Happy Sad Confused - Jodie Whittaker

Episode Date: October 23, 2018

The doctor is in! Sure "Happy Sad Confused" has welcomed "Doctor Who" veterans like Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the past but here is a first--the current custodian of the iconic role themselves!  And if anyone is up to the challenge of this role it's certainly Jodie Whittaker who makes a delightful first appearance on the show in the middle of a hectic whirlwind New York Comic Con week. Josh and Jodie talk at length about the process of landing the famed role, the weight of being the first female to assume the mantle, and trace the actress' past, back to childhood and her first important roles in "Venus" and "Attack the Block".  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

D.C. high volume, Batman. The Dark Nights definitive DC comic stories adapted directly for audio for the very first time. Fear, I have to make them afraid. He's got a motorcycle. Get after him or have you shot. What do you mean blow up the building? From this moment on,

none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Today on Happy Say Confused, there's a doctor in the house. Jody Whitaker comes by to talk about her new role on Doctor Who. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to the show. Welcome to another edition of Happy Set Confused, where I am proud to say, yes, we have the newest doctor.

You are probably by now enjoying the new series of Doctor Who, starring Jody Whitaker. She has, of course, broken down some boundaries by being the first female doctor long overdue. She's killing it, getting great reviews as well she should as it's not surprising considering she's been so well reviewed in all of her work. I remember her way back when on her film debut in Venus opposite Peter O'Toole, a little film that you should definitely check out. Of course, she was going to attack the block. She's done an amazing television work. We covered it all in this wonderful conversation in the midst of the craziness that was in York Comic-Con, Jody came by the office to chat. We'd only chat relatively briefly at San Diego

Comic-Con a few months ago, but I knew immediately I wanted her on the show because she was such a she's such a vibrant life force, so much energy and enthusiasm and that really comes through. So for all you Anglophiles out there, this one is for you. And if you just want to hear a delightful conversation with an enthusiastic and talented performer, this one's for you as well. That's all I'm going to say, go check out Doctor Who, and in the meantime, remember to spread the good word of happy, say it confused, review, rate and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts, tell your friends, tell your family, happy say I confused, where you can catch all the best filmmakers and actors out there. And that certainly applies to today's guest. So, enjoy this chat

with the one and only Jody Whitaker. I'm just something slightly in, oh. Jody's taking in my office. What, you like the E.T? Yeah. Isn't that comforting? Doesn't that bring you back? Can I have a photo with it afterwards?

You can take it with you, whatever you need. Don't say that because I will. Okay, never mind. You can have a lot of photos. No, don't take it. And don't take my laptop. Don't take anything, actually. Don't you laptop.

I want E.T. No, interesting you're a laptop. And that'll definitely get through customs, holding my hand. There's a lot in here for you. There's, yeah, there's E.T. There's booze. There's movie pose.

Well, you know it so well. Exactly. So what more can you ask for in an office, right? Thanks so much for stopping by, though. No, this is brilliant. This is brilliant. As you can see, there's no formality to this as casual as we get. But I hope you're enjoying your time in New York. How's it going?

Well, it's wonderful. It's just a little bit annoying that I'm in room to room and not seeing in New York and hanging out in New York. You're saying you'd rather be in a room with a window and air in it? Yeah, I'm just out on a street. Seeing human beings? But yeah, no, it's brilliant, and it's, I think just the thing about for us is we've had such a long time of secrets that finally, now, because it's Comic Con, it's going to be shown at Comic Con, we are getting to share all this hard work, because that, that's just, it's like a long time coming. It is a long time. So how long ago, okay, you were cast, get the timeline down. When were you cast?

So I was cast a couple of months before the reveal. The reveal was in July of 17. at the end of Wimbledon, the Wimbledon men's final. Okay. We have to just associate with any significant British event, basically. That's the way we do things. Yes. Yeah, yeah, okay. Not won by a Brit.

But, you know, it was an event. At least you hosted it. Yeah. I think Roger Federer took that title. He wins a moment. Well done, well done, Roger. But, yeah, so, and then the reveal happened. And then two days after that, I shot the Regen sequence.

Obviously, they couldn't sneak me in before because it would leak. Spoilers, spoilers. And then we started shooting on the 30th of October, 17, and we finished August 18. Amazing. Yeah. Okay, so you've had a little, a moment breather. Have you had time off since?

