Dragon Con 2017

Part 11: Matt Smith, Part One

By Wolfen Moondaughter
July 23, 2018

Part One: Overview and Wednesday
Part Two: Thursday
Part Three: Wallace Shawn
Part Four: Toby Froud
Part Five: The Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast, Part One
Part Six: The Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast, Part Two
Part Seven: Buy My Book
Part Eight: Medieval Swag, Part 1
Part Nine: Medieval Swag, Part 2
Part Ten: Friday Night, Including Steam Powered Giraffe, and Saturday Morning

Saturday, September 2nd

I greatly appreciate that, before the Matt Smith panel began, we were told to save any gifts or hug requests for the autograph table. In general, I agree -- the panels are for everyone in the audience at the same time, not a time for one's personal gratification at the exclusion of the rest of the room. That is, if he gave everyone a hug, there'd be no time for questions! (And really, I suggest one not ask for physical contact even at the autograph table; it can be hard to say no, so it's not very nice to put people in the position of feeling like they have to do something they may not want to.) But on the other hand, I guess I can understand not wanting to go up to the autograph table to ask for a hug or even just say I love your work!" without buying an autograph (especially as, in my early days at Tart, when I went up to a pair of actors to ask for an interview, they told me it was actually very rude to approach them without buying an autograph), and if one can't afford an autograph, I can understand how asking for a hug at a panel would seem like the way to go ....

Now, for readers not familiar with Matt Smith, he was the eleventh incarnation of The Doctor, the time-travelling alien if the Doctor Who franchise, which I've been a fan of since I was five years old (I'm currently in my early forties). The panel was moderated by Aaron Sager, of Syfy Wire; he had the audience welcome Smith to the stage with a sonic screwdriver salute. I wish I had one, so I could have joined in! It was heartwarming to be surrounded by soooo many Whovians, considering that I spent almost half my life with my parents, and a friend and her immediate family, being the only other Whovians I knew!

My audio recording of the panel turned out a bit muffled, but I found a great video recording on YouTube, if you'd rather watch than read. (Also, I didn't get any pictures with printing, alas.)

Sagers asked Smith what he thought was different about Dragon Con compared to other cons. Smith mused it could be Atlanta, it could be how it has "Dragon" in the title -- he has no idea, but feels there's a certain energy, spirit, and lawlessness -- which he likes! Sagers then noted that they'd been given notepads, as if there was going to be a quiz at the end of a panel. (I've seen moderators ask the audience questions at the end, seeing who paid attention, and give prizes to those who gave correct answers -- I think it would be cool if that became a thing!) Smith said that he likes to doodle the same-but-different doodle over and over. (He's not the first I've encountered doing that, either; it seems like a really good way to deal with the anxiety of being the focus of such a large group of people!) Sagers said the art was like a Picasso, to which Smith replied, "Well ... flattery will get you everywhere, darling." (It felt like he was channeling Freddie Mercury!) Smith then suggested they could give the art to someone at the end of the panel.

Sagers asked if it was more of a challenge playing a character that others have played before, like The Doctor, or to play a real person (Smith plays Prince Philip on The Crown). Smith replied that both have their challenges, going on to remark that the interesting thing about The Doctor and Phillip is that they both feel like aliens! That is, Philip is an alien in his environment -- everyone hates him, he doesn't fit in. Smith added that you want to get both characters "right".

He went on to say there was an immense pressure in playing The Doctor, with people telling him, "Do not. Break. Doctor Who!" You pray no one hates you, and then everyone hates you before you've even said anything, "unless you're Jodi Whittaker, who everybody loves!" (I think he even meant that earnestly; dude must not internet much if he missed all of the "The Doctor is male!" hubbub.) Sagers remarked that you can't lean too heavily on the performances of the previous Doctor actors, need to make the role your own, and with historical figures (including another Smith is playing, Robert Mappelthorpe), one has to "honour the spirit" without resorting to mimicry. Smith agreed, saying there was a fine line with real people: you want to get them right, but you also want to be creative on set every day. Playing The Doctor, meanwhile, is like playing Hamlet -- you get to be your version of the character. Smith then summed it up all as acting is a bit of a mystery that he's still trying to work out.

