Dr. Who’s Matt Smith To Play Legendary Photographer In Mapplethorpe Biopic

Matt Smith & Robert Mapplethorpe

According to Deadline, Matt Smith, best known for playing Doctor Who, will play the late photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe. Wow’s Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato just premiered their HBO documentary Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures at the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend to rave reviews, just as Smith landed the lead role as the avant-garde photographer. The biopic titled Mapplethorpe is in the works from writer-director Ondi Timoner, the two-time Sundance-winning director whose 2015 pic Brand: A Second Coming opened SXSW last year. Girls regular Zosia Mamet has been cast to play Patti Smith, Mapplethorpe’s one-time lover and best friend. Timoner, who won at Sundance for DIG in 2004 and We Live In Public in 2009, is also producing with Sirad Balducci and Eliza Dushku. The project, which has the blessing of the Mapplethorpe Foundation, will start shooting this summer. If you haven’t read Patti Smith’s book, Just Kids, I recommend it. A brilliant read and gives such insight into the relationship of these two icons of the audio and visual.