Unless you’ve been living under a very sizeable rock these past few weeks, you’ll know Jodie Whittaker has been announced as the new Doctor, taking over from Peter Capaldi when he bows out in this year’s Christmas special (sob).
And while she may be a new name to some, she’s already gained a reputation as an actor with a phenomenal range among those in the know. Comedy, anguish, cockiness: she can turn her hand to them all, and as if to prove a point, she’s popped up in the St. Trinian’s movies, appeared in one episode of Charlie Brooker‘s Black Mirror, and played Anne Hathaway‘s best friend in One Day, not to mention done her fair share of period drama, with early roles in Cranford and Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
If you’re unfamiliar with her work, then below is a list of her five best roles, and where to watch them. But be quick: you’ve got less than five months to watch all of them in time for her Doctor Who debut.
Venus (2006)
It’d be an impressive young actor who could hold their own alongside acting legends Peter O’Toole, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Griffiths and Leslie Philips, but that’s exactly what Jodie did with this, her breakthrough role. She plays Jessie, a brash, headstrong 19-year-old who strikes up a strangely touching relationship with elderly actor Maurice (O’Toole). The film led to an eighth Oscar nomination for O’Toole (an award he lost, for a record-breaking eighth time too), but critics also singled out newcomer Jodie for praise.
Watch: Amazon | Google | Netflix
Attack the Block (2011)
Doctor Who won’t be the first time Jodie’s fought aliens. In Joe Cornish‘s Attack the Block, Jodie plays trainee nurse Samantha, whose entire worldview is challenged when she and her young neighbors are forced to protect their home from extra-terrestrials. And that’s not all. Not only did the film star the soon-to-be Doctor, but it also launched the careers of future stormtrooper John Boyega, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow‘s Franz Drameh, and Fortitude star Luke Treadaway.
Watch: Amazon | Google | Netflix
Broadchurch (2013-17)
It’s fair to say our attention was focused on David Tennant and Olivia Colman when this stellar crime drama premiered on BBC America, (Broadchurch season three is currently airing Wednesdays, 10/9c) but it wasn’t long before we were mesmerized by Jodie’s performance too. Her portrayal of Beth Latimer, a mother struggling to come to terms with the death of her 11-year-old son, was quietly devastating — and her pain palpable at every twist and turn of the story.
The Assets (2014)
Jodie made her debut on U.S. network TV in this ABC miniseries about real-life double agent Aldrich Ames. She played Sadie Grimes, the woman who, at the height of the Cold War, managed to track down the CIA agent turned Soviet spy (played by Victoria‘s Paul Rhys), and bring him to justice. ABC pulled it after just two episodes, citing low ratings, but that didn’t stop it getting good reviews and its fair share of fans.
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Watch: Netflix
Adult Life Skills (2016)
This British comedy’s indie credentials were confirmed when it premiered last year to glowing reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jodie plays 29-year-old Anna, who’s stuck in a rut. More specifically, she lives in her mum’s garden shed and spends her days making videos using her thumbs as actors. Comedian Brett Goldstein and Alice Lowe (Hot Fuzz, Sherlock) also star, but it’s Jodie’s quirky performance that pulls the whole thing together.
Watch: Google
Which role id you first see Jodie in?