Doctor Who: 7 Reasons Jodie Whittaker Will Make A Great 13th Doctor
5. She Beat Off Strong Competition For The Role
The effort it will have taken Whittaker to claim the role ought to be hugely reassuring to those who have doubts about her appointment. She talks in terms of having to fight for the part and with a number of other actors also auditioning, Whittaker had to demonstrate both skill and passion in order to set her apart from the competition.
We don’t need to know who else auditioned or who might have turned down the offer to be seen, but it’s highly likely that the initial shortlist will have included the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Olivia Coleman and Natalie Dormer. What we do know is that following her audition, Jodie Whittaker was Chris Chibnall’s first choice.
There was a joke meme doing the rounds before the casting decision was made. It suggested that the audition involved sitting in front of a desk saying “don’t forget to subscribe to the official Doctor Who YouTube channel.” It wouldn’t be surprising if these did actually turn out to be the first recorded words of the Thirteenth Doctor, but of course the audition will have been a serious extract of dialogue: something to give the casting director a feel of where the auditionee might take the character. Whatever it was, according to Chibnall Whittaker nailed it:
“I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman and we’re thrilled to have secured our number one choice. Her audition for the Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The 13th Doctor is on her way.”