Who is Yasmin Finney? Meet Heartstopper star joining Doctor Who

Now, the BBC has confirmed that Heartstopper actress Yasmin Finney will make her own debut in the series in time for the 60th anniversary celebrations.

The event will be overseen by returning showrunner Russell T Davies, which will also see David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprise their roles as The Tenth Doctor and former companion Donna Noble, respectively.

However, with Yasmin being a star on the rise, you may be keen to know more about the actress - who will make history as the first transgender actor to join the main cast of Doctor Who.

Who is Yasmin Finney?

Yasmin Finney is an English actress and Internet personality who is best known for her role as Elle Argent in the Netflix teen drama series Heartstopper.

The actress has been outspoken on her identity as a Black British transgender woman and has shared her career journey on social media.

Who is Yasmin Finney playing in Doctor Who?

Yasmin Finney will portray a character named Rose in Doctor Who.

Little else is known about the character and how much she connects to the beloved Doctor Who companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper.

Theories are ranging from a multiversal variant of Tyler, a regenerated version or the daughter of former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).

Of Finney's casting, returning showrunner Russell T Davies said: "Life on Doctor Who gets brighter and wilder, how can there be another Rose? You’ll find out in 2023, but it’s an absolute joy to welcome Yasmin to the Doctor Who set.

"We all fell in love with her in Heartstopper, one of those shows which changes the world - and now Yasmin can change the Whoniverse!"

Will Rose be the new companion for The Doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa?

How old is Yasmin Finney?

Finney is believed to be either 18 or 19 and was born in either 2003 or 2004.

What nationality is Yasmin Finney?

Yasmin Finney is an English actress who was born and raised in Manchester, England.

What has Yasmin Finney previously starred in?

Prior to her casting in Doctor Who, Finney was cast in the role of Elle Argent in the British Netflix series Heartstopper.

The actress revealed that she is a strong advocate of manifestation to achieve your wants and desires.

"I kind of manifest," explained Finney to RadioTimes.com and other press. "I don't know if you believe in manifestation, but I did manifest a lot after college and just in my room by myself. I would just be like, 'Oh my god, please just give me a shot. Just give me one shot'. And then I saw the casting call for a trans girl of colour, trans fem. She moved high schools because of her hair length and her transition, she's got positive friends around her, and it's for Netflix – and I was like, 'There's no way this is happening right now'.

"When I saw the casting call, I just screamed, I was like, 'No, I'm not gonna get this – no way'. And then I went for it and within a matter of a few weeks of Zoom calls and going back and forth from London, I finally got the role... It was very rewarding because I also remember that the casting call for Elle was the only international search; every other character was UK, but because there's such a lack of trans actors in the industry, it had to be international. So that also made my stakes higher, not getting the role. But luckily, I managed to graft it and I'm just so blessed."

What has Yasmin Finney said about joining Doctor Who?

Yasmin Finney will portray a character named Rose in time for the upcoming Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations.

"If anyone would have told 8-year-old Yasmin that one day she’d be part of this iconic show, I would have never in a million years believed them," Finney said of the news.

"This show has a place in so many people’s hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it’s made my life. I cannot wait to begin this journey and for you all to see how Rose blossoms. Get Ready."

Is Yasmin Finney on Instagram?

Yes, you can find Yasmin Finney's Instagram profile with the handle @yazdemand.

At present, Finney has 1.2 million followers on the platform.

It was on Instagram that the actress first teased her casting in Doctor Who with an image of three emojis: a rose, a plus sign and a blue diamond shape.

Is Yasmin Finney on Twitter?

Yes, Yasmin Finney is on Twitter at the profile at the handle @yazdemand.

At present, she has approximately 300,800 followers on Twitter.

Is Yasmin Finney on TikTok?

Yes, Yasmin Finney is on TikTok and moved into television after going viral on the social media platform.

Yaz's TikTok handle is @yazdemand and at present, she boasts 1.6 million followers.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press when promoting Heartstopper, Finney revealed: "So, I started my Tik Tok journey back in 2019, documenting my life as a trans person in Manchester, and the response I got was incredible. I created this community of queer people that loved everything I was doing and loved everything I stood for. And deep down, I always kind of knew that I wanted to be in the industry, but I'd never really seen myself represented in the UK media.

"There is loads [of representation] in the US, like POSE, which I absolutely loved. That was like one of the first shows that I'd seen and felt completely represented. But I feel like UK coverage for Black queer people... there's none in the media. So, I think I did want to be in the industry, I just didn't know how I would be in the industry. And I was actually studying performing arts acting at the time, so I kind of was just waiting to see."

We can't wait to see Yasmin Finney's Rose in Doctor Who!

Additional reporting by David Craig

• Read More: Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa is the perfect Doctor for the perfect time
• Read More: How will the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble return to Doctor Who?
• Read More: David Tennant and Catherine Tate's return proves Doctor Who is still full of surprises

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