I'm like, a moment breather on this. It's like, can you do this? Can you do this? Can you do this? Yeah, go on then. But it is brilliant. I love it. And actually, I haven't, there was a really long gap for me of not seeing Brad Mandipantosin from August until the middle of September, and it was too long.

so that was that was that was brilliant would they agree do they feel the same I think I think um toasting plays it pretty cool but I know deep down he needs you he's enthusiastic as mandip and brad playing it too cool for school man is horizontally laid back which is not what I would describe you as perhaps absolutely not and neither is Brad and neither is mandip so the poor guy is probably exhausted so but I out of all of us I am not the most manic. What? Fifty-eight-year-old Bradley Walsh is exhausting.

I adore him, but he is exhausting. He exhausts you? Everyone. Everyone in his life. How does that manifest? What's the... He's just a teenage boy, like, trapped inside this grown-up exterior. He's just fart noises, like putting props in your pockets and midwest.

You're like, oh, what? And, you know, my phenomenal take. I have to go again, or he's moved something round or he's pulling a face in the background, but it is the most joyous environment to be in because we are on this incredible set with these incredible people having the time of our life and we are really close

and we respect each other and give each other the space to work, but we also have a very good sense of humour, which is necessary for these long hours. I'm sure, and you're in such an odd and unique situation where it would be cruel to, kind of go through it alone. You need some compatriots to kind of like commiserate with like, this is crazy, right? Yeah. And I know from the, obviously from the history of it that having three is a lucky, lucky thing. You know, not everyone gets three mates in it. So I am enjoying every second

of that. Because obviously it shares, it shares the responsibility and the energy spread out. And for the audience, they get to see this through four different perspectives and, you know, four very different ones as well. So, so let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, circle around back since we have some time. I know, sorry, I keep going off. No, I love it. It's because E.T.'s looking at me and he's giving me inspiration. He's like, keep talking, keep talking.

I'll be right. You could be the voice of the new E.T. reboot, a manic E. Thank you very much. I'm not that manic. In the audition, I would be very calm. Let's do your E.T. audition. Okay. Reading for E.T. now is Jody Whitaker.

I think E.T. would have a Yorkshire accent for a start. Because people from Galefrey have a Yorkshire. in the moment. So it's fine. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. Um, okay. So let's talk to me, what, what adjectives would you assign to young Jody Whitaker? What was she like? Young, I would say, uh, bubbly, uh, energetic, questioning and not very self-conscious. So just sort of like, I've got an older brother, you know, I was perpetually humiliated. it takes a lot to embarrass me. It takes a lot for any sense of vanity

to kick in for me because all that was stripped by and all the other. He just broke you down early on. Mates. How much older? It's two and a half years, but oh man, he's like, I've merged who you are today.

Have you finally earned his respect now that you've... Well, now it's full circle, and I'm absolutely delighted that in all our local areas where we were brought up and have known both of us our entire life, He's now known as Jodie's brother. His identity has been completely stripped. And so it should.

That's for putting a clothesline across the end of the drive and chasing me down. It all comes full circle, man. Ooh, I've just noticed. A little, what? Aviation. We're supporting Ryan, we're supporting Ryan Reynolds. It's a lovely bottle.

Isn't it? Yes, in my life. This is apparently where the money is now. If you're George Clooney, he didn't. I know, Casas. Casamigos, like they sold for a billion dollars. Jody, you're in the wrong business. I think I would...

What kind of booze would you sell if you were... If you attached your name to a line of booze? Uh, oh, wine. Wine. Just a nice little vineyard. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, but if I could attach me into anything,

it'd be probably biscuits. Because I think biscuits. Now, when you say biscuits, you're not talking about American biscuits, right? Because I don't know what's the... Well, like, I think of like the... I need a translator, come on. No, how would you define a biscuit in your world?

Like a custard cream. Okay. Do you have them? Yeah. Chocolate digestive? Hobnob. Now you're just floating every term that we never use around here in my face, as if just to point out all the differences between us. There's a couple of people who maybe live here, but are from there, they're going, oh, I'm really homesick right now. But you have significant American associations.

Yeah. Yeah. Namely in the house. Naming the house. I'll be very brief on this subject. But, yeah, I am married to an American from Tucson. And so I've spent a lot of time in Arizona and a lot of time. I'm in the States.

And I feel incredibly welcomed here and, you know, half of my family, every American. And as a surprise to me, after I told them I got the job, a lot of my family here are Huvians. Oh, yeah. And I didn't just limit it. Yeah, I didn't just limit it to, like, UK friends and family. It was, wow, a lot of my family here are as well. I think I've probably ruined it from my nephews now and they're like, oh. That's what they're doing.