He feels playing The Doctor made him a better actor in every way, and he owes everything to the show. It got him used to him the process of going on the set every day, learning all the lines, and the practice of being around a film crew, for nine months a year. He misses playing The Doctor very much, calling it the greatest part of his life, but now he gets to be a fan himself.

A man in the audience remarked on how the transition from Doctor to Doctor is always hard, with fans not wanting the old one to leave and hating on the new guy. "Try following David Tennant," Smith quipped. The questioner asked if Smith got advice from Tennant, and if Smith gave advice to Capaldi. Smith told Capaldi to listen to no one on how to play the character, as everyone has their own opinions on everything, like how to do it and what to wear, because we love it. He says the role "has to be really singular", you have to have laser vision set on what you want to do, like how he knew he wanted his own Doctor to be clumsy, professorial, and mad. He says you (as the Doctor) and your Companions really do become companions, getting really close. He went on to say that Tennant was a generous, lovely man; they talked, and he passed the same things on to Capaldi, as well as to Whittaker. He calls the job mental, saying it's like no other job or experience, and "the most wonderful thing". He said show-writer/runner Steven Moffat once remarked on how, at Doctor Who screenings, when you walk in, people cheer, whereas at other screenings, everyone's quiet.

Sagers asked him about dealing with the transition of Companions (as The Doctor's travelling companions are known) leaving and new ones coming in, and thus Smith having to work with new costars, developing new chemistry. Smith admitted it's hard, because you get so entwined with your costars, they really do become your companions. He mentioned the emotional reunion that he, Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory "Pond" Williams), and Alex Kingston (River Song) had had just that morning, because they had all become so close. In particular, he felt his Doctor just loved Amy Pond so much, it was hard to let that go. "But luckily, I got Jenna (Coleman, aka Clara Oswald), who's wonderful and lovely!"

Sagers joked that The Doctor is a bit of a cad, to which Smith quipped that he was, "travelling around the universe with hot chicks the whole of his life! He does what he wants, when he wants, how he wants ...." Sagers remarked that The Doctor might travel with hot dudes, as well, to which Smith enthusiastically replied, "He had Rory Pond!" He revealed that he used to call Darvil up after reading scripts and tease, "Yeah, you're dead again!"

The next fan asked about the scene where, after regenerating, his Doctor was trying a bunch of foods and decided he liked fish sticks dipped in custard. That apparently was Moffat's idea; Smith called it the most brilliant, romantic way to meet a companion. He loved that the relationship between The Doctor and Amy was romantic without actually being a romance. As for the food, he ate 12 fish sticks, but says he loves custard, He said they also made him coconut cakes covered in orange stuff, but he liked them, so he just ate them. And he loved that, since they were shooting late at night, he and Cailtlyn (Gillan's real-life cousin, the girl playing young Amy), who was eating ice cream, had midnight feast both literally and narratively!

A fan asked him his thoughts on working with Michael C. Hall, of Dexter, on The Crown, and what fans might expect from the man's performance as JFK. (Personally, I think questions like this are a bad idea. It puts the actor in an awkward spot -- what if the experience was horrible, but saying so might hurt one's chances of getting work elsewhere? If you can't be assured of an honest answer, why ask at all? Also, why ask about a different actor and that other actor's performance? You're talking to Smith -- ask about his character!) Smith said Hall is amazing and a wonderful JFK, and a brilliant actor. Smith noted how cool and charming the man was, and admitted to being starstruck. Smith also remarked that he prefers the early seasons of Dexter, feeling the fourth season, with John Lithgow (whom he's also worked with and calls "a dream"), was the best.

He ruminated on the shared experience of being starstruck, how a person can be starstruck with one person and in turn be the one who makes someone else feel that way. Noting then how he'd turned philosophical, he remarked that he sees panels as a sort of therapy. Sagers jokingly asked him why he feels that way, to which Smith quipped that he's never actually seen a therapist, but a lot of people have told him that he should ....

A fan asked Smith to share something he normally doesn't share in interviews, something to make the Dragon Con attendees feel special. Yeah, I wasn't thrilled with this question either -- the actors don't owe us personal details -- but it seems this was a set-up! Smith immediately brought out his friend Johnny, of Northampton, and another bestie, Alex, from back stage, saying they would take a selfie together. They put their backs to the audience, so the crowd would be in the picture too. Well, I guess being in a selfie with an actor and his best mates is unique (not that you'd really be able to see any of the audience). He wasn't sure it was special enough, though, so he gave the questioner his doodle.

