How Millie Gibson transformed from a soap star into a Victorian ballerina

Entertainment · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From the streets of Coronation Street to the sci-fi worlds of Doctor Who, Millie Gibson is rapidly becoming a versatile force in British drama. Her recent role as the bohemian Irene in The Forsytes required a total physical and aesthetic overhaul, including mastering ballet and donning a striking red wig.

Millie Gibson's career has been defined by rapid, transformative shifts. Having won Best Young Performer at the 2022 British Soap Awards for playing Kelly Neelan on ITV's Coronation Street, she moved into the sci-fi series Doctor Who. As Ruby Sunday, she navigated alien encounters alongside the fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, often balancing intense filming schedules with rigorous physical training. Her journey from Manchester to international fame was marked by early roles in series like Jamie Johnson. This momentum continued as she transitioned from soap opera regular to a key figure in major BBC science-fiction productions.

This physical preparation became essential for her role in the reimagined drama The Forsytes. To portray Irene, an aspiring ballerina with a bohemian background, Gibson had to study late Victorian ballet. This was a period when ballet was often viewed as a somewhat scandalous art form. To capture the character's essence, she worked with choreographer Sammy Murray and trained alongside professional dancers from the Royal Ballet in London. Her intense preparation coincided with her busy filming schedule for the Doctor Who series. This dual commitment required her to master complex movements while simultaneously managing high-stakes television production.

The transformation was so complete that it caused confusion for both audiences and family. While American viewers might see her natural blonde hair, British audiences—accustomed to her natural look in previous roles—were met with a vibrant red wig. The change was so striking that even Gibson's grandmother failed to recognize her in photographs. This dedication to character is so profound that Gibson has even memorialized the role with a tattoo of a ballet slipper. The actress's natural hair color is blonde, which contrasts sharply with her character's appearance. This aesthetic shift highlights her ability to inhabit entirely different personas through meticulous detail.

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