Like every actor who has taken on the role of The Doctor, the two-hearted timeless being known throughout the universe, Peter Capaldi brought his unique acting style to the character, crafting a version that was both prickly and kind-hearted. This made the 12th Doctor a memorable regeneration of the beloved Time Lord.

Capaldi may have been a new face to many American viewers, but the Scottish actor already had an extensive career before joining the TARDIS. Notably, he won an Oscar for the short film “Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life,” which he wrote and directed in 1993. The short, an intriguing blend of comedy and fantasy, tracks the famed surrealist author on a Christmas Eve journey as he attempts to write “The Metamorphosis,” a 1915 novella about a man who inexplicably turns into a giant insect.

Featuring Richard E. Grant as Kafka, Capaldi’s film envisions the writer grappling with a creative block over the transformation of his character. Throughout the evening, Kafka must contend with the distractions and peculiar residents of his crowded apartment building. This oddly dark yet humorous film, replete with a Tim Burton-esque flair, ultimately shared the 1995 Academy Award for best live action short film with “Trevor.”

Beyond his early Oscar win, Peter Capaldi has amassed numerous accolades, including several Scottish, Welsh, and British BAFTAs. His portrayal of Malcolm Tucker, the abrasive and cunning spin doctor in the political satire “The Thick of It,” earned him multiple nominations. In 2010, he secured a British BAFTA for best male performance in a comedy role.

In 1993, Capaldi received a BAFTA Scotland award for best actor in “Soft Top Hard Shoulder” and another in 2009 for best acting performance for “In the Loop,” a spinoff of “The Thick of It.” In 2022, he was honored by the Scottish BAFTAs for his outstanding contribution to film and television.

While Capaldi’s tenure on “Doctor Who” did not win any BAFTAs, it did garner nominations in Scotland and Wales. This includes a 2016 BAFTA Scotland nomination for best actor in television and a 2015 BAFTA Cymru nomination for best actor for the poignant episode “Dark Water,” featuring the character Danny Pink’s (Samuel Anderson) demise.