Sagers asked if he was a goofy kid; Smith replied that he was a weird one, which Johnny and Alex could testify to. He advised anyone who feels peculiar and strange to keep going with it. He was good at football (I'm assuming he means what we in America call soccer), but had a bad speech impediment. He interrupted himself by saying, "See? Therapy! I told you!" He went on to say he was quite odd and misplaced, but he had good friends and a good family. Sagers asked if that contributed to him playing so many outsider, alien characters, and smith mused that it might have, agreeing that he's always subconsciously gravitated towards alien types of characters. That's one of the things he likes about acting: being able to draw on those influences for his characters.

Next, a fan and their friend who both dream of becoming actors asked if he had any advice. He advised that they go firmly down the path and never give up, no matter what. He said to try their best and work harder than the person next to them. He also suggested they immerse themselves in the world of film and theatre, read plays, uses You Tube. He suggested spending time in their imaginations, and be creative. He ruminated that maybe that's why conventions are amazing: because they let spend time in our imaginations, to be creative and dress up. He noted that we used to dress up and play pretend all the time when we were kids, but we've lost some of that in the world, become more cynical. Getting back to his advice, he suggests, if there's an actor one likes, to go watch all their work. As examples, he said to watch all of Jack Nicholson's movies, and of all the movies with Daniel Day Lewis -- and, cheekily, "Watch all of Doctor Who damn it!" He said to do your best to be creative -- whatever that means to you.

Sagers remarked on how this is a great world for creators right now, like podcasters and cosplays. Smith agreed, saying how he was amazed by the cosplay he'd seen the night before.

A fan asked about what kind of training Smith might have had for American Psycho (the musical). Smith asked for clarification -- did they mean lifting weights, singing ...? Sagers joked, "Did you actually kill people?" Smith deadpanned, "Yes," nodding sagely. He went on to tell a story about how he'd wrapped Doctor Who one weekend, including having a wrap party with alcohol, and then had to start work on American Psycho that Monday. On top of that, he'd had knee surgery, so he wasn't very fit, and only had seven weeks to get into shape to play Patrick Bateman. On top of that, since he'd never really sang before, there were a lot of singing lessons, as well as training in the morning, a lot of eating, and dance lessons in the afternoon ... "and a lot of panicking and self-analysis." He was petrified, but figured if he could get through it, he could get through anything; unfortunately, that feeling has repeated itself again and again since. He says you never really lose that feeling of it being time for exams -- but reckons maybe that's a good thing. Sagers suggested maybe it keeps people from getting to cocky or lazy, from phoning it in, and Smith agreed.

Sager then remarked that he and Smith had talked before about playing a villain, like The Master (a Who villain, but one Smith's Doctor didn't face), asking what it is about The Doctor that makes Smith want to explore the darker components of the character. Smith replied that he's always been really interested in the darkest parts of The Doctor. In the episode with the Minotaur, where The Doctor opens a door and sees something we don't, Smith imagined The Doctor saw all the Doctors hanging from a noose, with the last being his. Smith pointed out that The Doctor has so much blood on his hands, and has left so many people behind or hurt, he has to be funny to cope. Smith quipped that The Doctor would be a therapist's dream -- they could make a whole episode about it! Sagers tried to think of who could be the therapist. "Good luck to them," Smith quipped. Sagers then suggested not River, but Alex Kingston as herself; "Good luck to him, then!" Smith replied.

A fan asked, if Smith could pick any role, what would he choose. He replied it was hard to choose one, but narrowed it down to Batman (his fave superhero) or The Joker; something Nicholson's done, like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; and anything part Daniel Day Lewis played. He said he wanted to think about it, get it right ... then suggested Ace Ventura, though he admitted no one could play him like Jim Carrey. Sager was enthusiastic about the idea of Smith as The Joker, saying the darkest version of The Doctor is in that character, the agent of chaos. Smith reiterated that he's really interested in that version of The Doctor; he thinks that, if he'd stayed on, that's the direction his story would have gone in.

Next week, I'll finish with this panel.

DragonCon.org — Official site for the con.
Into the Belly of the Dragon Con — Wolfen's Dragon Con-centric blog.