Neil Gaiman, the creator of Good Omens, once detailed on Tumblr that his entry through the pearly gates into Heaven may depend on one thing: the fact that he was the first to put David Tennant and Michael Sheen together.
You may wonder what could’ve prompted the renowned author to reach such a conclusion. Interestingly enough, the on-screen pair’s shared presentation at the BAFTA TV Awards 2020, when they announced the winner of the Best Mini-Series, was what caused it.
The bit, though brief, reflected the two stars’ shared chemistry. While their affiliation has left an indelible mark on the pop-culture tapestry, it is relatively new, dating back to 2019 with Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens Season 1.
Following that came their pandemic sitcom, Staged—the series that became the backbone of the award-show segment that induced Gaiman’s response. Since then, they’ve become an iconic pair and continue to make their camaraderie known through various collaborations.
The magic of their collaborative spirit shone much recently at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, where David Tennant briefly roped in Michael Sheen during the opening skit and monologue. It’s no surprise that Gaiman thinks their collaboration is worthy of sending him to Heaven, given Good Omens birthed the pairing we’ve all come to love and adore!
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The David Tennant-Michael Sheen Duo May Send Neil Gaiman To Heaven, The Author Believes
On Neil Gaiman‘s Tumblr account, as he re-blogged the clip of David Tennant and Michael Sheen presenting the Best Mini-Series Award at the 2020 BAFTA TV Awards pure Staged-style, the author wrote what he thinks would make him somewhat ‘Writers’ Heaven’-worthy, if not directly qualified to enter it. And that would be his decision to put the two actors together in Good Omens.
In the reposted video, which you can see on YouTube, the adored co-stars bicker their way through the segment, deciding who between them will present the nominees and reveal the winner. Even in a brief 1-minute bit, the duo’s synergy and chemistry were made known to the audience, illustrating why their pairing works in the first place.
No wonder Neil Gaiman was moved to make his comment. Following is what the Coraline alum said:
“One day, when I’m dead, someone at the Gates will ask me if I did anything to qualify for admission to Writers’ Heaven. And then I’ll list all the books I wrote, … all the good deeds I tried to do, and the worthwhile causes I supported, and they will just stare at me, unsmiling and unimpressed.”
He continued,
“… Finally, in desperation, I’ll say ‘Well, I was the first one to put David Tennant and Michael Sheen together…’ And the unimpressed expression will become a huge and delighted smile. ‘You did that?’ they will say. ‘God LOVES them!'”
In conclusion, the writer stated that he feels he may still not be allowed into Writers’ Heaven but would “take that one thing with [him] as [his] fragment of Grace” while walking down the stairs to Writers’ Hell.
Most fans would agree that Gaiman, with his incredible foresight, worked his magic and irrevocably altered the trajectory of pop culture and TV history. Not only is Good Omens one of the best-received shows, but the combination of Tennant and Sheen did wonders for elevating the premise.
As a result of that fateful decision, we now see the two stars oft-collaborate and reunite, even beyond Good Omens and Staged. Their recent reunion at the 2024 BAFTAs is one example, and as expected, their chemistry keeps entertaining viewers.
Host David Tennant Reunited With Michael Sheen For The 2024 BAFTAs
During the Season 1 press junket for Good Omens, Michael Sheen once said on This Morning, “Now that I’ve had a taste of working with David, I only want to work with David.” That seems to be a feeling Tennant reciprocates, too, and this year’s BAFTAs proved so once again.
The Doctor Who star hosted the 77th British Academy Film Awards on February 18, 2024. It was the 52-year-old Scottish actor’s first time doing so. Before his hilarious monologue, Tennant enlisted the help of frequent collaborator Sheen for the opening skit that kicked off the event.
In the style of Staged, the pre-recorded ‘bit’ saw Sheen checking in on Tennant’s promise to dog-sit the former star’s pup, Bark Ruffalo. The only problem? The day to do so, a Sunday, coincided with the Jessica Jones alum’s hosting of the BAFTAs!
As he made a fruitless attempt to plead his case and turn down the task, Sheen exited the call, exclaiming, “That sounds like a you problem!” Faced with no other option, Tennant sought the assistance of well-known figures. This included Stanley Tucci, Himesh Patel, Tom Hiddleston, and Judi Dench, who rejected the actor’s request, much to his dismay.
The skit culminated in David Tennant having to sneak Bark Ruffalo into the Royal Festival Hall, London, where the ceremony was slated to occur. As the pre-recorded segment ended and he walked into the venue, the Gracepoint star spotted none other than Michael Sheen in the front row!
Tennant and Sheen exchanged a few quips before the former handed over the puppy to his rightful owner as he headed up the stage stairs to begin his monologue.
You can check out the video below:
To catch more of the Tennant-Sheen duo in their on-screen glory, you can stream the two seasons of Good Omens, based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s co-written 1990 novel, or you can buy/rent their lockdown sitcom Staged, both on Amazon Prime Video.
