Matt Smith, 26, Will Be the New Doctor
Wednesday January 14, 2009
Matt Smith in a promotional shot for Doctor Who.
© Courtesy Outpost Gallifrey
Smith, who at 26 is the youngest actor to play this role, takes over from David Tennant, who announced he was quitting the show in October. The new Doctor will take up his duties when production begins this summer and a new full season opens in the U.K. on BBC in 2010. Tennant will still star in four Doctor Who specials this year.
Smith is startlingly young and relatively unknown, though he has earned critical acclaim for TV work, including the BBC political series Party Animals, and stage appearances in The History Boys. Still, some Who fans are reacting with the obvious question – can a 26-year-old man portray the gravitas of a 900-year-old man who's seen it all? And does his skillset as an actor allow him the fantastic range that David Tennant, himself younger than most of the actors to play the Doctor, has displayed in his three seasons on the job?
On the other hand, the Who production team have demonstrated they know what they're doing much of the time, and there are plenty of voices arguing that Smith be given a chance to prove himself, which is only fair.
Doctor Who executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat said Smith had a completely new take on the Doctor. "As soon as Matt walked through the door, and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man," Moffat said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"2010 is a long time away," Moffat added, "but rest assured the 11th Doctor is coming -- and the universe has never been so safe."
Noel Clarke, who has played companion Mickey Smith on the show, said he "could not be happier" about Matt Smith being cast as the new Doctor.
Comments
He’s hot ! even for us 50+ ladies. Hopefully he’s straight, BUT don’t make
him a womanizer (like Capt. Kirk) keep
him like the other DR’s who keep on saving
the world!
Capt. Jack is hot too but hard to
dream about knowing he’s not a “ladies”
man. (or is he?)
the doctors have been getting younger over the years from the first one. So it seems he is aging backwards.
Suzie: Well, according to the Lore of Torchwood, Capt. Jack is OMNI-sexul, which means he’s an…everything…man. Rowr!
Starrpoint: I had similar thoughts, myself. I REALLY am going to miss Tennant, he’s been utterly awesome. And I still miss Tom Baker, who was my first Who. *sigh*
Correction: that would be “Omni-Sexual”
Capt. Jack can apparently fluster from quite a remove.
Personally, I prefered Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor. To bad they could not keep him and Billy Piper around for a few more seasons.
I agree with Dante. If Matt doesn’t work out, maybe he can re-regenerate back into Christopher Eccleston.
It would be nice to have a two-parter ( possibly three-parter ?? ) featuring the 8th, 9th, 10th and Newest Doctor ( with their respective companions, naturally ).
We are concerned about one small detail — with the New Series changing Doctors every few years, what will happen when we reach the 13th Doctor ? After all, a Time Lord only gets 13 lives.
I hate it when they change doctors but i grew to like tennant… I wish he and Billie were back together again….. Gotta lovvvvvvveee the Daleks!
I wish that David Tennant would stay.Get rid of the old lady and bring back Martha Jones.They were the best duo 2nd best David Tennant and Billie Piper.She is pretty hot in the Showtime series Diaries of a call girl.This almost 2 year span between full seasons is completely ridiculous.I hope it does not cause a drop in viewers which in turn would get the show canceled.This new Dr better be damn good,he’s got awful big shoes to fill.
not bad he’s cool but if he’s like david tennant, i’ll love him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is too young.
Don’t they having tanning beds in England? Man, is this guy whiter than a sheet of paper and he is wearing black. Too goth like for Doctor Who.
wonder if the doctor will ever get to be ginger
it’s a shame that David Tennant quits the series! it’s like buying a house, live in it for a few years and then it burns down, and no matter how big or new your next house is, you can’t stop thinking of your old house! i hope we’ll get to see him doing some other big parts in movies!
Cap Jack has no preference. He is just open.. The Doctor explains this to Rose in the second season./
I wonder when they will show Ramona. She is a time lord that traveled with the Doctor ,but she never went back to their home planet. I think she should be the 13 doctor’s companion and when he dies she will take the title Doctor.
I keep waiting for the Doctor’s Daughter Jenny to pop back up. Having 2 time lords (not the Master)traveling together could be interesting. Having them father and daughter would lose any romantic tendencies but add a different kind of dimension.