Matt Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matt Smith
Smith in 2015
Born	Matthew Robert Smith (1982-10-28) 28 October 1982 (age 42) Northampton, England
Alma mater	University of East Anglia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2001–present
Signature

Matthew Robert Smith (born October 28, 1982) is an English actor. He is famous for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction show Doctor Who from 2010 to 2013. He also played Prince Philip in the Netflix series The Crown. This role earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. He currently stars as Prince Daemon Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon.

Smith once dreamed of being a professional football (soccer) player. However, a serious back injury stopped him from playing. He then discovered acting after joining the National Youth Theatre. He studied drama at the University of East Anglia. In 2003, he began his acting career in London theaters.

His first big television role was in the 2007 BBC series Party Animals. He has also appeared in many films. He played two roles in the science fiction movie Womb (2010). He was the physical form of Skynet in Terminator Genisys (2015). He also played Milo in the superhero film Morbius (2022).

Early Life and Education

Matthew Robert Smith was born in Northampton, England, on October 28, 1982. He has an older sister named Laura Jayne. Smith went to Northampton School for Boys.

As a boy, Smith loved football. His grandfather played for Notts County. Smith played for the youth teams of Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City. He even became captain of Leicester's youth team. Sadly, a serious back injury called spondylolysis ended his football dreams.

His drama teacher encouraged him to try acting. At first, Smith wasn't interested because he saw himself as a footballer. But his teacher kept encouraging him. He finally persuaded Smith to join the National Youth Theatre in London.

After high school, Smith studied Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He graduated in 2005. While at the National Youth Theatre, he acted in plays like Murder in the Cathedral. These roles helped him get an agent and his first professional acting jobs.

Acting Career

Early Roles

Smith's first television role was as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North. His first major TV role was in Party Animals. He played Danny Foster, a smart but shy researcher in the world of politics.

Smith also performed in many plays. He acted in The History Boys at the Royal National Theatre. He later appeared in Swimming with Sharks in London's West End. In 2007, he starred in a play called That Face. His performance was praised by critics and earned him an award nomination.

Smith almost got the part of Will McKenzie in the comedy show The Inbetweeners. The show's writer said Smith was "brilliant" but looked "a bit too dashing" for the role.

Becoming the Doctor

In January 2009, Matt Smith was announced as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who. He took over the role from David Tennant. At the time, Smith was not a very famous actor. Many people were surprised by the choice. The news headline even joked, "Doctor Who?", playing on the show's title.

Smith was one of the first actors to try out for the part. The producers, Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger, liked him right away. At 26 years old, Smith was the youngest actor ever cast as the Doctor. Some fans worried he was too young for the role. But others supported him because of his acting talent.

Smith in July 2012

Smith first appeared as the Doctor in the episode "The Eleventh Hour" in April 2010. His performance was a big hit. He was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, the first Doctor to receive this honor.

Speaking about his character, Smith said, "The Doctor is excited and fascinated by the tiniest of things. By everything... It's why children like him, I think."

On June 1, 2013, the BBC announced that Smith would leave Doctor Who. His last regular appearance was in the 2013 Christmas special. He was followed by Peter Capaldi. Years later, Smith said he wished he had stayed on the show longer.

Roles After Doctor Who

Matt Smith in 2013

After leaving Doctor Who, Smith starred in the film Lost River (2014), directed by Ryan Gosling. In 2015, he played a supporting role as the physical form of Skynet in Terminator Genisys.

From 2016 to 2017, Smith played Prince Philip in the popular Netflix series The Crown. He starred in the first two seasons. His performance was highly praised, and he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

In 2022, Smith began starring as the fierce prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon. The show is a prequel to Game of Thrones. His role has earned him a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award.

Smith has also appeared in other films, including the horror movie Last Night in Soho (2021) and the superhero film Morbius (2022). In 2024, he returned to the stage in a new version of the play An Enemy of the People.

Personal Life

Smith is a fan of the football team Blackburn Rovers. He has said that the band Radiohead is a big inspiration for him. He is also a fan of the band Oasis. In 2015, GQ magazine named him one of the 50 best-dressed British men.

Images for kids

• 

  Matt Smith at FedCon in 2017

Acting Credits

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2010	Womb	Thomas
2014	Lost River	Bully
2015	Terminator Genisys	Alex / Skynet	Credited as Matthew Smith
2016	Pride and Prejudice and Zombies	Mr. Parson William Collins
2018	Mapplethorpe	Robert Mapplethorpe
	Patient Zero	Morgan
2019	Official Secrets	Martin Bright
2020	His House	Mark Essworth
2021	Last Night in Soho	Jack
	The Forgiven	Richard Galloway
2022	Morbius	Lucien / Milo
2023	Starve Acre	Richard
2025	Caught Stealing	Russ Miner	Filming
TBA	& Sons		Filming

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Matt Smith para niños

• List of British actors