Get to Know Jodie Whittaker, the New Star of Doctor Who

Jodie grew up in Skelmanthorpe, a village a few miles outside of Huddersfield in Yorkshire.

Jodie's middle name is Auckland, like the city in New Zealand.

Jodie's breakout role was in the 2006 independent British film Venus alongside legendary actor Peter O’Toole. The actress, who was 24 at the time, played the Lolita-esque love interest for O'Toole, who is 50 years her senior.

Jodie once stood in for Carey Mulligan in the stage production of The Seagull with only three hours notice.

Jodie married American actor Christian Contreras in Arizona in 2008. The pair met in drama school and are very private about their relationship. Jodie told the Telegraph “he's mine, he's not anyone else’s!” However, we do know one other tidbit . . .

Jodie gave birth to her and Christian’s first child, a daughter, in 2015. She went back to work on Broadchurch only a few months later.

In an interview following the announcement, Jodie explained, "I've been asked so many times growing up, 'What's your dream part?', and I always try and articulate something that is outside of what people have told me I can and only play. And now it's like, see?! I told you!"