Brief History
Matthew Robert Smith was born on October 28, 1982, in Northampton. He attended the Northampton School for Boys. He originally planned to be a professional footballer (soccer), but had to quit due to a back injury. His drama teacher introduced him to acting by surreptitiously signing him up for the role of the tenth juror in Twelve Angry Men. After much persuasion, his teacher got him to join the National Youth Theatre.
After leaving school, Matt studied Drama and Creative Writing at University of East Anglia. He landed his first roles in the NYT as Thomas Beckett in Murder in the Cathedral and Bassoon in The Master and Margarita. His work as Bassoon got him an agent and his first professional jobs: Fresh Kills and On the Shore of the Wide World.
*Fact*: Matt Smith cites the band Radiohead as an inspiration.
After leaving school, Matt studied Drama and Creative Writing at University of East Anglia. He landed his first roles in the NYT as Thomas Beckett in Murder in the Cathedral and Bassoon in The Master and Margarita. His work as Bassoon got him an agent and his first professional jobs: Fresh Kills and On the Shore of the Wide World.
*Fact*: Matt Smith cites the band Radiohead as an inspiration.
Most Popular Roles
He hasn't been in much, but what he has been in is very good.
Doctor Who
Matt Smith plays the Eleventh Incarnation of the Doctor on Doctor Who. He took up the role after David Tennant left. For the first three seasons Matt was the Doctor (Seasons 5-7) his companions were Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill). They both left the show in theSeason 7 finale Angels Take Manhattan. Matt Smith now has a new companion: Clara Oswald, played by Jenna Loiuse-Coleman. He is the youngest actor to portray the Doctor. He was only 26 when it was announced that he was to be the next Doctor. He was one of the first people to audition for the part, and was singled out by Exec Producer Steven Moffat and BBC Wales Head of Drama Exec Producer Piers Wenger, for his eccentric acting style. Smith also auditioned for the part of John Watson in Sherlock, but it was thought that his acting style was more like that of Sherlock, whose role had already been given to Benedict Cumberbatch. Matt Smith has said very vague things about maybe leaving after Season 8.
This is from Season 5, Episode 12: The Pandorica Opens.,
Party Animals
This was Matt Smith's first big television role. He played Danny Foster, a Parliamentary researcher. The show did poorly and was only on for one season.
Ruby in the Smoke
Matt Smith was in the BBC Masterpiece Mystery! production of Philip Pullman's book The Ruby in the Smoke. He played Jim Taylor, with Billie Piper as the lead, .
*FACT* Billie Piper was the first companion of David Tennant's Doctor.
*FACT* Billie Piper was the first companion of David Tennant's Doctor.