<P> While Capaldi was the first choice for the role, other actors were also approached in case Capaldi should turn the offer down . Ben Daniels, who was an early favourite following the announcement of Matt Smith's departure, said that he had been approached with a view to assessing whether he would be interested in playing the Doctor, with his name remaining as a potential contender until just before the live BBC broadcast . </P> <P> Doctor Who head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said that Capaldi "briefly flicked through (his) mind" while casting the Eleventh Doctor, but that he dismissed the idea, thinking he was not right for the part at the time . Ben Stephenson, the BBC's drama commissioner, said that Capaldi was suggested months before the August revelation and that a secret audition was held at Moffat's home . Capaldi prepared for the audition by downloading old Doctor Who scripts from the Internet and practising in front of a mirror . He discovered he had been given the part during filming for Adrian Hodges' The Musketeers in Prague; after missing a call from his agent, Capaldi rang back to be greeted with "Hello, Doctor!" At 55 years old when originally cast, Capaldi was only a few months younger than William Hartnell (the First Doctor) was, when he was cast in the role, and is the oldest actor since Hartnell to star as the Doctor and the third oldest to portray the character . Moffat felt that an older actor would work best following the youngest actor, as it would both provide a change and lessen comparisons . He commented, "I can absolutely believe that the strange old - young Matt Smith will turn into the strange young - old Peter Capaldi ." </P> <P> Capaldi has previously appeared playing other roles in the Doctor Who franchise . He portrayed Lobus Caecilius in the 2008 episode "The Fires of Pompeii" and John Frobisher in Children of Earth, the 2009 serial of the Doctor Who spin - off Torchwood . Moffat has stated that he plans on explaining over time why there are three characters in the Doctor Who universe with the same appearance; his predecessor Russell T Davies had once explained to him a theory for the first two, and upon Capaldi's casting assured Moffat that the explanation would still work . This situation was alluded to in "Deep Breath", when a confused Doctor is reminded of Caecilius when he examines his face in a mirror . In "The Girl Who Died", it is explained that the Doctor chose Caecilius' face to remind himself that he is the Doctor, and that he can always save people . While not explained in the episode, Moffat later said that he also shares a face with John Frobisher as Frobisher is Caecilius's descendant, and represents the end of Caecilius's bloodline, referencing the Doctor's "eternal battle with doom and destiny ." Capaldi's casting marks the second time an actor has previously appeared in the series and then been cast as an incarnation of the Doctor, the first being Colin Baker . </P> <P> Capaldi briefly appears in the 50th anniversary special . Moffat stated that it was his "plan from the start" that all the Doctors would fly in to save Gallifrey, and he knew there would be a new one at that time . He wrote it before knowing who would be cast . Capaldi filmed his appearance on 3 October 2013, long after principal photography for the special had ended, and the same day he filmed his debut scene for "The Time of the Doctor". </P>

Where did the 12th doctor get his face
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