Jodie Whittaker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jodie Whittaker
Whittaker at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2022
Born	Jodie Auckland Whittaker (1982-06-17) 17 June 1982 (age 43) Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, England
Alma mater	Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2005–present
Spouse(s)	Christian Contreras ​ (m. 2008)​
Children	2
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Jodie Auckland Whittaker (born 17 June 1982) is a talented English actress. She is widely known for her exciting roles on television. Many people recognize her as Beth Latimer in the drama series Broadchurch. She also famously played the Thirteenth Doctor in the popular science fiction show Doctor Who. She was the first woman to take on this iconic role.

Jodie first became well-known in 2006 with her movie debut in Venus. For this role, she received nominations for important film awards. Later, she earned praise for her work in the science fiction film Attack the Block (2011). She also starred in the Black Mirror episode "The Entire History of You" (2011). In 2017, Jodie made history by becoming the thirteenth actor to play the Doctor in Doctor Who. She took over the role from Peter Capaldi in the Christmas special "Twice Upon a Time". Her first full series as the Doctor was in 2018. She left the show after three special episodes in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Jodie Auckland Whittaker was born on June 17, 1982. Her hometown is Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, England. She is the second child of Yvonne and Adrian Whittaker. Jodie went to Scissett Middle School and Shelley High School. After that, she studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She graduated in 2005 and even won an acting gold medal.

Her Acting Journey

Starting Her Career

Whittaker at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards

Jodie Whittaker began her professional acting career in 2005. Her first stage performance was in a play called The Storm at Shakespeare's Globe. Since then, she has worked in many different areas. These include films, television shows, radio plays, and theatre productions. In 2007, she stepped in for another actress in a play at the Royal Court Theatre.

Her first big movie role was as Jessie in the film Venus (2006). This role earned her nominations for the British Independent Film Awards and the Satellite Award. She also acted in radio shows, like an adaptation of Blinded by the Sun. In 2009, she appeared in films such as Ollie Kepler's Expanding Purple World and Perrier's Bounty. She also worked on the BBC Two drama Royal Wedding. Her short film Wish 143 was nominated for an Oscar.

In the early 2010s, Jodie starred in the TV series Accused (2010). She also appeared in the TV movie The Night Watch. A notable role was Ffion in the Black Mirror episode "The Entire History of You". In movies, she was in the sci-fi comedy Attack the Block. Other films included The Kid (2010) and One Day (2011). She also returned to the stage in the play Antigone.

In 2014, she played Sandra Grimes in the spy drama The Assets. She also starred as Anna in the short film Emotional Fusebox. She later played this role again in the movie Adult Life Skills. For this, she received nominations for Best Actress awards. Jodie also took a main role in the popular ITV crime drama Broadchurch (2013–2017). She also starred in the BBC One medical drama Trust Me (2017).

Becoming the Thirteenth Doctor

Whittaker at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con promoting Doctor Who

On July 16, 2017, the BBC announced exciting news. Jodie Whittaker would play the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who. This made her the first woman to ever play the Doctor. She had worked with the new Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall before on Broadchurch. Jodie had to keep her new role a secret. She even used the codeword "Clooney" when talking about it.

Jodie asked fans to be open to the change. She said Doctor Who is all about exciting changes. She believed this was just a new, different change, not something to be afraid of. Chris Chibnall said he always wanted a woman for the part. He stated that Jodie was their top choice.

Most people reacted positively to Jodie's casting. Some felt a female Doctor would be a great role model for young girls. Jodie first appeared as the Doctor in the 2017 Christmas special "Twice Upon a Time".

In November 2018, the BBC confirmed that the twelfth series was in production. This was Jodie's second series as the Doctor. She also returned for the thirteenth series. She even voiced the Doctor in the 2022 BBC Sounds podcast Doctor Who: Redacted. Jodie left the show after the series and three special episodes in 2022. Her performance generally received praise.

On May 31, 2025, Jodie made a surprise return. She reprised her role as the Thirteenth Doctor in the Doctor Who series 15 finale "The Reality War". She appeared alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Starting in July 2025, Jodie also began reprising her role in a series of Doctor Who audio dramas. These are produced by Big Finish Productions.

Recent Projects (2023–Present)

In February 2023, Jodie Whittaker was filming a new Australian drama series. It is called One Night for Paramount+. The series was released in Australia on September 1, 2023. It came out in the UK and Ireland on November 24, 2023.

In April 2023, it was announced that Jodie would star in the second series of the BBC prison drama Time. She appeared alongside Bella Ramsey and Siobhan Finneran. Filming began in spring 2023 in and around Liverpool. The series premiered on BBC One in October 2023.

In August 2023, Jodie joined the main cast of the Netflix limited series Toxic Town. This series is based on the Corby toxic waste case. It was released worldwide on Netflix on February 27, 2025.

From October to December 2024, Jodie starred in the West End stage play The Duchess.

On January 30, 2025, it was announced that Jodie and Suranne Jones would star in Frauds. This is a 6-part ITV heist series about two confidence women.

On July 7, 2025, it was announced that Jodie Whittaker would star in Dear England. This is a 4-part BBC series. It is adapted from a popular stage play about English football manager Gareth Southgate. Joseph Fiennes plays Southgate. Jodie will play the team's psychologist. The series is set to broadcast on the BBC in the UK in 2026.

Personal Life

Jodie Whittaker met Christian Contreras, an actor and writer, at drama school. They got married in Arizona in 2008. They welcomed their daughter in April 2015. Their second child was born in 2022. As of 2018, Jodie and her family live in London.

Film and Television Roles

Jodie Whittaker has had many roles in films and television shows. Here are some of her notable appearances:

Films

Television Shows

Stage Performances

Jodie has also performed in many plays:

Awards and Recognitions

Jodie Whittaker has been nominated for and won several awards for her acting:

See also

In Spanish: Jodie Whittaker para niños