‘Dr. Who’ Star Matt Smith Reveals What He Really Thought About Playing the Time Lord: ‘It’s Quite Strange’
The former Eleventh Doctor talks about his impact on the series and what he thinks of his character
Key Takeaways
- Matt Smith starred as the Eleventh Doctor in the 'Doctor Who' franchise.
- Smith recalls his fond time playing the Doctor and still holds it close to his heart.
- Smith is certain the Doctor isn't going anywhere and that he will continued to evolve.
Nearly 13 years have passed since Matt Smith starred as the Doctor on Doctor Who, yet the actor still holds the role near and dear to his heart. After being cast as the iconic character, Smith experienced a new level of fame he never had before.
“I was 26 and was the youngest actor to ever play the Doctor,” Smith recalled. “It was very hard. I remember I would walk down the street and people would shout ‘don’t break Doctor Who!’”
The actor portrayed the Eleventh Doctor, the third to appear since the show’s 2005 revival, and he remained on the series from Season 5 until Season 7 in 2013. But just because he doesn’t play the Doctor any longer doesn’t mean the character has left him. In fact, he and a few other former Doctors keep the character alive in their everyday lives.
“I used to have a flat in the same block as ex-Doctor Christopher Eccleston [the Ninth Doctor],” Smith shared. “We would pass each other in the mornings and go, ‘Morning, Doctor’, ‘Morning, Doctor’.”
His thoughts on playing the Doctor
Since leaving the BBC series, Smith has gone on to play some major characters in popular series, including Prince Philip in The Crown (2016-2017) and Prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon (2022-present), with Season 3 premiering June 21.
But over the years the actor has shared that playing the Doctor will always hold a special place in his heart.
While starring in Doctor Who, Smith shared what it was like to go from being the Doctor to playing other characters, explaining the uniqueness of the role.
“It’s quite strange because I go away and do other jobs and then come back to this and, honestly, there’s really nothing quite like playing the Doctor.”
As for his thoughts on the character years later, Smith still feels the same way.
“Yeah, I loved playing Doctor Who,” Smith said. “What’s amazing about him, or her, they, is he can go from A to Z and miss out every other letter because he’s a 900-year-old alien, and he’s seen everything, done everything. That show gives you permission to be eccentric because he’s truly an alien in a human world.”
Why Matt Smith thinks the Doctor is here to stay
The Doctor first appeared in the original series in 1963, portrayed by William Hartnell. While the actors who star as the Doctor change every few years, the actual character is meant to be the same.
The Doctor is not a human, his is a Time Lord, an alien that changes its physical appearance through the process of regeneration. So, while the outer appearance changes, the inner mind, thoughts and identity are the same.
Smith is certain that the character will be around for many years to come despite the show’s current hiatus. “The Doctor never dies,” Smith said recently. “He never goes away. I am sure he, she or they will be back in force and it will continue to sort of evolve and change and grow, because it is the most brilliant concept for a show.”
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