Matt Smith Biography: Matthew Robert Smith, born on October 28, 1982, is an English actor renowned for his portrayal of the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2010–2014), Prince Philip in Netflix’s historical drama The Crown (2016–2017)—for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination—and Daemon Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon (2022–present). Initially aspiring to be a professional footballer, Smith’s career was cut short due to spondylolysis.
Matt Smith Biography 2025
Matthew Robert Smith is an English actor. He is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, Prince Philip in Netflix’s historical series
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Born: 28 October 1982 (age 41 years), Northampton, United Kingdom
Matthew Robert Smith was born in Northampton, England, on October 28, 1982, to Lynne and David Smith. He has an older sister, Laura Jayne, who appeared as a dancer in Eric Prydz’s 2004 music video “Call on Me.” Smith attended Northampton School for Boys and initially aimed for a football career, playing for the youth teams of Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City, where he served as captain. However, a serious back injury due to spondylolysis ended his football aspirations.
Smith’s drama teacher introduced him to acting by enrolling him in theatrical productions without his prior consent. After declining to participate in the first two, he ultimately took on the role of the tenth juror in an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men. Despite this, he resisted attending a drama festival, believing that acting would hinder his social life as a football player. His teacher persisted, convincing him to join the National Youth Theatre in London.
Smith made his television debut in 2006 as Jim Taylor in the BBC One movie The Ruby in the Smoke and reprised the role in The Shadow in the North (2007). That same year, he starred as Danny Foster in the BBC Two drama Party Animals and guest-starred in Secret Diary of a Call Girl and The Street. His first film role was in the 2008 movie In Bruges, although his scenes were cut. In 2009, he had a recurring role as DS Dan Twentyman in the BBC Two crime drama Moses Jones, and in 2010, he appeared in the film Womb. From 2010 to 2014, he played the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, becoming the youngest actor to take on the role. Over the course of 54 episodes, he also featured in The Sarah Jane Adventures (2010) and the TV movie An Adventure in Space and Time (2013).
From 2008 to 2009, Matt dated Brazilian actress Mayana Moura, and from 2010 to 2014, he had an on-and-off relationship with Daisy Lowe. He was in a relationship with his Pride and Prejudice and Zombies co-star Lily James from 2014 to 2019, with reports of a reconciliation during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, though they later split again. Smith identifies as an atheist and is a fan of the bands Radiohead and Oasis, as well as a supporter of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. In 2015, he was named one of “GQ” magazine’s “50 Best-Dressed British Men.”
In 2018, Smith earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Crown, and the cast received Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in both 2017 and 2018. He was also nominat for two Broadcasting Press Guild Awards for Best Actor (2017 and 2018), an Empire Award for Best Actor in a TV Series (2018), a Gold Derby Award for Drama Supporting Actor (2018), and Online Film & Television Association Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series (2017) and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2018). Additionally, he received four National Television Award nominations for Doctor Who, winning Most Popular Male Drama Performance in 2012 and Most Popular Drama Performance in 2014.
