
Springburn beginnings
Born in Glasgow in 1958, Capaldi grew up in Springburn, where his family ran an ice-cream business, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art. As a young man he acted, played in a band, and began to write and direct, part of the creative culture of the city.
An Oscar for Kafka
In 1995 Capaldi won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life, which he wrote and directed, a remarkable early triumph.
Malcolm Tucker
For years a respected character actor, Capaldi became a household name in 2005 as Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed government enforcer at the heart of Armando Iannucci’s biting satire The Thick of It, a performance of such force that it is now regarded as one of the great comic creations of British television.
The Doctor
In 2013 Capaldi, a lifelong fan of the show, was cast as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who, becoming the first Oscar-winner ever to take the part and bringing the role home to Scotland. He is one of a line of fine Glasgow actors, among them Robbie Coltrane, who trod the same path from the Glasgow School of Art to the screen.
Related questions
Who is Peter Capaldi?
A Glasgow-born actor, writer and director, best known as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It and as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who.
Did Peter Capaldi win an Oscar?
Yes. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1995 for a film he wrote and directed.
Who did Peter Capaldi play in Doctor Who?
The Twelfth Doctor, from 2013 to 2017. He was the first Oscar-winner to play the role.
Where is Peter Capaldi from?
He was born in Glasgow, grew up in Springburn, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art.