Matt Smith is the new Doctor Who!
Saturday, January 3, 2009 by Graham Kibble-White
Matt Smith - the new Doctor
Matt Smith has been announced as the 11th Doctor.
The Party Animals and Ruby in the Smoke star (set to appear in upcoming BBC2 crime drama Moses Jones) was an outside chance with all pundits, until earlier today, when his name suddenly propelled itself through the ranks of potential Time Lords.
So how did Doctor Who Confidential announce the casting? Slowly…
It was like the old days, really. We had to sit through the football results and the news (Peter Sissons on the Who situation: “The nation awaits…”; Lizo Mzimba: “David Tennant is the 10th of several actors to portray the Doctor” – erm). Then it began, but the teasing continued.
“When I heard who they cast as the 11th Doctor my absolute intial reaction was jealousy” – Russell T Davies.
“He was just spot on, right from the beginning, the way he looked, the way he said his lines. His hair” – Steven Moffat
FInally, the first real hint, from David Tennant: “And now there’s the youngest Doctor ever.” Moffat went on to describe him as: “Brilliant but not famous”, before revealing the new man was 26. Wikipedia’s Matt Smith page must have buckled. But there it was, confirmed.
There then followed a teeth-gnashingly drawn-out appraisal of all the former incarnations (featuring Lis Sladen punditing while dressed as a Victorian marm) – meaning it wasn’t until 25 minutes into the show we cut to “Matt Smith: The 11th Doctor”!
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“I’m flabbergasted – I haven’t slept… It’s an iconic part of our culture,” said the man himself. “I had to be brave enough to make my own choices, choices based on me and my life” he continued, describing the audition process.
Keeping his new job secret was tough for Smith: “What I did when I got the role was I paced around the room for three days… because I just didn’t know what to do.” He also revealed he’d received a letter with advice from David Tennant – although we weren’t made privy to its contents.
So what’s your response to the news? Post below!
I can honestly say that I have never heard of him.
He seemed enthusiastic though, although I think that he is far, far too young for the role (it makes me feel old to think that the new Doctor is younger than my little brother).
I was hoping for Chewetel Ejifor.
An initial thumbs up from me with this casting. He seems to possess just the right kind of unforced, uncontrived eccentricity that could make him excellent in the role. Surprisingly his age doesn’t overly concern me, if anything does about this news, then it’s that he seems a little too similar to Tennant. Still, overall an excellent choice, I reckon.
I’ve followed him since Party Animals, actually – and interviewed him a couple of times. The most recent being for BBC2′s upcoming Moses Jones; the press launch was only in December. You can be sure I’m going to listen to my tape of that again tonight.
Anyway, a great actor. A great choice. I’m really, really pleased.
I was hoping for Patterson Joseph but, if I’m honest, it might be more because I like the guy than him being the best man for the part. Matt Smith has an interesting face, and while I’ve only ever seen him in The Ruby in the Smoke, I have high hopes for how the role will develop with both he and Steven Moffat in the key roles.
Really pleased with this. Never heard of him, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
One question — will he be a 7 years’ doctor or 7 months? The way the doctor’s been rattling through his transformations/lives/regenerations just recently, he’ll run out soon! This doctor is Number 11, so that’s 2 left.
SP
Isn’t Doctor 13 Michael Jayston? Isn’t that what was made clear at the end of The Trial Of A Time Lord? Not that much was ever made clear in that shambles of a story…
I believe (ahem) time was in flux. Incidentally have you heard Gary Russell’s audio He Jests At Scars? The on in which the Valeyard wins? It actually makes ToaTL seem more impressive than it actually was.
The anti-R.T.D. brigade have blathered on for years about how he ‘ruined’ the show by casting a young ‘Doctor’, and now their icon Moffat goes and casts someone younger still! Oh my aching sides!
Matt Smith might be 26, but since when was there an age limit on the Doctor. I am glad the BBC has picked someone relatively unknown, Tom Baker was little known when he took over in 1974 and became the most successful Doctor ever. A young Doctor who is little known might be tempted to a Tom Baker and stay in the role for 7 years. Smith, I’m sure, will be an excellent Doctor.
Matt Smith is not the Doctor. Matt Smith is the Valeyard. Tennant was Doctor 10. His “hand clone was 11. Matt Smith is 12 THE VALEYARD the evil Doctor.