I respectfully disagree with the choice. But yeah. Who in your immediate vicinity was the most excited about you getting this? Like who in your family or friends? Oh, I think, I mean, I think in my close bubble and my core group, I think all of them for very different reasons. I think, you know, your parents, yeah, yeah. Your parents because they've, you know, they've been through it all with you, you know, and they've, you know, them supporting this decision, which at the, you know, them supporting this decision, which at the,

the time could have appeared to a different set of parents as a ridiculous aspiration was a supported dream from them and you know and then and and then I stuck at it and I was supported at sticking at it and this paid off but I think you know like lots lots of my mates um are happy about I think sometimes that a few of my mates might be a bit annoyed now that whenever we go places I'm whispering because I'm so paranoid and they'll just speak up nobody cares I don't care I'm just, I'm a pretty big deal now, guys. I have to whisper my order at a restaurant. They might leak out.

I'm like, oh, get off your high horse, love. But yeah, but I think, I think growing up, I was really, I was really influenced. I love your office. I know it's a podcast and no one, when it's seen this, but. By now people listening know what's in my weird office. Yeah, yeah, of course.

And, but this is my, this is my playground as a kid, all this, all the, you know, I'm born in 82, all the creature features, all, but also then the indies that kicked in once I was a teenager and then we started to realize that a film could be three people in a very intimate family drama and that was okay it didn't need to be you know epic and and so cinema and television have had this huge effect on me my entire life because I

my way into everything was make believe even even now like I kind of give everything a voice my poor family You were like, pick it up Cutleray and making them talk. A one woman's show, yeah. You don't need friends. I know.

So what were the shifting, the movies or TV shows that shifted sort of your worldview? So before I had a conscious that I was affected by it, I think E.T. Goonis, particularly. That is responsible for this journey,

for me, because it was so impactful on me as a child because it spoke to me in that it had adult themes it had big emotional questions and a sense that children can save parents and I loved that idea

that the heroes weren't taking the form that a lot of films take that form but also in the 80s and 90s there was so much cinema really tuned into that camaraderie of friendship groups you know stand by me and and people working together but those people being the young ones

and you know and like lost boys and all that kind of stuff and I think I loved never-ending story but I was terrified I mean the nothing the concept of the nothing still gets me

that is am I allowed to swear yeah please that is some dark shit I mean literally dark it's nothing well that's the whole thing I mean

you're a kid when you watch like I watched it you know when it came out and there's there's this nothing coming to watch you it's funny you say that because I had this conversation

with someone recently I haven't seen this new film but there's a new film from Eli Roth called The House of the Clock on its walls But what I've heard him talk Yeah exactly His approach to it Makes me excited to see it

And he's right Is that those films in the 80s you're talking about Like never ending story We're dark And really dead I mean you wish your brother You wish your baby brother away And then it happens

It's terrifying Time bandits The parents die at the end Yeah What a flight of the navigator I loved that film I just watched the dark crystal this week Do you know what I have never seen it

I know I know I've never seen it But you know what I'm massive Back to the Future fan But I haven't seen it for years And I watched it on the plane over Did you really? Did it hold up?

Yes I mean kick me out the room But I saw it terrible Terrible to see it on a plane But I saw already play a one Whatever form it takes It's still great. I loved it.

Absolutely loved it. And it just evokes that nostalgia, but incredibly modern as well. And everything that cinema and gaming and all those things eventually end up being, but without losing what's gone before. Right. Which is a good segue for Doctor Who. Amazing. Brilliant.

Brilliant. And accidental. She's a pro. She's a pro guys. So when you get started and it's, It seems like acting was always going to be the pursuit. What was the first way in? I mean, you went to school for it.

Yeah, right. Yeah, I think we have a different school system, but where I'm from in Huddersfield, which I would just like to clarify is actually spell H-U-D-D-E-R-S-F-I-E-L-D. When I was on Nick Colbert the other night, they quickly tried to subtitle what I was saying, and it came up as Hoodlesfield or something.

Sounds like a Dr. Seuss place. Yeah, it looked so much back. better in the way they put it, but it's actually Huddersfield. Okay, for the record. So, there we go. You're welcome back home now. Yeah. So when I, yeah, when I was growing up and in that area, you did, I think, do you got primary school?

