Trivia

She was named after the American actress Jodie Foster.

In July 2017, she was announced as Peter Capaldi's replacement in the 2017 Christmas special as the 13th incarnation of the Doctor in the Doctor Who (2005) series, making her the first woman to play the role of the Doctor in 54 years of the franchise's existence. She was cast by Chris Chibnall, with whom she had worked on Broadchurch (2013).

Was three months pregnant with her daughter when she completed filming the second season of Broadchurch (2013).

Peter O'Toole described Jodie and Rose Byrne as the two best young actresses he'd ever worked with.

Sixth Doctor Colin Baker responded to her casting by saying "the BBC really did do the right thing and let the Doctor be in touch with her feminine side. As a father of daughters - result!" Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy said ""congratulations Jodie Whittaker!!!!! One small step for Women, one Giant leap for Womenkind!!".

She keeps a copy of her Doctor Who costume at home to have it ready whenever she is needed for an event for children.

Although much was made of her casting as the first woman to play the Doctor, the prospect of a female Doctor had been mooted since 1980, when the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, left the role and wished his successor the best "whoever he or she may be".

She graduated from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she won the Gold Medal for Acting.

She gave birth to her 1st child at age 32, a daughter in April 2015, and her second child at age 39 in May 2022. The children's father is her husband, Christian Contreras.

Since October 2018, she has had her own wax statue displayed in Madame Tussaud's Blackpool, based on her appearance as the Thirteenth Doctor.

She is the aunt of late child actor Harry Whittaker (2011-2014).

She is the second actor, after Christopher Eccleston, to play the Doctor, a Time Lord/Lady from the planet Gallifrey, with a Northern English accent.

When Chris Chibnall took over as the showrunner of Doctor Who (2005), she originally asked him if she could play a villain in the show. He then encouraged her to audition for the part of the Doctor instead.

Returned to work 11 months after giving birth to her daughter to begin filming Journeyman (2017).

Her earliest memory is falling into a pool in Benidorm at the age of three.

In August 2007, she was in rehearsals for a revival of Clifford Odets's "Awake & Sing," Almeida Theatre, London.

She is four months younger than the Eleventh Doctor Who actor Matt Smith.