Matt Smith

Matt Smith's drama teacher suggested he play a role in a school production of "Twelve Angry Men," sparking a love of acting. Smith eventually joined the National Youth Theatre in London, where his first roles on the stage included those in "Murder in the Cathedral" and "The Master and Margarita." He went on to study drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia.

Matt Smith's first professional stage roles included "Fresh Kills" and "On the Shore of the Wide World," which transferred to the prestigious Royal National Theatre in London. He also appeared in Alan Bennett's acclaimed play "The History Boys," and later made his debut in the West End in a production of "Swimming With Sharks," starring Christian Slater. He then starred in the critically acclaimed Polly Stenham play "That Face" at London's Royal Court Theatre and was nominated (with the rest of the cast) for a 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. Smith also won the Evening Standard's "Best Newcomer" award.

His first television roles were in BBC adaptations of the Philip Pullman books "The Ruby in the Smoke" and "The Shadow in the North," playing the character Jim Taylor, in 2006.

In 2008, at age 26, Smith became the youngest actor to be cast in the lead role of the Doctor in the popular British science-fiction television program "Doctor Who." After an intense, three-week casting process, Smith's new role became big news in Britain, where the series has a near-cult following. "Doctor Who," produced by the BBC and originally broadcast from 1963 to 1989, is a major part of British culture and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running science-fiction television show in the world.

Smith fit right in with the young, sought-after cast. For his portrayal, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2011. Smith stepped down as the Doctor in 2013.