Summary
Matt Smith details the advice that formerDoctor Whoactor David Tennant gave him when he took over his role. Tennant originally played the Tenth Doctor on the popular BBC series, and was succeeded by Smith as the Eleventh Doctor. Tennant later returned toDoctor Whofor a brief stint as the Fourteenth Doctor, before the role was passed on to Ncuti Gatwa. Gatwa is now playing the Fifteenth Doctor inDoctor Whoseason 14.
In an interview withVariety, Smith reveals the advice Tennant gave him upon the changeover of theDoctor Whostars.
Smith said thatTennant’s advice was to learn his lines on a Sunday, the weekend before a full week of shooting. The Eleventh Doctor actor explains howDoctor Who’s line learning was a particularly “insatiable” task. This challenge was due to it being a television series (rather than a visually florid film) and the fact that the Doctor carries a huge expositional burden in the show. Check out the full quote from Smith below:
I mean this was the thing, you know, that’s like a tiny segment of what was probably Steven Moffat writing. Like, the line learning for that job was insatiable, and David Tennant, god love him, said to me when I sort of phoned him and got the job and asked him for different bits of advice, and he was very generous with that, he was like ‘learn all of your lines on Sunday, because you’ve got to go back and do them, cause you’re shooting like 10 pages a day!’
He’s the vocal point for the exposition essentially, because he’s saying everything that he sees and obviously its television so you’re not doing it visually in quite the same way you would a film, you’ve got to explain what’s going on to the audience. Because the story has to move so quickly. So the line learning is just off the root to scale, like a lot.
Where Smith Has Been Since Doctor Who
Smith Continues To Take On Interesting High-Profile Roles
Tennant’s advice paid off extremely well when it came toDoctor Who. As he bops around the screen as the Time Lord,Smith is a force to be reckoned with in his line reading. He brings more energy than just about any other actor who has played The Doctor, for his recitation of complicated sci-fi concepts is nearly impeccable. It is great that a superstar like Tennant was able to give Smith such great advice, because it made that whole era ofDoctor Whofantastic.
Doctor Who: Every Rule The Eleventh Doctor Has, Explained
The Eleventh Doctor was constantly reciting rules, several of which help to define his era on Doctor Who, his perspective on life, and his companions.
Since this advice amounted to an alluring performance, it was also helpful to Smith’s career overall, which has really taken off afterDoctor Who. Following his 2010 debut in the series, the actor has been awarded a number of roles in major films and TV shows. In 2015, he played a key part inTerminator Genisys, showing his transition into blockbuster films. He played Phillip in the Netflix seriesThe Crownfor seasons 1 and 2, which was another major TV role for him.
Now, Smith has an almost equally high-profile role toDoctor Whoby playing the lead inHouse of the Dragon. Aspinoff ofGame of Thrones,House of the Dragonis one of the most notable television shows right now. Both the series and Smith’s performance have been getting rave reviews, showing the actor’s strength. If it had not been for Tennant’s benevolence in passing knowledge down to hisDoctor Whosuccessor, Prince Daemon Targaryen might not be the same as he is today.
Doctor Whoseason 14 is available to stream on Disney+ and on BBC iPlayer.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on August 12, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
