Daphne Ashbrook

I was the first companion to kiss the Doctor. I played Grace Holloway to Paul McGann's Doctor in the 1996 TV movie. We shared three kisses, in fact: very sweet and chaste. When I took the part, I'd never even heard of 'Doctor Who.' No one warned me that the kisses would be a big deal.

I'll always be grateful for what 'Doctor Who' has given me. I go to quite a few fan conventions. It's lovely to hang out with people you worked with so long ago. And, more than that, it's made me aware of the impact that television can have.

You make your first album, you make some money, and you feel like you still have to show face, like 'I still go to the projects.' I'm like, why? Your job is to inspire people from your neighborhood to get out. You grew up there. What makes you think it's so cool?