What's that elementary? Yeah, yeah. Then I had middle school, then high school. That's unusual in the UK to have three. You usually go, you know, primary elementary to high. I don't know, I don't get it. Okay. But that's what, but we had this middle school.

school section and I but you can leave school at 16 in the I don't know can he still now leave school at 16 I don't know but when you know when I graduated in 98 I was leaving school at 16 and choosing then to go do two years of like a performing arts course somewhere else just but essentially that wasn't to hone in on any skill for me that was to kill two years because at 12 or 13 I decided I was going backpacking for a year and I'd started secret squirrel saving without telling anyone because I always had a job and I were lucky to get pocket money and so I like I buried that stuff under the bed and I casually threw into conversation about you know at 17

I was like oh for my 18th birthday could have some help going travelling so I really want to go backpacking for a year and my dad naively went yeah yeah you know if you start saving thinking how he was giving me six months if you start saving you can you know I'll help you out double what you save and we want to get you a ticket to go for your 18 scammer yeah and then when I presented my account.

Where the, you know, you have that? I was like, every job dad I've ever had has gone in there. And so essentially, for me, it was never, I never wanted to be a child actor. There was not a way in for me to be a child actor, but I always wanted to go travelling. And I knew that if I was going to be an actor and I was going to study acting,

it was going to be full time. And I felt that that then might pass me by and I didn't want it to, that kind of gap year thing. We have it a bit more. It's very common in the UK to take a gap year. there's not as much I think obviously with you know the states

make a bit of a difference don't they're going in state out state for us you know there's not that kind of complication it's very small so taking year out it's pretty normal but I hadn't got a place so I went backpacking for a year

and came back and worked in like the local pub and then the whole plan from being a kid was I'm going to go backpacking work and then go to drama school in London and then graduate and become an actor. That is incredibly naive, but the jammy little shit back that I am, that

actually worked out. It happened. Yeah, it did. So that's exactly what I did. And I wanted to go to London, because it was my way in to London. I've always wanted to live there. And the training I had was extraordinary, and it was vocational, not academic, which works for me and my kind of approach. And it was three brilliant years. True that the first official stage experience, that's at the globe with none other than Mark Rylands. Yeah, and he was the artistic director for years, and it was his very last season, and he was doing a three-man tempest,

which was extraordinary. It was just a masterclass by the three actors, but each company do two shows, but obviously there's only three people in their show, so they cast some extra actors, and I was in my third year, and I'd recently signed with my agent, and a casting director saw me in a show

and said, oh you know come and audition and so i i auditioned on like the friday and i left drama school on the monday about i don't know eight weeks early something like that and and walked into my very first professional job on the globe stage with mark rylance was was he because like i i think americans came to him rather late and like yeah for us at the time though he was already celebrated as like on the stage as like a genius oh yeah and absolutely particularly because he's been the artistic director as well so it wasn't only his performances it was his vision of that building. Right. But yeah, and I was really lucky because the show I was in with him was

a farce and it was a comedy farce that had interactions from the audience and anyone who's ever been to the globe, if you've never been, it's the replica of the, you know, the original theatre, Shakespeare's Globe and it's got no roof. So if it rains, it rains. Everyone's wet. And the planes go over and you can hear the party boats going up the Thames sometimes. to really break the fourth wall. But ours didn't have a fourth wall because ours was all interactive. And he would just riff every night.

And he, it was, for all of us, we just, we played every night. And the story would be slightly different. Someone would fall over in corpse. It was extraordinary. And not really very realistic for the rest of the profession. But I was like, oh, this is fun being an actor, isn't it?

So it's kind of a lot of banter. Well, it's funny. Because, like, yeah, I've been struck by the playfulness that he brings to, like the whimsy in his eye, like he's just ready player one, what he brings to that role for instance. Yeah, absolutely brilliant. Unrecognizable at first. I mean, the fact that he goes for it in that way, like after we've seen him

and things like Bridge of Spies and on stage, I saw him in Jerusalem here. Yeah, that was the first time I saw it. Oh, my God. Absolutely amazing. And I think that's the thing, you know, you, but you, but being on stage with someone as well is being able to see someone. be so open to whatever you're doing as well. It wasn't a private show.

