Matt Smith, better known as the enigmatic Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, has been on a quest for complexity ever since hanging up his Sonic Screwdriver as Doctor Who. If you thought the platinum-blonde Black Prince was Smith’s first dark twist, think again. In a wonderfully candid chat with the Financial Times, Matt let his inner misfit loose, revealing what draws him straight to the shadows.
Quick read:
-
Matt Smith loves exploring the shadows post-Doctor Who
-
Finds creative joy in morally messy roles
-
Daemon Targaryen lets him flex his dark hero muscles
Why Matt Smith Embraces Morally Murky Characters After Doctor Who
For Matt, playing it safe is simply not in the cards. “I’ve always been fascinated. I always love a documentary about a serial killer. I’m obsessed with the second world war,” Smith quipped, before digging even deeper: “I think it was Goebbels who had a club foot, so what is it that I’m sort of obsessed with in that – not obsessed, but morbidly fascinated?
[And] creatively, with Patrick Bateman for instance, again, I was kind of… is it wrong to say? I was kind of with him. I thought, if the audience can come out going, ‘I kind of like Bateman,’ like you do with Christian Bale in the film, there’s something in that which is great.”
Credits: HBO
If HBO handed out medals for intensity, Matt would have a shelf full by now. Leaving his space-time adventures behind, Smith joked: “I think post-Doctor Who as well, I very actively sought out sort of darker roles.”
From Time Lord to Rogue Prince: Smith Finds Fun in the Shadows
Since leaving Doctor Who, Smith’s filmography has turned into a rogue’s gallery. Whether it’s American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman or the broody Daemon, Smith revels in finding empathy for the world’s oddballs. There’s something uniquely charming—and even mischievous—about the way he plucks at our sympathy for deviant characters. His fans are along for the ride, celebrating his willingness to leap into the complicated and the creepy.
Matt’s secret sauce? Make the audience love a little darkness. And if you find yourself liking Daemon a bit more than you should? That’s just how Smith likes it.
Read next: Matt Smith Plays a Sex-Addicted Salesman in New Series The Death of Bunny Munro
If you have any important filming news about House of the Dragon, or if you want to collaborate with us or want to write for us, please drop us a message here.
