Matt Smith Bemoans “Policing” Of Stories Through Trigger Warnings

The Crown and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith has intensified his criticism of trigger warnings.

The actor, who gained fame from his role in Doctor Who, claimed in an interview with The Times of London that alerting viewers to potentially distressing content was demeaning to viewers.

It is regrettable when tales are overly scrutinized and when people are reluctant to discuss them because of the way the culture is. Smith remarked, “I’m not sure I agree with trigger warnings.

“It’s OK to feel uncomfortable or provoked while looking at a painting or watching a play, but I worry everything’s being dialed and dumbed down. We’re telling audiences they’re going to be scared before they’ve watched something.”

Smith, who is starring in British horror film Starve Acre, recalled renting Slither, Basic Instinct, Disclosure, and Friday the 13th when he was “too young.” He joked that the latter “absolutely ruined me.”

Smith previously commented on trigger warnings in the context of Doctor Who, the BBC and Disney+ sci-fi franchise in which he starred for four years.

“I always thought that was one of the great things of doing Doctor Who,” he told the BBC in February. “That you scared children, in a controlled way, but you did scare them. Imagine you go to kids watching Doctor Who, ‘By the way, this might scare you.’ No, I’m not into it.”

Several British actors have spoken out about trigger warnings this year. Judi Dench said she was surprised to learn that theater audiences were routinely being warned about potentially distressing content, including abuse, violence, and loud noises.

Ralph Fiennes said theatergoers had “gone soft” in an interview with the BBC. “The impact of theatre should be that you’re shocked, and should be that you’re disturbed, I don’t think you should be prepared for these things,” Fiennes said. “It’s the shock, it’s the unexpected, that’s what makes an act of theatre so exciting.”

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