It wasn't his show. It was an ensemble and he was very much part of that ensemble. And that's a great learning thing for a kid. You know, you're 23. It's your first professional job and you're learning from the good ones. Absolutely. Another seminal experience right off the bat. And I remember seeing this film when it came out and it was huge because I was, you know,

as you can tell, I'm a film geek. So like growing up, Peter O'Toole was somebody that I revered. The legend that he is. I mean, truly. And you saw him, you worked opposite him in a hugely significant way in a great film called Venus that earned him an Oscar nomination

and launched your career. Yeah, absolutely did. I owe a lot to that experience in that film. So give me a sense of what it's like to see him up close and personal. These are the later years in his life. Was he still vibrant? To not reduce it or to be, to objectify,

but he was absolutely beautiful. And I worked with him and he was mid-70s. And there was... And he'd live the life. He cannot describe those blue eyes. He was extraordinary. He was hilarious. And as a 23-year-old,

and we would have... I imagine if someone had documented that. If that was the time of phones and video in and just, you know, kind of recording every single moment of your life, I can't imagine the chats that could have got recorded there because, you know, I was just really naive as well, just chatting away. So what were you in?

All right. did you enjoy doing that? All right, you know, and stuff. Or he'd say something. I was like, no, totally disagree. And we would, but there was just us too. There was no, he was a very extraordinary actor who was wonderful to be around

and all continually fascinating. I mean, every story I'd say to him, I'd be like, my mum says that when you were younger, you were on stage and this happened, he went, probably. And that was it. You know, but he would live up to it all because he'd regale you with stories.

But then in the scenes, he was extraordinary. and he worked so it just showed you that you never give up working you don't become blasé you are continually trying new things and and it was that was a performance I'm quite nostalgic of the performance because I'll never have that first time on screen again where you really have no technique right like we did a scene where we were walking there's a scene where Jesse the character I play is drunk out of a theatre and was staggering up the street and it was one of the first takes and the camera was miles away

so I just shouted all my lines she's like, you've got a fucking mic on and I was like, oh nice, I didn't realize they could hear her I didn't realize I just, I didn't know you know and like they kept putting these like sausage thing

marks on the floor and I just kick it away I was like that's annoying I tread on it that's what you've got to hit that every time every time oh I'm sorry I think I looked in the lens

you know stuff like that and I think oh and also absolute classic So my character, I put on, I don't know how to say it in American weight, but I put on quite a few pounds for the role, because the character was, in every scene that I read, I got the job, you know, quite about six, seven weeks before we start shooting. And in every scene, she's eating. And I am a very sporty person and at that time was, you know, running loads. And I just was like, you can't, you can't do that. That girl doesn't run. And has a pot noodle for breakfast or a cheeseburger for breakfast or a cheeseburger for breakfast. breakfast. So I needed to soften up and to embrace that. So I started just basically eating for the entire time. But I naively, now with the technique, if my character eats in a scene, it generally pushes its food round because four hours later, I do not want that roast dinner. No matter how delicious after six hours.

On that, I like, well, I'd eat the entire cheeseburger in this one take. You've got to do that again. What, from every angle? Yes. And things like that are just fun. now because I'd love to work with me then but then also the performance I think from both of us was so there's just a kind of beautiful antithesis it was towards the end of his career without even realizing and it was actually the beginning of mine and and those differences but then melding together in a really interesting piece of cinema yeah for those that haven't checked it out I would highly recommend going back to it from director Roger Michelle it's a great piece of work So in the years after that, I mean, like, you know, we talk about these kind of seminal experiences right off the bat.

And you've been working very steadily through and we can talk about things like Broad Church and Attack the Block. Attack the Block, thank you. I love Attack the Block. Come on. You know I'm going to talk about Attack the Block. Yeah, I was going to say, in this office, I was like, I'm being pretty good if Attack the Block didn't come up. But I guess I'm just, my general question is in the years after Venus especially, it seems like you were steadily working and getting, you know, having a thriving career. Did it feel that way? Or was it sort of like, were you? cursed with like these great opening opportunities and having to live up to it after the fact. No, it didn't feel like that all.

I think I don't really have that personality in that sense. I'm kind of, I'm quite good at being in the moment as much as you can be. Right. And especially at that time, because that time was before everything being, I'm not, I'm not trying to sound like an old person. But now, because we have, we know how everyone feels about every decision. yes immediately yes immediately so there is a sense I imagine and now there is a sense of how much pressure do you feel for this for this for this well you feel pressure because you hear about that pressure whereas actually you know however many 13 years ago you got a job no one knew about that job till it came out and if it weren't very good still people didn't hear about it so that's right no heart no foul there was no kind of like social media on the slot because no one's all right so but I think The thing that came after Venus, because Venus essentially, what happened a lot after that was,

where did Roger Michelle find you? And I was like, I am classically trained. I played a role and I did a lot of characterization. That is not me. Yeah, it's not like you found. Exactly. And but because of that, I was really supported by my agent at the time

who was incredible at giving me the option as an unknown actor to say no to. that part over and over and over again, particularly because it was, you know, it accents mean a different thing in here to the UK. You can't go 30 minutes without an accent being totally changing. It also has a class associated with it. My voice is a Yorkshire accent,

and stereotypically it has a working class sound in that sense. And so those roles, And to say, right, well, that's it. You're a northern actor. You're a working class northern actor. And for me, I just thought, I don't want to have gotten this much debt to only do that. To do one type of thing, yes.

