Matt Smith explains why he loved playing 'Doctor Who'

Matt Smith has opened up about why portraying the iconic Time Lord remains one of the most memorable experiences of his career.

As fans will know, Smith played the Eleventh Doctor from 2010 to 2013, cementing himself as one of the most beloved actors to step into the TARDIS.

Now, in a conversation with his Last Night in Soho co-star Anya Taylor-Joy for Interview Magazine, the British actor reflected on what made the role so special.

“Yeah, I loved playing Doctor Who,” the 42-year-old began. 

The actor went on to explain, “What’s amazing about him, or her, they, is he can go from A to Z and miss out every other f**** letter because he’s a f**** 900-year-old alien, and he’s seen everything, done everything.”

He added, “That show gives you permission to be eccentric because he’s truly an alien in a human world.”

Smith, who has built a diverse career across stage and screen, explained that each project brings valuable lessons.

“There’s so much stuff that comes under your nose and you go, ‘Oh, should I’ve done that?’ But the things you say yes to aren’t the things you regret, because eventually it’s the experience that counts,” he shared.

The actor also compared the Doctor to another of his acclaimed roles, Prince Philip in Netflix’s The Crown.

“I loved playing Prince Philip because he’s a bit like Doctor, he’s a total outsider who just does what the f*** he wants,” Smith said, noting that playing a real-life person brought a different challenge. 

“It’s not an impersonation; it’s about dialling down to the essence of their energy.”