Every year, a fairy tale comes to life for a young actress. In 2006, that honor was bestowed upon Jodie Whittaker, following her performance in the critical film favorite, “Venus.” Cast alongside legendary actor Peter O’Toole, Whittaker earned rave reviews and a promising future in Hollywood. Not bad for a girl who told The Washington Post there was no appreciation of the arts in her family and that she had left school at 16 to work odd jobs around London before finding her true calling.

The hazel-eyed, blonde-haired actress was born in 1982 and grew up in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.