The bit that I could have done before I even went to bloody drama school. So I was not, really. The whole point of this is to do a few different things. So I was really lucky. I went through, I went through TV and stage and film. But I did, because of Venus, I jumped. I didn't jump into, you know, I wasn't Wonder Woman,

but I jumped in, I missed out. you know the kind of the the fourth person to speak in a scene of one episode and then which you know so in a weird way the chip I had for a long time

was I didn't feel like I'd earned it because I'd missed I'd miss the job in bit I'd really missed it and so even though I wasn't stratospheric after it I was propelled enough to know

that I'd not had it hard but what I often found and particularly doing press for Attack the Block, I'd worked continually through that time, you know, indies, loads of indie films in the UK, you know, short films, TV, things like that. But when I did Attack the Block, because it had a certain, it was a certain scale.

And it had, you know, it was a film that opened worldwide, not just in the UK. A lot of the press was, where have you been? I was that, I've been really busy. Did you, you know, is this your comeback? I was like, I don't think I'd, I don't think I'd, I didn't think I'd gone anywhere. You know, so I think we have a misconception

of what is working and what it isn't. Totally. For me, I was at work every day, and I was really lucky. I was surviving off an actor's wage. And there were times there were gaps and you were doing other stuff, but I never had that year out of work.

Right. And I was given Venus at a point where it put me in a box of actors that, you know, I would sometimes in my insecurity go, I don't know if I should be in that box, but I'll take it. Gladly. Attack the block,

I would think for a number of reasons, like the kind of stuff we've been talking about, like 80s films and genre films must have ticked a few boxes for you. I still can't believe Joe Cornish hasn't directed another film. He has now. I can't wait to see it. He will be king.

I cannot wait. It's going to be amazing. And it will be, it will absolutely for any Joe Conish fans, out there it's going to be worth the weight because he is meticulous and he he is he is a grafter hence the time space between these two right and i know he had opportunities to do kind of like franchise things etc yeah he and he you know and he's an incredibly passionate filmmaker and but i think the thing i was that so there's a show in the UK if you're a 90s

kid who was too young to go out right and you were staying in at weekends and you were, you know, watching TV a little bit late. There was a comedy show on called the Adam and Joe show. And Adam Buxton is, you'd know him from that Hot Fuzz. And he's the, he's the journalist in Hot Fuzz who has a very unfortunate end when the spire crushes him. Spoiler. But, you know, he's in loads of stuff.

But he has a massive podcast in the UK as well. But Adam and Joe were this comedy duo. And so I walked into my audition. Like John Boyega was not walking into his audition, and starstruck he was too young i walked in and went hi hi joe cornish and because he'd done comedy i was just expecting him to be really full of banter but he was a director and he was he wanted to see what i could do with the scenes whereas i was like i really want to talk to you about tautonic which is it's a very specific niche story which i won't explain if anyone knows tautonic hilarious

um so i so i kind of fumbled my way through this first thing but what i really remember from the audition was it wasn't sign a chair being taped to camera where you don't really move it was like my other audition that was similar to that which was for the doctor it was that's your prop move around the space

now I can do that what I can't do is contain to the box that is this is the window of your audition which will not reflect anything that will happen if you actually get the job whereas he went I want to see you in action and I knew from there I was

fighting my ass off of that part and I really had to fight for for that role. Was John kind of like the raw talent that you were in back in Venus? Like it was kind of like a little bit of a reversal? I think all the kids in all the kids I mean it with much affection but they were in their team yeah they're in their early teens and they were at John Boyega. Yeah John Boyega they were extraordinary they I you you walk to single him out and and purely because you know he we know we know who he is now

and working with him then that he oozed something you cannot teach and he's absolutely lovely and funny and just a good guy but at that point you want a guy or a boy to me

and it called me Miss Waker like I was an art teacher like yeah Mrs Wicker I'm not that much older than you come on me and it was just I adored that process of being in this group of young actors and weirdly always being the young actor on set

