Doctor Who: Jinkx Monsoon Introduces Maestro to the Pantheon of Doctor Who Villains

Doctor Who has teamed up with Disney+ to usher in a new era of the long-running sci-fi series. During the 60th anniversary specials last year, showrunner Russell T. Davies created an opening that has allowed him to introduce a plethora of new bad guys into the Doctor Who zeitgeist, preceeded by the legendary Toymaker. The latest, introduced as a descendant of the trickster god of play in "The Devil's Chord," is Jinkx Monsoon's Maestro. Stomping around the 1960s and stealing the music of The Beatles, Cilla Black, and more, Maestro leaves their mark as one of the best new villains introduced to the series in years.
Ahead of this weekend's new episode, I sat down with Monsoon to chat about her turn on the series. During our conversation we spoke about how Davies reached out to her about the role, the inspiration behind Maestro's elaborate costumes, and their connection to the Toymaker. Monsoon also discussed taking inspiration from the incomparable Michelle Gomez, who previously wowed Whovians as the first femme presenting version of the Master in Seasons 8-10. Monsoon had high praise for stars Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, who gave their all for every take - even when they weren't on camera. Finally, we also chatted about her current run on Broadway as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord “The Doctor” who is able to regenerate, and the Doctor’s human friends. The Doctor and companion’s journey through time and space in the TARDIS - a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box - saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
As a Drag Queen, Monsoon has her fair share of experience in crafting stunning aesthetics through both makeup and fashion. However, when asked if she had any influence over Maestro's look she confessed that they "were perfect when they came to me." She went on to say, "I just loved the looks. All I did was say, “Yes, and…” you know?"
Monsoon continued, explaining that each of Maestro’s costumes were inspired by iconic musicians from The Beatles to Adele. As the costume designers pulled from these legends, Monsoon applied that to her performance, assuming that Maestro also took the aesthetics of these musicians. She explained:
“They came to me showing me these ideas for Maestro that were inspired by iconic musicians throughout time, so you get a little bit of Liberace flair in the piano key coat and then we have a nod to Adele with my grande dame at the piano moment, and then of course, Sergeant Pepper in my music battle. But all I really did was say to them, “We the people, them, the designers, are getting the idea for the costumes from the iconic musicians, but in my mind, the iconic musicians got their ideas for their look from Maestro.” As if these iconic musicians throughout time have interacted with Maestro in some capacity before. That didn't really change the costumes, that's just where we all kind of went, “Yeah!” And I guess leaned in a little bit. [Laughs]”
#doctorwho #JinkxMonsoon #TARDIS
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[@silversweet9211]

We need a Missy / Maestro team up now!

[@animedndfangirl]

Yesssss

[@thisismyname3928]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@shirokuro73]

Jinkx was utterly spellbinding. A totally stunning performance, and an incredible episode!!

[@DonnaLang42rockglobally]

Jinkx was absolutely phenominal as Maestro - they gave me chills. And it's interesting, because there was a moment where Maestro gave a facial expreciat that immediately reminded me of Michelle Gomez as Missy - it was a sort of like the pre "balloon pop" scene with Osgood. Loved the performance and the entire episode. 5 out of 5 stars.

[@MichaelM28]

He not they

[@alilia2141]

I cannot wait to watch the episodes later tonight!

[@rickkarrer8370]

Jinkx crushed it. Perfect baddie.

[@_Carmela_]

Jinkx was fantastic! I would love to see her again! Maestro is a great villain!😊

[@MichaelM28]

Him not her

[@_Carmela_]

@@MichaelM28 I know!😄

[@rascal_rae]

the people demand a Maestro spinoff show 😤 or at LEAST like, way more episodes with them!

[@MichaelM28]

Him*

[@rascal_rae]

@@MichaelM28 as Jinkx said, if the fan base loses a few of you transphobes, don't let the door hit ya on the way out 👋

[@DmonHiro]

They killed it. That performance was 10/10.

[@MichaelM28]

He not they

[@juli859]

I agree! I loved it!!! They did a superb job with the part!!

[@juli859]

@@MichaelM28 Oh please.....go away, you little troll. Nobody wants your prejudice here.

[@kevintrent7624]

The "daddy" song was just EXCELLENT! Her performance was amazing! Bravo!

[@ResOwOnance]

Jinkx's outfits were glorious and so was she! I hope they bring Maestro back in the future, whether that be through TV or audiobooks.

[@slippyseconds8357]

Jinkx's performance was stunning, brave, and dare I say, life changing. Emmy award worthy even.

[@GeeHarliquin1]

Best compliment I can give is Jinkx Monsoon Owns Maestro just like Tim Curry Owns Frank 'N' Furter! Perfect Casting!

[@bennettnez4711]

Its awesome to see how much Jinkx cares about the actual lore, and dang, it shows in her performance.

[@MichaelM28]

his performance*

[@bennettnez4711]

@@MichaelM28 no

[@bennettnez4711]

@@MichaelM28 liking your own comment is so sad little boy

[@Jogproof]

A fantastic interview and Jinkx was absolutely brilliant in the episode especially being fun NB rep for us.

[@MichaelM28]

He's a man

[@gameburn178]

Seeing Jinkx here, her humanity and just being herself, I'm not sure they got the best use out of her as Maestro. I mean, all the Doctor Who villains tend to be a little underdeveloped, but the Maestro character doesn't seem to have any "note" but wildly musical. Not even musicians are that musical. I think we need to be more sympathetic about the fates/lives of these characters as real living creatures with our own motives and lives away from the camera. But that's been a failing for most of the villains/opposites to Dr Who. Maestro is a god? Not sure this works at all. Greek mythology -- like all mythologies -- is not to be read literally. Muses and Gods are personifications of things, not swirly cloud guys up in space who come down occasionally to live among mortals wreaking havoc. They are here all the time, in our actions, in our ideals.

[@alex-lv6sb]

[@darkiplier3430]

Theory - the toymaker and maestro are apart of the same pantheon as the trickster. As we know when the doctor meets the trickster in wedding of sarah jane (found in SJ adventures) he states he is part of the pantheon of discord. Now we now find out that toymaker and maestro are part of a pantheon and both of their powers end up causing some kind of discord. Plus it would fit with the timeline as when the trickster met the doctor the toymaker had already been defeated by 1st doctor and thanks to a throwaway line by maestro: "daddy was so mean...". We can call it a stretch that he trapped his kids and kept them back until 14 played that game with the salt bringing the old pantheon back starting with toymaker. Plus the person who drops ruby off at the church wears similar clothing to the trickster... any thoughts??

[@MichaelM28]

R.I.P Doctor Who 1963 - 2017

[@coloraturawhite892]

Aww no need to put your timeline in the comments babes

[@Rashy225]

Waaahhhh waaahhhh

[@tom6039]

This guy was a disaster on Doctor Who...

[@quietdemon8138]

How?

[@gameburn178]

She was great, I'm just not sure about the premise: goddess of music stuff... I think Who is better when it's more down to earth. Not enough new writers to give the Doctor and the series more depth.

[@tom6039]

@@gameburn178 He is a terrible actor and his character is an abomination to the series

[@quietdemon8138]

@@gameburn178 ‘down to earth’? It’s literally a show about an alien who travels in time and space in a spaceship shaped like a police box

[@quietdemon8138]

@@tom6039 how?