'THIS IS AMAZING!'.

Byline: Neil Atkinson ,

Showtime Jodie with Corinne Bailey Rae, who provided the film's soundtrack, and, right, co-star Leslie Phillips THAT'S MY GIRL Former Shelley schoolgirl Jodie Whittaker with Hollywood legend Peter O'Toole at last night's West End premiere of their new film Venus

Jodie goes from Shelley drama class to West End premiere

IT'S a dream for any little girl.

Become an actress, land a starring role in a huge film alongside world-famous actors and then get to enjoy the glitz of the film premiere.

Former Shelley College student Jodie Whittaker is living that dream.

And the 24-year-old is loving every minute.

Last night she joined other stars from the film Venus in London's West End for a glittering night.

It's a far cry from her drama lessons at the then Shelley High School, with teacher Steven Downs.

And even further from the days at her Huddersfield home, when at the age of five, she would line up her dolls and create voices and characters for each of them.

Jodie is the daughter of Huddersfield businessman and Arrow Central Cricket League president Adrian Whittaker and his wife Yvonne.

She has an older brother Kris.

Jodie left Shelley and backpacked her way through America and Asia before going to the renowned Guildhall drama school.

A few theatre and roles and the odd TV part came her way as she graduated but the big break came when she was offered the lead role as misfit Jessie in Venus - opposite the iconic Peter O'Toole.

O'Toole, Richard Griffiths and Leslie Phillips attended the premiere of Venus last night at London's King's Road.

In the movie O'Toole, 74, and Phillips, 82, play veteran English actors who have never hit the big time. Lawrence of Arabia star O'Toole has been nominated for a best actor Bafta for the role and Phillips is up for best supporting actor.

The pair are also hoping for an Oscar nomination today.

Last night O'Toole joked: "It's wonderful working with young people.

"When you find someone like Jodie, who is not only young but able, you want to grab it and eat it."

Phillips said: "I've made something like 30 films and this comes up very high in my estimation."

Corinne Bailey Rae provides the soundtrack to Venus, which also featured Vanessa Redgrave, and opens on Friday.

"It's amazing the fact that I'd only just got out of drama school and got this fantastic part, working with brilliant actors on a film with such great depth," said Jodie.

"It was terrifying because I had no idea what to expect.

"I thought I wouldn't get the part because of my lack of experience."

The film chronicles the relationship between Maurice (O'Toole), a has-been thespian, and Jodie's character, Jessie, a 21-year-old northern girl who has been sent to London to look after her great-uncle Ian (Phillips).

He can't stand her, but Maurice is charmed by Jessie, whom he calls Venus.

And Jodie admits she gets to keep her distinctive Huddersfield accent.

Now the starlet is getting ready to fly to Berlin in March, to film, Good, a movie based on the C P Taylor play about the Nazis. She'll star opposite Jason Isaacs.