Matt Smith

Matt Smith is an English actor who shot to fame in the UK aged 26 when he was cast by producer Steven Moffat as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC's iconic science-fiction adventure series Doctor Who (2005).

## Biography

Matt Smith is an English actor who shot to fame in the UK aged 26 when he was cast by producer Steven Moffat as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC's iconic science-fiction adventure series Doctor Who (2005).

Matthew Robert Smith was born and raised in Northampton, the son of Lynne (Fidler) and David Smith. He was educated at Northampton School For Boys. He studied Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He got into acting through the National Youth Theatre and performed with the Royal Court and the National Theatre.

Smith made his television debut in The Ruby in the Smoke (2006) and won several further roles on television but was largely unknown when he was announced as the surprise choice for the role of the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who. He was younger than any other actor to have taken the role (Peter Davison was previously the youngest, aged 29 when he was cast in 1981). Smith starred in 49 episodes of Doctor Who (three short of his predecessor, David Tennant). He left in the momentous 50th anniversary year of the Doctor Who legend in 2013, which included starring in the 50th anniversary special, Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor (2013) and acting with Tennant, guest starJohn Hurt and the oldest living and longest-serving actor to play the Doctor, Tom Baker.

## Personal Life

Smith has cited his favorite band, Radiohead, as an inspiration. His sister, Laura Jayne, was one of the dancers featured in the music video for the 2004 Eric Prydz song "Call on Me".

In 2015, Smith was named one of *GQ*'s 50 Best-Dressed British Men. Later that year, it was confirmed that he is dating actress Lily James.

## Trivia

* As a teenager he was a talented footballer and considered turning professional, but had to give it up following a back injury, and turned to acting instead.
* Former member of the National Youth Theatre.
* Attended Northampton school for boys.
* Studied drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich.
* At 26, he was the youngest actor to be cast as the Doctor in the British sci-fi seriesDoctor Who (2005). The youngest had been Peter Davison, who was 29 when he was cast in 1981 in Doctor Who (1963).
* He can play the guitar.
* Voted Best Actor by Readers of Doctor Who Magazine for his work on the 2010 Season.
* Of the eleven actors to play the Doctor in Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (1996) andDoctor Who (2005), he and Christopher Eccleston are the only two who never worked with the late Nicholas Courtney, who played Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the former from 1968 to 1989 as well as in numerous Big Finish audio dramas.
* Owns the tweed jacket that his Eleventh Doctor usually wears.
* Is the first actor to play the Doctor to be born after the death of William Hartnell, the first (and oldest) actor to play the Doctor (who died in 1975). Had Hartnell lived long enough, he would have been nearly 75 when Smith was born.
* Was the first lead actor in Doctor Who (2005) to be nominated for a BAFTA Best TV actor.
* Was discovered by agent Wendy Padbury. Prior to becoming an agent, Padbury had been an actress; one of her best-known roles was as the Second Doctor's companion Zoe Heriot on Doctor Who (1963).
* Unlike his predecessor, David Tennant, he was not a fan of Doctor Who (1963) growing up. The original series was taken off the air shortly after his seventh birthday due to poor viewing figures.
* He is well-known to co-stars for being extremely clumsy. Producers have even taken bets on how long it will take him to break props.
* Is a Blackburn Rover FC fan.
* He is the first actor since Sylvester McCoy to have his face in the opening credits ofDoctor Who (2005).
* Before being cast as the Doctor, he auditioned for the part of John Watson on Sherlock(2010)' but was rejected for being too eccentric. Steven Moffat claimed that Smith would have been a good Sherlock if Benedict Cumberbatch had not been cast already.
* He was the one who insisted on the Doctor wearing his trademark bow tie.
* Is a fan of Futurama (1999).

* Has worked with fellow Doctor Who (2005) alumnus Billie Piper on multiple occasions. They co-starred in The Ruby in the Smoke (2006), The Shadow in the North (2007), andSecret Diary of a Call Girl (2007) before working together in the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who (2005).
* He and Christopher Eccleston are, as of 2015, the only actors to have played The Doctor and not had an episode where they face up against The Doctor's arch-enemy, The Master.
* Is a very big fan of Patrick Troughton's work as The Second Doctor and has used a number of aspects of his portrayal in his own.