An Interview With Matt Smith

Matt Smith on...

Whats Your Favourite Music?

Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon My dad got me into that quite early. It’s such a magic piece of music: mad and clever and bold.

Nas Illmatic That was a really seminal album from my teens. NY State of Mind, is one of my favourite tracks ever.

Radiohead In Rainbows Got to have Radiohead — they’ve been a real influence on my imaginative mind. I can muddle through High and Dry on the guitar, although I’m actually better on the piano. I asked for a piano in the Tardis but it hasn’t happened. I’d love to see the Doctor rock up and play, but it’d have to be done in an inventive and silly way.

Whats Your Favourite Films?

Fish Tank Andrea Arnold is one of the greatest directors. And Nas’s Life’s a Bitch plays at the end!

Looking for Eric Man, I love that movie! It warmed me and it was full of invention.

Who Are Your Favourite Footballers?

Zinédine Zidane The best player I’ve seen. He’s grace, that man. Even , God love him, the head butt. It was a mistake, but by God he committed to it.

Tony Adams Adams was a player I really admired. Because he was clumsy like me? Yeah, perhaps. My best mate’s dad would watch me play football and say, “I’ve got no idea how you can play football when you’re that clumsy”. It’s always been a bit of a conundrum that I’ve got two feet that work.

Stuart Pearce My favourite footballer and a big influence. I remember that penalty, when he ran up to the fans after he scored. The last penalty he had taken, at the World Cup in 1990, he’d missed. I love my football, I really do.

Whos Your Favourite Doctors?

David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston Are there any other parts that could be played by a 58-year-old [William Hartnell] and a 27-year-old? It’s a bit like Hamlet, not wishing to sound too grand. because it thrives off people who reinvent it. I obviously love David and Chris, because I’ve watched those episodes.

Patrick Troughton But of the older Doctors it would be Patrick. I really like him, because he’s mad without ever illustrating that he’s mad. There’s a kookiness to him that’s very subtle and very interesting.