Matt Smith

Matt Smith has been announced as the actor who will portray Eleventh Doctor. He will take over the role from 2010 onwards, taking over the role from Tenth Doctor actor David Tennant at the end of the 2009 specials. At 26, he will be the youngest actor to portray the title role of Doctor Who.

Early life
Smith grew up in Northampton and attended Northampton School for Boys. He originally wanted to be a footballer but had to give up football after a back injury. . After encouragement from his drama teacher he joined the National Youth Theatre.

He studied at University of East Anglia, reading Drama and Creative Writing.

Career
Smith did not go to drama school but was a former member of the National Youth Theatre. His performance in The Master and Margarita secured him an agent leading on to his first professional performance in Fresh Kills opposite Christian Slater. Further roles came as he appeared in On the Shore of the Wide World before then moving on with co-stars Thomas Morrison and Steven Webb to Alan Bennet's History Boys.

After History Boys, he moved into television appearing in the BBC Television adaptations of The Ruby In The Smoke and TV_adaptation|The Shadow in the North alongside Billie Piper (who has appeared as Rose Tyler), then as Danny Foster in the BBC TV series Party Animals.

In January 2009, his casting as the Eleventh Doctor was announced on a special episode of Doctor Who Confidential 2010.

He said in an interview for Doctor Who Confidential that he had to keep it a secret and couldn't tell anyone, the only person he told was his Dad because he felt like he was going mad.

Awards

 * 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement or Performance in an Affiliate Theatre Nominee : Cast member of That Face


 * 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play: Cast member of On the Shore of the Wide World