10 Actors Who Reinvented Themselves In Unexpected Ways

8. Matt Smith

Spencer movie
Universal

At just 27 years old, Matt Smith became the youngest person ever to play the role of The Doctor in the hit BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who.

Despite his youth and the fact that he was replacing David Tennant (the best Doctor of all time, end of discussion), Smith excelled in the role and remains a firm favourite amongst the Who faithful to this very day.

After leaving the show in 2014, many wondered what Smith was going to do next. Would he continue to play the floppy-haired, doe-eyed posh boy that had won him so many fans?

No. Absolutely not.

It turns out that Matt Smith is absolutely brilliant at playing scary men. Take his role in 2021's Last Night in Soho, in which he plays a controlling showbiz manager named Jack.

Then there's his part in the early seasons of The Crown; the deeply insecure Duke of Edinburgh. And, of course, we have to mention the vicious Daemon Targaryen from House of the Dragon.

Basically, Smith has done everything within his power to distance himself from the role of the Doctor and has made very few mistakes in doing so.

Well, except for Morbius.

Contributor
Contributor

Jacob Simmons has a great many passions, including rock music, giving acclaimed films three-and-a-half stars, watching random clips from The Simpsons on YouTube at 3am, and writing about himself in the third person.