It’s a big day for Doctor Who‘s new companion, Jenna-Louise Coleman. Not only is she featured in her first major American publication, but she’s also in the BBC Christmas teaser video.

In her first ever interview with an American publication, Jenna-Lousie Coleman tells EW about her confusing audition process. At first she couldn’t figure out if the BBC knew what they were doing because she was getting sides for a character named Oswin and for a character named Clara.

As we now know, Coleman plays both. Oswin was featured in “Asylum of the Daleks” and Clara debuts as the new companion in the Christmas episode. When she did finally discover she obtained the role, she was in the fruit and veg aisle in Marks and Spencer and had to leave the store because she was a bit overcome.

Coleman tells EW that is was a bit of a challenge of being Oswin Oswald, but with some help from Matt Smith, whose work ethic she describes as “incredible”, she got through it:

But in “Asylum of the Daleks” you were pretty much on your own in a room. What was it like acting with nobody?

That was really interesting. That was one of my huge concerns. The idea is you’ve really got to feel the banter and the dynamic between Oswin and the Doctor and I was really concerned about how that was going to work without Matt being there.

Basically I had a screen with a green circle in the middle which I spoke at for two days. So that kind of did help with [not] losing your mind. But Matt came down on my first day and we ran some stuff together so I could kind of get the feel of where he’d pitched it so it could really sync together. I’d seen some of his rushes as well. We did what we could to really sync us together.

As to whether there is any connection between Oswin and Clara, Coleman is unsurprisingly staying mum. Though, the BBC is certainly playing this up. In a recent video Coleman and Smith banter back and forth about the mystery. All that Coleman would divulge, when asked if the mystery would be revealed in the Christmas episode, was,”Uh… mmm… no. We’re going to have what has been referred to as a ‘soft mystery.’ For me, filming, I’ve been totally oblivious to Oswin and the ‘Asylum of the Daleks.’ I really have had to erase it from my memory. Yeah, Christmas is it’s own episode.”

Now in case you are wondering what the relationship between the Doctor and Clara is going to be like, there are several glimpses in the new BBC Christmas video including a kiss at the 30 second mark or so. Richard E. Grant who plays the Christmas special villain is also featured.

Some new details on the Christmas episode were revealed in the U.K. publication TV & Satellite. Blogtour Who has the scans., “All is not well at the Latimers’ gothic house, however, where something nasty is lurking in the garden, apparently controlled by the sinister Doctor Simeon (Richard E Grant). Reuniting with friendly Sontaran Strax (Dan Starkey), Silurian Vastra (Neve McIntosh) and her friend Jenny (Catrin Stewart), the Time Lord embarks on a dangerous mission that sees him confront a chilling new monster…”

How do you think Jenna-Lousie Coleman did in her first major interview? What do you want to see in this new Doctor/Companion relationship?