Biography
Who is Matt Smith?
Early life and education
Matt Smith: Matthew Robert Smith was born on October 28, 1982, in Northampton, England. His parents are Lynne and David Smith, and he has an elder sister named Laura Jayne. As a youth, he attended Northampton School for Boys and planned to pursue a career in professional football. He played for the youth teams of Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City, eventually becoming the captain of the Leicester City youth team.
A serious back injury resulting in spondylolysis forced Matt to abandon his footballing career. His drama teacher subsequently introduced him to acting by signing him up for theatrical productions. He later joined the National Youth Theatre in London and went on to study drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, graduating in 2005.
Early stage and television work
Matt made his professional stage debut playing Thomas Becket in Murder in the Cathedral with the National Youth Theatre in 2003. He followed this with roles in Fresh Kills and On the Shore of the Wide World, which transferred to the Royal National Theatre in London. He also appeared in The History Boys and made his West End debut in Swimming with Sharks alongside Christian Slater. In 2007, he starred as Henry in the play That Face at the Royal Court Theatre, earning an Evening Standard Theatre Award nomination for Best Newcomer.
His television career began in 2006 when he played Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North. His first major television role followed in 2007 as Danny Foster in the BBC series Party Animals. He also auditioned for other prominent television projects during this period, including a role in the comedy series The Inbetweeners.
Rise to prominence and major roles
In January 2009, Matt was revealed as the Eleventh Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. At twenty-six years old, he became the youngest actor ever cast in the title role. He made his debut in the episode The Eleventh Hour in April 2010 and continued in the part until 2013, gaining widespread international recognition and a nomination at the National Television Awards.
Following his time on Doctor Who, Matt expanded his career into major film and television productions. He portrayed Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in the Netflix historical drama series The Crown from 2016 to 2017, receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his performance. His film credits during this era included Terminator Genisys, Last Night in Soho, and the superhero film Morbius.
Recent career
In recent years, Matt has continued to take on high-profile television and film projects. He began starring as Daemon Targaryen in the fantasy drama series House of the Dragon, which premiered in 2022 on HBO. His extensive career across stage, television, and film has established him as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.
Birthday and age
Matt Smith was born on October 28, 1982, which makes Matt 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Matt shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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