Matt Smith Reveals DW Departure Date

[Alidar Jarok]

Maybe he's just going to fake his retirement and continue on the show, only lower key.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

"Wait, I thought Matt Smith had retired from the role?"

"That's what he wants you to think."

 

[Skywalker]

Matt who?

 

[od0_ital]

Or four, if ya count the 6th Doctor...

I know what you mean. Six left far, far, far too early.

Or four, if ya count the 8th Doctor...

Five if you count the 6th as well....

Edited to add:
Nuts. Omaha got to before I did.

Y'all realize there's a number between Six & Eight, right?

So, four in a row from 8 to 11.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I can't read Smith's comment to VH1 in any other way than, "I'm doing one more year and then all bets are off as to what I do next."

I don't see that as being any different than where Tennant was back in early 2008, though, where he intended to leave with RTD and then had a wibble over staying when he sat down and talked with Moffat about the fifth season, as mentioned by RTD in The Writer's Tale. I guess the main difference is that Matt's opened the door on his own departure, while four years ago it was Tate who cracked open the door on Tennant's departure accidentally.

However, that VH1 clip is really at odds with other interviews, where Smith has talked about how he still has a ways to go to really establish himself as the Doctor along the lines of Baker and Tennant and how he's looking forward to the 50th-anniversary plans. One more year would put Smith's departure at the end of the next 14 episodes, which would presumably fall in early 2013. I find it difficult to imagine that he'd go to the brink of the 50th-anniversary and then pull up short.

But he does seem to have his heart set on Hollywood, and I can't say that I blame him.

Time will tell.

And career plans do sometimes change, especially for young actors, IMO. Doctor Who may have given Smith a small advantage that other actors his age don't have as far as breaking into Hollywood (British or not). It would be hard for Smith to ignore that, IMO. Trade up a great gig for the potential to get ones that are even better...

 

[The Wormhole]

Personally, it feels too soon to be discussing Smith's departure. Though really, I guess some people were already speculating on how much longer Tennant would be in the role when he had as much time in as Smith currently does.

Well, by this point in Tennant's tenure, "Last of the Time Lords" had aired and we were waiting for "Voyage of the Damned" to come out. I don't remember there being much speculation about when Tennant would leave, but I think that people were aware that he might leave after his third series.

Some people were already speculating about Tennant's departure. I remember one magazine article published just before season 3 premiered in America (fall 2007, I believe) that even had an entire section devoted to womdering how much longer Tennant would stick with the role. And then there was a weird rumour in November 2007 claiming John Simm was in talks to become the Eleventh Doctor.

People were already preparing for Tennant's departure, just as they now seem to be with Smith's.

 

[TemporalFlux]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who? How many times has that happened? Certainly worked for David Tennant.

 

[StCoop]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who?

So they should never leave?

Most actors want to do different things with the careers rather than just playing the same role forever.

 

[Sindatur]

Certainly previously unfamous actor shouldn't piss away the part too early, but, there's also a problem with being type-cast in such an iconic role, so, it really needs to be a balanced decision. I definitely think it would be a bad decision, this close, not to stick around long enough for the Anniversary Special, also, I think it would be tough for a new Doctor to be fresh to the part for the Anniversary Special (Even if he was the only Doctor in it). It would be a good place for a Regeneration, though, if he stays until the Anniversary story.

 

[RoJoHen]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who?

So they should never leave?

Most actors want to do different things with the careers rather than just playing the same role forever.

I get that, but if you're playing the lead role on an extremely popular TV show, I would want to milk that for a while before moving on. There is something to be said for longevity at a job. Matt Smith is young; he has so much time to explore other roles.

It's not like Doctor Who has tremendously long seasons. He probably has time in between to work on other projects.

 

[Sci]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who?

Presumably they hope to achieve more success the same way they achieved initial success: By auditioning and showcasing their skills as an actor.

I think something people tend to forget is that most professional actors' definition of "success" is not "being a star." For most actors, their definition of success is "being able to support yourself by acting."

If Smith wants to move to Hollywood, that doesn't necessarily mean he thinks he'll become a bigger star. It could just mean that he feels like he's gone about as far as he can in British television -- and let's face it, from this point on, he'll be known for Doctor Who in Britain for the rest of his life -- and would like to try to advance in a wing of the entertainment industry where he'll be known for Doctor Who but it won't eclipse everything he's capable of as an actor.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ Agreed. It's not a matter of hitting it big for them, that is just something that happens as a result of them working. It is about working and getting to play and audition for new and interesting roles.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Y'all realize there's a number between Six & Eight, right?

So, four in a row from 8 to 11.

There was some short guy pretending to be the Doctor... You mean him?

 

[C.E. Evans]

Y'all realize there's a number between Six & Eight, right?

So, four in a row from 8 to 11.

There was some short guy pretending to be the Doctor... You mean him?

Ah yes, The Seventh Stranger...

(if you can recognize the reference without going to a search engine, give yourself 10 points)

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Y'all realize there's a number between Six & Eight, right?

So, four in a row from 8 to 11.

There was some short guy pretending to be the Doctor... You mean him?

Ah yes, The Seventh Stranger...

(if you can recognize the reference without going to a search engine, give yourself 10 points)

You're referring to BBV's videos starring Colin Baker, yes?

 

[captcalhoun]

as soon as you're cast in Doctor Who you're guaren-goddamn-teed that when you die the first thing your obit says is 'played the Nth Doctor' or 'played the Nth Doctor's companion'.

Tennant said he had people asking when he was leaving when he'd only just started!

 

[C.E. Evans]

There was some short guy pretending to be the Doctor... You mean him?

Ah yes, The Seventh Stranger...

(if you can recognize the reference without going to a search engine, give yourself 10 points)

You're referring to BBV's videos starring Colin Baker, yes?

Nope. But I would have guessed the exact same thing in your shoes.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who?

So they should never leave?

Most actors want to do different things with the careers rather than just playing the same role forever.

For most US series though three years is just the start of a successful run. We're used to regularly seeing actors going for five to seven seasons (often of 22-24 episodes) without breaking a sweat. So in that sense it does seem odd to hear about feeling trapped into the role at this stage.

 

[RoJoHen]

What I don't understand is how these guys think they'll get a bigger, better acting job after being popular on Doctor Who?

So they should never leave?

Most actors want to do different things with the careers rather than just playing the same role forever.

For most US series though three years is just the start of a successful run. We're used to regularly seeing actors going for five to seven seasons (often of 22-24 episodes) without breaking a sweat. So in that sense it does seem odd to hear about feeling trapped into the role at this stage.

That probably is the difference. In the US, successful shows tend to have much longer runs. Granted, Doctor Who has been around forever, but it essentially becomes a new series every time they replace the lead actor.

 

[Jax]

Matt's been leaving for every year since he took the part according to the media and Matt Smith should know cracking America is very very hard. Matt Smith also said he was looking forward to being part of the 50th year specials in 2013 so I doubt he will regenerate in 2012. The fall of the 11th at Trenzalore is no doubt the end game for Moffat/Smith but doesn't mean it will be in the 2012 season andit will most likely appear in the 2013 specials.

I think the BBC should rest the show for a short time after Moffat/Smith leaves but I doubt they will do that.