Jodie Whittaker has opened up about the lead-up to landing the lead role in ‘Doctor Who’, revealing that the show’s new boss “very much” wanted a female star for the part.
While Chris Chibnall previously claimed that he was simply searching for the best actor, regardless of gender, Jodie has now said that she knows she was up against other actresses in the final rounds.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Jodie explains how she felt when Chris asked her to try out, telling the publication: “I remember walking through London after that going, ‘What the fuck?!?’
The ‘Broadchurch’ actress then faced multiple rounds of auditions, before finding out that she had landed the part in March, four months before the news became public knowledge.
“I have no idea who, but I know I was up against other actresses,” Jodie said of the process. “It was very much that Chris [Chibnall] was auditioning people for the first female Doctor.”
While the hunt was ongoing, Chris addressed speculation over whether the 13th Doctor would be female multiple times, assuring fans that he would find the best person for the job.
A number of female actors were linked to the role, including Jodie’s ‘Broadchurch’ co-star Olivia Colman and ‘Fleabag’ actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, before the official announcement delighted fans in July.