Matt Smith reveals why he 'loved' playing Doctor Who

Matt Smith has revealed why he "loved" playing Doctor Who.

The British actor has opened up about why portraying the iconic Time Lord remains one of his most memorable roles.

In a conversation with his Last Night in Soho co-star Anya Taylor-Joy for Interview Magazine, Matt said he enjoyed the creative freedom that came with playing such a unique character.

"Yeah, I loved playing Doctor Who," the 42-year-old said. "What's amazing about him, or her, they, is he can go from A to Z and miss out every other f**king letter because he's a f**king 900-year-old alien, and he's seen everything, done everything."

He continued, "That show gives you permission to be eccentric because he's truly an alien in a human world."

The actor, who has built a diverse career on stage and screen, added that he values the experience he gains from every role he takes on.

"There's so much stuff that comes under your nose and you go, 'Oh, should I've done that?' But the things you say yes to aren't the things you regret, because eventually it's the experience that counts," he explained.

Matt also drew comparisons between the Doctor and another of his acclaimed roles, Prince Philip in Netflix's The Crown.

"I loved playing Prince Philip because he's a bit like Doctor, he's a total outsider who just does what the f**k he wants," he told Anya, adding that playing a real-life person was "interesting".

Matt continued, "It's not an impersonation; it's about dialling down to the essence of their energy."

The star played the Eleventh Doctor between 2010 and 2013.