I was suddenly one of the maturer ones but but still in that playful world but he he had what you can't teach and you can't kind of explain it and I think you obviously know now whereas we were like we know we're we know you just wait you just wait and but then when it came out and there was we were this you know we we had the I think we had a poster shoot. I'd not done anything that had a shoot for the poster. I knew it were going to be cool

and it were going to be absolutely class because we posed for the poster. Everything else I'd done and it was like, oh, let's just take that still, that still and put it together and it'll be fine, it'll cost a tenor, it'll be absolutely fine. Whereas this was, this was fan art

from the actual point of view of the filmmaker selling his own film. He created his own fan art and I was on that. And it's still anything the fan out to do with attack the block warms my heart because it was an extraordinary time so jumping around as we you know having two people like us we both go on tangents which is great no it's good um so prior to who the doctor who like was that far in a way that the craziest kind of audition

you'd you'd ever done like had you ever been up for something of that scale before for the doctor for the doctor like did you do like the requisite harry potter or star wars auditions or anything like that I've been up for a few stuff that I didn't know what I was going in for where you self-tape for these sides and then some massive American film would come out. I was like, oh my God, you never guessed why I audition for that.

Two years later, you find out. I was like, I did, I really remember saying those lines. And now I'm absolutely certain I was not right for the part of that person is much better. And I don't think my tape will have been seen. And that message in a bottle did not go. But yeah, this, this,

I think the thing about this was I've been up for loads of stuff in the sense of, you know, I've been really lucky I've got great people putting me up for things and people believing in me. But, you know, and I've got up for stuff that I'm not going to get this.

It was the first time of something this scale that it wasn't ridiculous. It was, no, I could get this. Not only could I get this, I want this more than I can describe, particularly fascinating to me because I'm not at that point a Hoovian.

Right. So it wasn't like someone said, you know, we're going to do Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which controversially is my favorite. Oh, I know, but everyone gets so angry at it. No, I love it. I love it.

That opening scene is like the best scene in like any movie ever. It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing. But, you know, if they were going, you know, you've got a chance to audition for Indy, I'd be so excited, but I'd also have the context and the,

okay, oh my God. Right. But with this, even without, I had a context, obviously, but without being someone who'd seen everything, I knew. You were doing it as a role, as a, as a, as a thing and not something that was so, it's intrinsic in you, but it's not intrinsic in the way that Indiana Jones is, I guess.

Yeah, and it was, but it was that thing if I thought, I couldn't believe how accessible it was. Yeah. And I fell totally in love with the doctor immediately from the, well, I suppose the energy I was allowed to bring to the seat. I always say he was in the writing but I'm just sat next to Chris on a panel and Chris always says

he says that I walked in and I brought this I brought the doctor to him and I suppose I'm probably a bit too English to take the compliment but I must have come in with something because I never felt like I was fumbling I never felt like I was grasping what I felt was I really hope

they know I can do this because I felt like I walked out of those meetings and I went, oh, that would be so much fun and I've only scratched the surface. And even now, after nine months of shooting, the wonderful thing about this role is you've only just scratched the surface. And that's kind of

for anyone who doesn't have the context of the show, that might seem bizarre, but it really isn't because it's so mercurial, the character and you can bring something new to every moment. I'm curious, like, through these tests and talks with the writers and creators, Like, in a way, you're interviewing and you're trying to get a job, not just a role, but you're also, as we know, it's bigger than just the role. It's representing the show and representing what this means.

Like, even if you were the 75th male doctor, it would be a big deal. I mean, can you imagine being, I mean, I don't know how old Matt was, but it was early 20s. Right, that was a shift too, yeah. That's huge. And also that shift from, you know, relatively unknown to known. exactly you know and that pressure I think there's a pressure on everyone I think

obviously being the first female to play the role has the announcement has a I suppose strikes a chord and a conversation that hasn't happened before but the pressure is no different

from actor to actor and we as actors know that that you know anyone is there isn't anyone unqualified to come in and play an alien with two hearts. I mean, maybe we're all unqualified.

You know, the gender is irrelevant, but it should, I appreciate this moment and it is something to be celebrated, you know, being the first, but it's only because it fits so seamlessly within the world of the show. I'm curious, do you feel like they were, like, auditioning you as, like,

that's representative as much as an actor? I don't know, I mean, maybe. I didn't sense it. I sensed that I was auditioning for a role, and I think Chris knows me, though, That's another thing is, I think if you, I think the thing that it will have helped is I, I love an ensemble.

