Matt Smith (info)

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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).

Smith was born in Northampton and 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 star John Hurtand the oldest living and longest-serving actor to play the Doctor, Tom Baker.

Since leaving Doctor Who, Smith has launched himself into a film career. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous










Trade Mark 
Strong defined Jawline

Eccentric personality











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 series Doctor 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) and Doctor 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 in Doctor Who 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 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.

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 of Doctor Who.

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 is both the eleventh actor to play the Doctor and the eleventh person named ''Matt Smith'' listed on IMDB.

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), La sombra del norte (2007), and Servicio completo (2007) before working together in the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who (2005).











Personal Quotes
[on his knowledge of past Doctor Who (2005)):] I'm very aware of the rich history of Chris [Christopher Eccleston] and David [David Tennant], and I've gone back and watched a lot of those episodes. And the previous history? I have to be honest, I can't claim to have watched the show in its entirety or have been a follower as avidly as some people are - and that's what I'm realising, that people love this show, people are avid, avid fans of it, and know it, and know its history and are part of it. I can't claim to know it as well as that, but I'm going to make it my business to do so, and fall into it in as much depth as I possibly can. [February 2009]

[on being the youngest of the 11 portrayers of 'Doctor Who'] I think the whole issue of me being the youngest has worked in my favour. I think there's an interesting contradiction of having a young face and an old soul. There's something funny about it, and it also allows you to reinvent being old. It's interesting because, when I first took the part on, obviously there was a bone of contention for some of the diehard fans.

As a character, the Doctor is excited and fascinated by the tiniest of things. By everything. By every single thing. That's what's wonderful about him as a character. It's why children like him, I think. Because he doesn't dismiss anything. He's not cynical. He's open to every single facet of the universe.

Tom Baker did it for seven years but he did it in different circumstances. I couldn't do this for seven years. I'd be run into the ground.

What struck me about Lis [Elisabeth Sladen] was her grace. She welcomed me, educated me, and delighted me with her tales and adventures on Doctor Who. And she also seemed to have a quality of youth that not many people retain as they go through life. Her grace and kindness will stay with me because she had such qualities in abundance and shared them freely... I will miss her, as will the world of Doctor Who and all the Doctors that had the good pleasure to work with Lis Sladen and travel the universe with Sarah Jane.

[on Trevor Eve's criticism of Doctor Who (2005)] If we all listen to Trevor Eve, then we're in trouble. Thank you very much, Trevor, we appreciate your opinion, but that's ridiculous. Doctor Who (2005) is brilliant. That's why it attracts some of the best writers in the country, and some of the best actors. Trevor, try telling that to Sir Michael Gambon. Show me any other series that can tackle this many big issues, appeal to this broad a range of people, and still have a laugh along the way and I will say, 'You can't.' That's what I'd say to Trevor Eve. At least we're never predictable. At least we're inventive. This whole show is testament to Steven Moffat, and his ambition and his scope, and that's a privilege to be part of. It's as simple as that.

[on Peter Capaldi] If I had to pick someone, I'd pick him. Cos I think he's great. And weirdly enough, after The Eleventh Hour, he came up to me in the street and said "Ah, mate, well done, I watched your episode last night, it was brilliant, I think you're really good". And I really needed that. I needed a sort of boost and I never forgot it.

I'll miss playing a character that can bounce from A to Z like that and that is the cleverest in the room but also the silliest in the room. You know, just being the Doctor, he's the Doctor. What a character. Of course there's always a part of you that goes "I never want to go". There are no parts like this. I think it's a good time for me to move on and we've got the 50th anniversary. It's the biggest year in the show's history and I'm playing the part and I pass it on with a smile to the next guy and say "Good luck, buddy. You're going to have to work hard".

[on Doctor Who (2005)] There was a backlash when I was cast. I was 26 and I was unknown. And people went "That is not Doctor Who". I always knew I wanted it to be quite physical and I wanted the comedy to be quite physical and I knew I wanted him to feel very clever but at the same time to not quite understand the human race.

At university I had a big coloured scarf and people would often say, 'All right, Doctor Who(1963)?' And, I thought, I rather liked that notion.

As we get older - perhaps I'm just speaking for myself - we can get too cynical.

As a kid, I knew all of the dinosaurs. It's one of those tragedies that I've forgotten what dinosaurs are cool.

Apparently, as a kid, I used to eat spiders. Maybe there's some Freudian significance behind that.

Any actor worth his salt has a responsibility to reinvent himself from part to part.

Actors, movie stars, rock stars, I can meet them with no worries - but with footballers I go weak at the knees. All of them.

If I was making a tea advert, I would want to communicate about tea is that it can console you, it can start your day, there is the warmth and the ritual, and you can share it; you make someone a cup of tea and you offer it to them.

I think that, if the world was a bit more like Comic-Con, we'd all be a little happier.

I just love vampires.

I am terribly clumsy, so there is a plethora of walking into lamp-posts, falling over, dropping things, and ruining sofas.

