Jodie Whittaker Reveals Her First Reaction To 'Doctor Who' Role

09/05/2017 08:08 pm EDT

Earlier this summer, Doctor Who fans everywhere were surprised to discover that Jodie Whittaker would be portraying the show's Thirteenth Doctor. So how did Whittaker herself react to the initial news?

While speaking to Rolling Stone, Whittaker recalled her initial coffee date with incoming Who showrunner Chris Chibnall, during which he asked if she was willing to audition. As she explained, she ended up feeling quite an array of emotions in response to the offer.

"I remember walking through London after that going, 'What the f*ck?!?'" Whittaker revealed. "I was like, 'I want to audition now!' As a young girl, I did not think that 'Time Lord' would ever be on my CV.""

After rounds of auditions, Whittaker ended up landing the coveted role. And on that July day that her Doctor Who casting was revealed, Whittaker began to feel the magnitude of how the role would impact her life.

"The morning of the reveal," Whittaker explained, "I was just walking about my street, thinking, 'Oh, this is so weird. Right now, I'm completely anonymous. I've got four hours' time.'"

While Whittaker has been welcomed by many of Who's fans, some have been less than optimistic about a female Time Lord. But as the actress explained, the experience has given her a chance to re-evaluate her approach to setting a new Who precedent.

"A moment like this of being the first woman cast as something, it makes you really think about your sex." Whittaker added. "Whereas actually, what you want to do is play a part where your gender is irrelevant. I am a woman, so I don't need to play that. And so for me, this was the most freeing experience because there's no right or wrong way to do it. The rules went out the window."

Judging by recent comments from outgoing Who showrunner Steven Moffat, Whittaker's approach to the performance will make quite a splash in December.

The Doctor Who Christmas Special airs on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2017.

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