I've always, I've been, my favorite jobs to be a part of, are ensemble pieces, you know, and also I really love hanging out with the crew. And, you know, in Broadchurch, we were really tight. All of us were really tight. Through all three seasons, like, welcoming these new people. And the crew as well,

and I think don't be don't be that person on set that, you know, I just don't, I don't, I've got an ego, I've got a healthy ego I do not think my job is more important than somebody else's.

And if I did, I like the fact that someone would be very quick to tell me that it isn't and I would find that hilarious. It's like, all right, who do you think you are? Well, I think I'm the doctor. So, you know, and I think he knew that if I was in this role I wasn't going to make it miserable for anybody

I was going to be respectful of of everybody's role and know that without it we ain't got a show he doesn't matter what I'm doing if there's no time for other people to have that you know to do to put this incredible score on it or this prosthetics

and I'm turning up three hours later just don't he knew I wasn't that person and I think that will have obviously help because that's the I suppose the management side of it if you are the person who is in the most and welcoming new people all the time.

But as far as the role, I think I was very much auditioned like every other of the actors will have been to see what was the essence and the energy that I brought. And oddly enough, it's probably more similar to my energy that it is, but also probably more of my energy

at like 1920. that I can still tap into. Clearly. Even at the grand old age of 36. Oh, 22. Sorry, I forgot I'm in America. 17. Jody.

You've given it all away. So you've shot the first series of this, and you've been shot out of repeated canons since then. I saw you at San Diego Comic-Con, and that must have been, like, I don't even know what. Well, you must have been exhausted. You had, like, show, show, panel, panel. panel no complaints i love it every year um but it must have been a blast for you amazing and here

we're taping this as we tape this new york comic con is going on um which i haven't seen yet you haven't been to java too no ours is on sunday got it's what is it where are we now we're on friday i think we're friday yeah you and me both we're both like yeah i'm on my way over tonight to do some shenanigans over there and yes i mean having survived at san diego you'll be you'll be fine now this time you know how to do this but i'm just curious like what san diego was that first kind of coming out party surprising in any way i mean yes the the i mean it was a love fest for you and that show yeah for the show and it was amazing and also just when people said oh that's the cue we were driving around like a few a few hours before i think or maybe even the night before and so

said oh that's the cue and i was like the cue for what for for the panel, are you kidding? Like, oh my God, like that, that commitment. And I just found it really overwhelming. And kind of sums up the Who world in that sense of it's very inclusive and very, you know, you're very much welcomed into the family.

But then also just seeing people that are just fans of fandom. And that they're the ones that everyone celebrate. actually you know like i what annoyed me was the lights were so bright so when we were in all itch i couldn't see all the costumes and you know and it wasn't until the lights went up and the final question started and you've got people the most extraordinary pieces of artwork draped on them but then like you said people wearing your costume and they haven't seen you do it yet but they've they've embraced you and they've welcomed you in and they're there to listen to the very tiny things you're allowed to say

right now the muzzle's off now you can talk well not yet i'm about yet when does this go Wow. Let's go out after the premiere. So I'm not going to, we won't get into spoilers anyway. We want to retain some secrets. Just in case. I don't want you to lose your job mug heading into the second series. Well, I, you know, I've had in here a couple of veterans of the Who universe.

I've had, you know, Karen Gillen has been here, Matt's been here. I've never had a sitting doctor. So this has been an honor to have you in here, Jody. I mean, I feel like everybody knows that the show is in great hands in your energy and enthusiasm and your talent. are going to make the role fantastic and I can't wait to see what you bring to it. Thank you. Thank you so much for stopping by.

No, this is great. Thank you very much. Thanks, Jody. Don't take E.T. actually. Now that I think about it, I want E.T. to stay. No, I'm not taking E.T. But I do want a cuddle. Okay. You can cuddle and you can take the aviation. Thank you.

Is it a deal? And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast. person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressure to do this by Josh. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times.

And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer, and director. You might know me from the league, Veep, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters. We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like, Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't. He's too old. Let's not forget that Paul thinks that Dude, too, is overrated. It is.

Anyway, despite this, we come together to host Unspooled, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must-season, and case you missoms. We're talking Parasite the Home Alone. From Greece to the Dark Night. We've done deep dives on popcorn flirts. We've talked about why Independence Day deserves a second look. And we've talked about horror movies, some that you've never even heard of, like Ganges and Hess. So if you love movies like we do, come along on our cinematic adventure.

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