Actor/Actress with the Most Impeccable "Nerd" Credentials

but also spaceships, aliens, Robots, planet destroying weapons....

Traditionalists believe that "true" sci-fi should have a real science component or deal explicitly with science and it's impact on people. See these definitions from Asimov and Heinlein:

According to Isaac Asimov, "Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology." Robert A. Heinlein wrote that "A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method."

Star Wars uses robots and spaceships to tell a fantasy story set in a space faring society, so by traditional definitions it's not really sci-fi. Its a space opera.

I'd argue modern Doctor Who isn't really, either. Its way more space fantasy than sci-fi. Old school Who depended on the writer.