I'm not handsome enough to be James Bond. Maybe a villain, though.

I'd like to do a play in New York.

I was always aware of Doctor Who (1963), but I didn't grow up with it.

I used to read Gore Vidal books and think I was cool.

I used to love ninja movies. That was my thing.

I thought Skyfall (2012) was a sumptuous film.

I think Jennifer Saunders would be great in Doctor Who (2005).

I think expectations of Doctor Who (2005) should always be high, because it's a show that must always progress and get better and better.

I got injured when I was a kid, and it prevented me from becoming a footballer.

I am a terrible sleeper.

I am a fancy dress grump, to be honest.

I am a fan of a bright sock. They're bold.

I always steal a pair of socks on every photo shoot I do. It's my thing.

For clothes, I like Dover Street Market and Acne. For vintage, I go to Mint just off Seven Dials. For shoes, it's Church's and Russell & Bromley.

Even now, I'm very superstitious, in silly ways. I always put my left boot on first. Or on set, I always tie my bow tie from right to left.

I quite like the idea of family. That's probably the greatest achievement in the world. I've got a lot to achieve workwise - I'd love to direct - but family would be good.

I constantly watch Los Simpson (1989) and an English cartoon called Los mapaches(1985) and Los osos Gummi (1985). I was obsessed with ninja films, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), I used to love that as well.

I asked for a piano in the TARDIS, but it hasn't happened. I'd love to see The Doctor rock up and play, but it'd have to be done in an inventive and silly way.

Every two weeks on Doctor Who (2005), the set is completely different, the world is different and there are new actors coming in. So, it's constantly surprising, and it's a pressure that you relish, actually.

Time travel is such a magic concept.

There is a history of footballers in my family; my granddad played for Notts County and my dad played at county level.

The storytelling in Doctor Who (2005) is quite universal.

Spiders - the way they move freaks me out. It's so malevolent.

Some people don't need to work hard because they are so talented.

Police boxes, tweed blazers and bow ties feel quite English, but I think that is one of his virtues, one of the strengths of Doctor Who (2005).

Overnight ratings are dead. It's just not the way TV is sold any more.

No, I'm not religious. At all. I'm an atheist.

It seems like there's a real appetite for science fiction in the States.

I've always loved dinosaurs.

I'm not hugely technical with things, but I guess that the thing I use most is my iPhone, on a practical level.

So many more people recognise you and want to take up a moment of your time for a photo or a hello. You try to deal with it with grace and a degree of humour, because what's the alternative?

Kids should feel afraid of Doctor Who (2005). All the adults I've talked to remember fondly being afraid when they were kids. That's part of the reason they remember it and love it. And if you're afraid in a controlled way, you sort of appreciate fear in some respect.

It's hard work, Doctor Who (2005), but let's be frank about it, I'm fortunate to be rewarded in the ways that I am. I don't just mean financially, I mean the nature of the part and everything that comes with it.

If you want to give it a good go, you've got to make some sacrifices and be as dedicated as you can be. Particularly with 'Doctor Who.' It's two or three hours of line-learning a night.

If I see a spider in the flat, I try to get a cup and a piece of paper and throw it out of the window. I can't kill them because they're good for catching flies.

If I could film, we'd film every episode of Doctor Who (2005), in New York. I have an affinity with the city. It has some wonderful locations and it is devastatingly vast and huge. Central Park looks amazing on camera.

I'm awful at karaoke, but if I did have to sing, I'd go for my favourite Frank Sinatra song 'I've Got You Under My Skin.' The fact I love Frank is my grandfather's doing: he drummed it into me from a very early age that Frank Sinatra is God.

I would be sitting in my flat watching TV, and Doctor Who (2005) would be on with my flatmate there. I would have loved to share the fact that I was the new Doctor, but I couldn't. I was going mad. My dad was rather flabbergasted. When I told him, he laughed. He was excited, elated and very proud.

I think there's an interesting contradiction of having a young face and an old soul. There's something funny about it, and it also allows you to reinvent being old.

I think that every artistic venture is a risk, and it has to be that way, so you do as much preparation as you can and make that as thorough as you can possibly make it, until you turn up on set. It's about taking risks, and some might work and some might not, but that's what makes it interesting.

There are great disciplines from being a sportsman that you can transfer into being an artist. The preparation, the sacrifice, the constant desire to improve.

Sometimes when you lose your mobile phone, even though it's frustrating, it's sort of rewarding in many ways because, though we do rely on them a lot, we are not reliant on them. The world continues without.

Troughton (Patrick Troughton) is my favorite. The Tomb of the Cybermen (Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen: Episode 1 (1967)) is one of my favorites. The Cybermen are so creepy in it. What's wonderful about Troughton is that he is weird and peculiar. It's a wonderful performance. I think the Cybermen were the scariest they've ever been in that.











Salary 
Doctor Who (2005) £200.000 a year (2010)
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