Whittaker holds her own among the greats

TORONTO - Due to the vagaries of film releasing, Jodie Whittaker was talking about her new film "Venus," four months ago at the Toronto International Film Festival.

She was supposed to share the spotlight there with co-star Peter O'Toole, but O'Toole was ill and unable to attend, so the lion's work of publicity fell upon Whittaker, a newcomer working in "Venus" with an ensemble of British acting greats.

She was completely up to the task, however. Charming, humble, bright, enthused and reveling in her good fortune, Whittaker was a delightful antidote to the many young, jaded, untrained American stars whose interviews are all attitude and sound bites.

We spoke with her in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, where she constantly craned her neck to catch glimpses of other stars.

Q. Is this your first film?

A. First film. Only my third job, actually. I left drama school in London last June [2005]. I was doing a theater job when I auditioned for "Venus" last September and by October I'd found out that I got it. So to leave drama school and have my first-ever job at the Globe Theater . . . and then my first ever film and I'm working with all these people, it's just amazing.

Q. Peter O'Toole, Vanessa Redgrave, Leslie Phillips . . .

A. Yeah, not bad. You dream of doing stuff like this. I'd just gone to college and everything's exciting,but now to check off so many boxes on your life achievement list . . .

So how old are you now?

A. I'm 24.

Q. And your character is?

A. She's 18. It's not "Lolita," you know, so I wasn't going to be 14. It's that age when you're about to hit adulthood but you're still a million miles away from it.

Q. Where did you learn more, in drama school or on the set of "Venus"?

A. At drama school it was great training, but at most drama schools you learn 70-80 percent theater and the rest is other things all crammed in. So technically I was completely out of my depth. I didn't understand hitting my mark, I didn't understand anything.

Drama school was three years and I went from being afraid to say a line on the stage to being able to do an entire play. You go through such a huge journey there and you're a bit cocky when you leave and you go, "Yeah, I'm an actor now."

But really you're not, you're a sponge, and that's what you've got to be. So then when you get these jobs and you work on the set with directors like Roger [Michell] and writers like Hanif [Kureishi], you come away with a lifetime's worth of technique from all these other people.

Q. What was it like working with O'Toole?

A. It was a good laugh. He's really funny. But he's passionate about the work and he's so experienced and yet he's so simple with everything he does. Experience just oozes out of him and you can't help but stand and be in awe.

I'm sure everyone always says this and I'm sure if you ask anyone what it's like working with your person opposite they're going to feel like that, but Peter O'Toole is a legend and I think these people are described as legends because of the atmosphere they create so that everyone's work can be at its absolute top.

So for me I was in a safe environment and the actor opposite me was giving 100 percent so I could do the best I could.

That's why they get these reputations. They're just giving.

Q. He is 74 now, but does he play and behave older in the film than he is in real life?

A. The film is very raw, and I think for all of us [laughing] it is not a very flattering look. If any of us were going to be vain, this was the wrong script to pick up.

But he's everything you want him to be - so exciting, so charismatic, really funny and he works so hard. That's everything you want in a good actor.

Q. Is this your first film festival?

A. [Giggling] Yeah.

Q. And is it kind of like being thrown to the wolves?

A. Not at all. I can't tell you how surprised I am that everyone has been so nice.

Earlier I did my first press conference and it was so exciting how interested everybody was. And the audience last night . . . It was such a life experience.

I've been spoiled.

I've been so lucky my parents have been here and my boyfriend has been here, but I wish I could have flown all my mates out.

One day if I'm ever big enough I'll have an entire flight full of mates come with me to experience it. *