I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie
- Publication: Daily Express
- Date: 2017-08-08
- Author: Mark Reynolds
- Page: 18
- Language: English
NEW Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker has described becoming the first woman to play the Time Lord as 'incredible and really emotional".
She was revealed as Peter Capaldi's successor last month and has already spoken with fellow actors who have played the role.
Talking to Shaun Keaveny on BBC 6 Music's breakfast show yesterday, Jodie, 35, said taking the role was "incredibly emotional because my entire life... all I ever wanted to be was be an actor and I wanted to do it because I wanted to play pretend, and that is the ultimate". She added: "I'm about to play an alien, a Time Lord. And that as a girl? Who knew?
"That's incredible and really emotional because of that."
West Yorkshire-born Jodie said taking on the role was "not in the realm of possibility growing up".
She added: "I've been asked so many times, 'What's your dream part?' and I always try to articulate something outside of what people tell me I can only play. And now it's like, 'See, I told ya'.
"The people that are in these roles that we are excited about, or passionate [about], or look up to, don't always have to tick the same box and that's what is really incredible about it."
Jodie, who has a two-year-old daughter with her husband, American actor Christian Contreras, said she missed the online reaction to the announcement as she does not use social media.
But she said friends had been sending her posts, including a video that went viral of a young girl overwhelmed by the news.
Asked about seeking advice from former Doctor Whos, Jodie said she knew several of them and they had shared what a unique experience it was, adding: "There's only a few people who know what it's like.
"I think the overwhelming sense of this is it is such an exciting journey you're about to go on and it's to be enjoyed.
"They know I don't know yet.
"There's no advice you can give because no person plays this part the same.
"What a freeing thing for my day one and I'm on set.
"I'll be, 'right, OK'."
She added that the show's new writer Chris Chibnall - with whom she worked on ITV's Broadchurch - would be "amazing".
She said: "I already know how incredible he is but just to know he's coming from a 'fan' point of view... the direction he's going to take it is going to be amazing."
Jodie will make her series debut in the Doctor Who Christmas special but reportedly only in a brief cameo - with the outgoing Doctor Capaldi taking the reins alongside his gay female sidekick Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie.
Viewers can see Jodie tonight, taking the lead in a four-part BBC1 drama, Trust Me, from 9pm.
Caption: Jodie, 35, arriving at the BBC yesterday
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- APA 6th ed.: Reynolds, Mark (2017-08-08). I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie. Daily Express p. 18.
- MLA 7th ed.: Reynolds, Mark. "I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie." Daily Express [add city] 2017-08-08, 18. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Reynolds, Mark. "I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie." Daily Express, edition, sec., 2017-08-08
- Turabian: Reynolds, Mark. "I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie." Daily Express, 2017-08-08, section, 18 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/I%27m_emotional_at_being_the_first_woman_Doctor_Who_says_Jodie | work=Daily Express | pages=18 | date=2017-08-08 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=23 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=I'm emotional at being the first woman Doctor Who says Jodie | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/I%27m_emotional_at_being_the_first_woman_Doctor_Who_says_Jodie | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=23 March 2025}}</ref>
