When Jodie Whittaker was cast as the Thirteenth Doctor last year, fans of Joe Cornish’ cult sci-fi movie Attack the Block realized that the film had spawned two of the decade’s biggest sci-fi icons. Along with Whittaker, it also gave us Star Wars‘ John Boyega, and in a recent interview, the actor we know as Finn was asked what he thought about his old co-star breaking new ground on Doctor Who.
Speaking at Google Pixel 3 Curiosity Rooms on Friday, Boyega heaped praise on the actress for being the show’s first female incarnation of the Time Lord, saying:
“I’m so proud of her when I hear that she is the first female Doctor Who. That’s what I’m talking about! It’s brilliant to see a character – that can change and morph into and gain new life in search of time and history – is being revamped again.”
If you’re not familiar with Attack the Block, it focuses on the residents of a run down London council estate that have to fight to survive when their neighborhood’s invaded by vicious aliens. Whittaker plays a nurse who has to partner up with the teens who mugged her – led by Boyega – to make it out alive.
Of course, Boyega also made waves shortly after his breakout role. Appearing in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, his character Finn was the first black lead of the franchise as well as the first Stormtrooper turned good. Following, 2017’s The Last Jedi, we’ll see him again next Christmas in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX.
Whittaker, meanwhile, is coming to the end of her first season as the Doctor. We’ve got two episodes left to air before Doctor Who season 11 is out and then a special hour-long installment set to arrive on New Year’s.
