We are only a few episodes into the first season of House of the Dragon, and Matt Smith, who plays the role of Daemon Targaryen, is a character you cannot ignore. Hate or love him; Daemon Targaryen is part of the glue that holds the series together, especially at this beginning stage.
As Game of Thrones fans eagerly waited for the spin-off series to kick out, there were doubts about how well the new series would be able to capture the hearts like its predecessor. However, if you’ve watched all episodes so far, it’s hard to think of an actor who would have been able to deliver the facial expressions, cold stares, and performance that Matt Smith has graced our screens with.
In his honor, here are seven things you probably don’t know about Matt Smith.
Matt Smith was reluctant to take the role of Daemon Targaryen
credit: HBO
One of the House of the Dragon’s executive producers, Miguel Sapochnik, admitted that Matt Smith was a name that kept coming up whenever the role of Daemon Targaryen was brought up. Yet, when Matt first heard about the role, he wasn’t too excited about taking it. He reluctantly went in for a screen test but was still not 100% into it. But who could blame him?
Game of Thrones was such a huge success; a prequel felt like immense pressure. However, when he was told that Paddy Considine (King Viserys) was already cast, he became more excited about the role. For Matt, Paddy Considine is an excellent actor; he has always wanted to work it. Whew! As fans of the show, we’re more than grateful for how things turned out!
Matt Smith loves music
credit: Marvel Entertainment (Morbius)
It may be challenging to picture a Daemon Targaryen dancing to music, but what of a Milo in Morbius? It’s not just about the dance; Matt Smith plays the guitar well. He has also said that he has an extensive record collection and enjoys music from bands like Oasis and Radiohead.
Matt Smith is the youngest Doctor Who
credit: BBC
The British science-fiction program, Doctor Who, has thrilled the audience since it started showing in 1963. Over the years, several actors have been called upon to play the role of the Time Lord. Notably, Matt Smith played the Doctor role from 2010 to 2013. When taking up the role, he became the youngest ever to have played it. He was 26 years old at the time.
Matt Smith wanted to play soccer professionally
credit: Marvel Entertainment (Morbius)
Life sure does have its twists and turns. While many never saw him play, Matt seems like someone who would have done well in soccer. He was forced to change his career after he suffered a back injury—spondylosis. Before the injury, Matt had played for Northampton Town in their U11 and U12, advanced to Nottingham Forest’s U12, U13, and U14, before moving to Leicester City’s U15 and U16.
He has had a box office rollercoaster ride
credit: Marvel Entertainment (Morbius)
He may be a pretty face to many in the House of Dragon, but Matt Smith’s acting career looks more like a success story. To date, his highest-grossing box office movie has been the 2022 Morbius movie, where he played Milo. The movie grossed $163.9 million at the box office. However, he has been featured in some movies that have flopped. A good example is the 2014 Lost River, where he acted as a Bully. The movie did a meager $615,500 at the box office. Talk about growth!
What’s his net worth?
Credit: Marvel Entertainment (Morbius)
Matt Smith is not a new face of television and has been able to amass some wealth over time. He is reported to have an estimated net worth of $9 million. If the Game of Thrones series’ successes is anything to go by, we can expect Matt Smith to have his net worth increase astronomically by the end of the series or when his character dies off (we’re not saying it would). Additionally, there are reports he gets paid $25,000 per episode for his role in House of the Dragon.
Matt Smith is said to be quite clumsy
credit: Marvel Entertainment (Morbius)
There’s a vast difference between when people call you clumsy and when you admit it. In one of his interviews, Matt Smith admitted that he could be pretty clumsy. He says he’s innately clumsy. But how clumsy can he get? He’s so famous for being clumsy that cast members and crew have been reported to bet on how long it would take him to break props on set. With lots of props in the House of the Dragon set, are you willing to place a bet that he wouldn’t break anything?