- published: 11 Mar 2016
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Peter Dougan Capaldi (born 14 April 1958) is a Scottish actor, writer and director. He has played numerous roles in film and television including Malcolm Tucker, a spin doctor in the BBC comedy series The Thick of It and its film spinoff In the Loop. He is best known for being the twelfth and current actor to play the title role in the long-running BBC One sci-fi series Doctor Who. As a director, he won the 1995 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his short film Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life.
Capaldi was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Nancy (née Soutar) and Gerald John Capaldi. His paternal grandfather was Italian while the rest of his ancestry is Scottish and Irish. His parents ran an ice cream business. He was educated at St Teresa's Primary School in Possilpark, St Matthew's Primary School in Bishopbriggs, and St Ninian's High School, Kirkintilloch, before attending the Glasgow School of Art.
Capaldi displayed an early talent for performance by putting on a puppet show in primary school. While at high school, he was a member of the Antonine Players, who performed at the Fort Theatre in Bishopbriggs. As an art student, he was the lead singer and guitarist in a punk rock band called The Dreamboys, whose drummer was future comedian Craig Ferguson.