Born in Northampton, England, Matt Smith dreamed of becoming a professional football player as a child. However, a back injury resulted in spondylolysis, leaving him unable to play the sport professionally. Instead, his cousin, a drama teacher, persuaded Matt to join the National Youth Theatre. Although he resisted at first, Matt eventually found a passion for acting, studying Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.
His first major television role was on the BCC political drama Party Animals in 2007. In 2009, Matt was announced to play the 11th Doctor on the long-running British science-fiction program Doctor Who. When he debuted as the Doctor at age 26 in 2010, he was the youngest actor ever to play the role. His time with the show ended with the 2014 Christmas Special when Peter Capaldi succeeded him. Matt then appeared on the first two seasons of Netflix's The Crown, playing the role of young Prince Phillip ooposite Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby.
Matt has spent much of his career on the stage. From 2005 to 2006, he played Lockwood in The History Boys at the Royal National Theatre. He starred in the two-act play That Face in 2007 at the Royal Court Theatre before reprising the role again in 2008 at the Duke of York’s Theatre. In 2019 he starred in Lungs as the leading character M at the Old Vic.
He was one of the main antagonists in Terminator Genisys (2015), playing an advanced model named T-5000. The following year, he played Parson Collins in the Jane Austen adaptation Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016). He went on to play Jack opposite Anya Taylor Joy in the Edgar Wright film Last Night in Soho (2021). Most recently, he was seen as Milo, the antagonistic vampire in the Marvel film Morbius (2022).
Matt's upcoming projects include the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon (2022) and the horror film Starve Acre (in post production).
Matt is an avid fan of Blackburn Rovers FC and is often critical of the club’s management.
He was in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Lily James from 2014 to 2019, but is currently single.
Filmography:
Morbius (2022)
The Forgiven (2021)
Last Night in Soho (2021)
His House (2020)
Official Secrets (2019)
Charlie Says (2018)
Patient Zero (2018)
Mapplethorpe (2018)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Terminator Genisys (2015)
Lost River (2014)
Bert and Dickie (2012)
Womb (2010)