The inside story of the new Doctor and his rapid rise to stardom As the 11th incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, and the youngest actor ever to play the role, Matt Smith has taken TV audiences by storm. This biography fills fans in on the newcomer. It covers the early years of the aspiring youth footballer, who switched to studying drama and creative writing after a back injury. An outstanding 2003 performance in the National Youth Theatre production of The Master and Margarita brought him to the attention of an agent and earned him his first professional acting jobs. Smith's first television appearance, in the 2006 BBC adaptation of Phillip Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke, was followed by first major role as Danny in Party Animals a year later. 2007 also saw him debut in the West End, starring in Fresh Kills and a critically acclaimed performance in That Face. But Smith's biggest break was to be cast in Doctor Who, first appearing in the show in January 2010. Replacing the much-loved David Tennant was no mean feat for a relatively unknown actor like Matt Smith but he has risen to the challenge and received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike for his quirky, offbeat take of the famous Time Lord.