Matt Smithbegan his acting career in the National Youth Theatre after studying Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia in 2005. He eventually gained small roles on television shows such asThe Ruby in the Smoke, but was a relative unknown until he was cast as the Eleventh Doctor in BBC’sDoctor Whoin 2010, which earned him a 2011 BAFTA TV Nomination. Smith was later cast as Prince Philip in Netflix’sThe Crown, which earned him a 2018 Primetime Emmy nomination.
Smith went on to play mostly film characters in movies such asTogether(a short film),Womb,Terminator Genisys,Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,Patient Zero,Charlie Says,Last Night in Soho, andMorbius. In 2021, Smith made two music video appearances in songs “Flying on the Ground” and “We’re On Our Way Now,” for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, an English rock band with ties to Oasis.
Next,Smith will play Daemon TargaryeninHouse of the Dragon, the fantasy drama prequel toGame of Thrones, which will beavailable on HBO Maxlater in August 2022. PerVariety, he is also set to star as Richard in the horror filmStarve Acre, based on the book of the same name by Andrew Michael Hurley, but, as of this writing, the project has no release date set. With over 45 acting credits, 17 award nominations, and 6 award wins to his name, Smith is taking the world by storm. Here are his top performances, ranked.
Even though the film was delayed multiple times and eventually received mostly negative reviews from critics, Smith shined inMorbius. The film received a lot of critiques for its writing style, after-credits scenes, and even its visual effects. In the film, Micheal Morbius (played by Jared Leto) does an experiment using vampire bats to try to cure a blood disease both he and his surrogate brother suffer from. The experiment goes wrong and Morbius essentially becomes a monster. The shining star of the film is Smith as Michael’s brother, who brings levity and kindness to the seriousness of the character’s situation.
Related:House of the Dragon: What to Know About the Key Characters
4Terminator: Genisys
Terminator: Genisysis a reboot of the originalTerminatortrilogy with Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role as The Terminator, except it takes things in another direction. This reboot also ignores the events of the originalTerminatorsequels and television series. The following reboot films were ultimately canceled when the company producing them filed for bankruptcy. Smith’s role inTerminator Genisysis a strange one. He plays Alex, an advanced T-5000 Terminator who embodies Skynet. He does a great job with the character and should be praised for making good use of his unique features and the not-of-this-world demeanor in portraying the Skynet.
3Last Night in Soho
Last Night in Sohois a British psychological horror film and Smith’s most daring role, where he plays a pimp named Jack.Last Night in Sohotells the story of Ellie, played by Thomasin McKenzie, a fashion designer who has disturbing dreams of a girl named Sandie, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, being pimped out by Jack and then possibly killed. When Ellie can’t find any information on Sandie’s murder, she tries to get answers, but the truth is not what she expects. Smith does an amazing job of utilizing his unique charisma and facial expressions to showcase who Jack really is. The talent he possesses and showcases by playing such a different character is astounding.
2The Crown
Smith is only in the first two seasons of Netflix’sThe Crown, but with that time he made a huge impact. Smith is playing Prince Philip alongside Claire Foy who portrays a young Queen Elizabeth II (also only in the first two seasons).The Crownis a historical drama based on fact, but employs fiction to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth II and her reign in the British monarchy. The story is told in two season blocks, and after every block, the actors and actresses are changed to mimic the real-life aging process of the Queen and her family.
Smith brought an interesting perspective to the life of the younger Queen by showing what could have happened as he stood by her side in the early days of their marriage.The Crownearned a whopping 63 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations for its first four seasons.Season 5 ofThe Crownis due to premiere on Netflix in 2022, and the show has already been renewed for a 6th and final season, which is likely to premiere in 2023.
Related:Here’s What to Watch if You Can’t Get Enough of the British Royal Family
1Doctor Who
Being cast as The Doctor in BBC’sDoctor Whoskyrocketed Smith to a household name. As the youngest actor to play The Doctor, he brought a new and fresh perspective to the hundreds-of-years-old Time Lord. Smith’s quirky line delivery and general lightheartedness made him a fan favorite almost instantly. The best part of Smith taking on the role of the Eleventh Doctor was that, when the script called for a serious moment, he could do those just as well as the funnier bits. Working alongside Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Arthur Darvill (Broadchurch) as The Doctor’s companions, Smith was able to refreshDoctor Whoand bring in new viewers. His emotional and poignant moments, combined with moments of levity and delight at the most minuscule things, gave Smith the edge over most of the other Doctors. Overall, his work as The Doctor is something to be cherished.
