“Hello, Doctor.” – Michelle Gomez at Pyrkon 2026!
27 February 2026
Three characters, one reason for the hype: Missy (Doctor Who), Lilith/Madam Satan (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Madame Rouge (Doom Patrol). Behind each of them is Michelle Gomez – a Scottish actress from Glasgow, who can dominate a scene with one look or retort. At the beginning, she entertained viewers of British comedies, then she enchanted the fandom as the most unpredictable version of the Master, and today she feels just as good in the mysterious darkness as in a comic book frenzy. And the best part is that she will join us in Poznań!
From Glasgow to outer space…
Michelle Gomez was born in Glasgow. Her father was from Montserrat (he was of Portugese descent) and worked as a photographer, and her mother ran a modeling agency. She got into acting early, because after seeing the Kiss Me, Kate musical at the age of seven she knew that she wanted to be on stage. Her parents supported her dream, so then came the specifics: a school in Shawlands and honing her craft at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Then, fortunately, her road to fame took the “classic but no-nonsense” turn: first cinema, then television, and finally the moment when a name begins to be associated with a specific energy on the screen. Her first big role was in The Acid House (1998), which was a film adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s slightly crooked, somewhat feisty, certainly ballsy short stories.
And then came the roles that brought her recognition among the British audiences: first the iconic The Book Group (2002–2003), and then Green Wing (2004–2007), where as Sue White she could be both funny, sharp and completely impossible to ignore – and that is probably a good description of this stage of her career. She quickly found her “mode”: characters with a certain edge to them, who enter the scene and straighten things up (or bring in the controlled chaos).
This is exactly what happened in Doctor Who, where Gomez entered as Missy – and it was immediately known that this “Master” would be something else. She brought about a full-fledged energy reset: a mischievous smile, perfect timing and the chemistry with the Doctor, which amused and disturbed us, all at the same time. And this is the case which confirmed that “scene dominating”, as the fandom would call it, is actually a thing – she received a nomination for the BAFTA Television Awards in the Supporting Actress category (2016) for her portrayal of Missy. The role also reverberated through the industry in her native land: the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2015 committee nominated her in the Actress Television category for Doctor Who.
…and then down to hell.
In “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” , Michelle Gomez played a double role: as Mary Wardwell, she was the “safe haven”, a person you could trust, and as Lilith / Madam Satan – she became someone you don’t trust even when she says exactly what you want to hear. It is a role based on precision: elegance, charm, control, and the sinking feeling that you just might be signing a contract without reading the fine print, brewing underneath. Gomez can be seductive and absolutely threatening here at the same time, and she doesn’t need grand gestures to establish that. One look is enough for you to know who is the boss here.
And when it’s time for the “stranger and stranger, wilder and wilder” vibe, we get Doom Patrol and Madame Rouge. This is a character tailored to Gomez’s timing: a little bit theatrical, a little cartoony, ambiguous and with the energy that makes you question whether you’re in for a joke or a threat. Gomez plays this role in a relaxed way, but with the emotions still present, intact and ready to boil over.
So if this is the mix you want to see – this comedic timing, classy darkness and a nice but distinctive “smile that means trouble” – we have great news: Michelle Gomez will be a guest of Pyrkon 2026! Bring your Tardis t-shirts (and Missy’s best lines), and make space for the autographs, because it would be a shame to miss such an opportunity!
Michał Szczepański
Minion Chaosu, Faila i samounicestwienia. Przy okazji kawosz, kociarz i rpgowiec.