Cory Michael Smith Explained

Cory Michael Smith
Birth Date:November 14, 1986
Birth Place:Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2009–present
Education:Otterbein University

Cory Michael Smith (born November 14, 1986) is an American actor. He is best known for his main role as Edward Nygma/The Riddler in the Fox television drama series Gotham. He appeared in 2013 in Breakfast at Tiffany's on Broadway, which starred Emilia Clarke. He has also appeared in several of Todd Haynes's films, including Carol (2015), Wonderstruck (2017), and May December (2023).

Early life

Smith grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Hilliard Darby High School in 2005.[1] [2] He had aspirations ranging from becoming a concert pianist to a lawyer.[3] While at Otterbein University, he was cast in such plays as The Scene, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Tartuffe.[4] He majored in art musical theater and minored in jazz piano, although he considered dropping out of art musical theater for philosophy or pre-law.

Career

In 2011, Smith was seen in the New York City premiere of The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World at Playwrights Horizons and in 2009 to early 2012 could be seen in various regional theatre productions for the likes of New York Stage and Film. He starred in The Fantasticks at both Barrington Stage Company and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. He was also seen in Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them.[5] [6]

Smith made his Broadway debut in Breakfast at Tiffany's in 2013. In the same theatre season, he also starred Off-Broadway in both the U.S. premiere of Cock a.k.a. The Cockfight Play by Mike Bartlett and The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter, which had its world premiere at Denver Center for the Performing Arts with the New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons.[7] His first feature film was Camp X-Ray, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January. He appeared in a short horror movie, Dog Food, co-starring Amanda Seyfried and premiered at the 2014 South by Southwest in March. Smith also appeared in the HBO mini-series Olive Kitteridge and the film Carol.[8] In 2018, he starred in his first leading role in the independent drama 1985. Smith also appeared as Georgie in the 2023 drama May December.

Smith has also narrated an episode of The New York Times Modern Love Podcast, for which he read Kalle Oskari Mattila's essay about catfishing.[9]

Gotham

He appears in Gotham as Edward Nygma. Of playing the character, Smith said in an interview: "What I'm really excited about is the bottom of that curve. Going from this quite innocent, well-intentioned, joyful person to starting to find this other part of him that he didn't know he had [...] realizing that when you start taking control of situations like that, you can gain power that way."[10] His journey, Smith says, will be to "claim his identity and claim his power and perhaps finally become someone that is a player in the field and not just this irritating, flimsy young lad."[11]

Personal life

In a March 2018 interview, Smith stated that he is queer.[12]

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Camp X-RayPvt. Bergen
2014Dog FoodDeclan MooreShort film
2015CarolTommy Tucker
2017WonderstruckWalter
20181985Adrian Lester
2018First ManRoger B. Chaffee
2021The Same StormJeremy Salt
2022Call JaneDean
2023May DecemberGeorgie Atherton
2023IncompleteNarrator Short film
2024Saturday NightChevy ChaseFilming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Olive KitteridgeDr. Kevin CoulsonEpisode: "Incoming Tide"
Nominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
2014–2019GothamEdward Nygma / RiddlerMain role; 100 episodes
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain
2020UtopiaThomas Christie Main role; 8 episodes
2023TransatlanticVarian FryMain role; Miniseries; 7 episodes
2024Law & OrderGeorge Shavers Small role; 1 episode
The Nightbeast NightbeastIn pre-production

Theater

YearTitleRoleVenue
2013Bright StarBilly Cane Powerhouse Theater
2013Cock a.k.a. The Cockfight PlayJohn Duke
2013The WhaleElder ThomasPlaywrights Horizons
2013The Shaggs: Philosophy of the WorldKyle Playwrights Horizons
2013Breakfast at Tiffany'sFred / NarratorCort Theatre
2017AssassinsLee Harvey OswaldNew York City Center

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultref
2015Olive Kitteridge[13]
2017Teen Choice AwardsChoice TV: VillainGotham[14]
2018Queen Palm International Film FestivalBest Actor in a Feature Film1985[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: Actor a gem in "'Tiffany's". The Columbus Dispatch. March 26, 2013. June 25, 2015. Grossberg. Michael. February 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180223110816/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2013/03/26/actor-a-gem-in-tiffanys.html. dead.
  2. News: Convocation celebrates legacy of educators. Hilliard Northwest News. August 27, 2013. June 25, 2015. Corvo. Kevin. January 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160117095758/http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/hilliard/news/2013/08/20/convocation-celebrates-legacy-of-educators.html. dead.
  3. News: Otterbein Alum Hits Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Broadway.com. January 9, 2015. August 2, 2012. Ferri. Josh.
  4. News: Alum Hits Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Ulmer. Meredith. February 6, 2014. Otterbein University. January 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20140215221832/http://www.otterbein.edu/Spotlights/categories-person-all/cory-michael-smith. February 15, 2014.
  5. Web site: Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150626101359/http://actorstheatre.org/shows/edith-can-shoot-things-and-hit-them-2010-2011/. June 26, 2015. June 25, 2015. actorstheatre.org.
  6. Web site: CORY MICHAEL SMITH. playwrightshorizons.org. June 25, 2015.
  7. Web site: Cory Michael Smith. Broadway.com. January 9, 2015.
  8. Web site: Cory Michael Smith. IMDb. January 9, 2015.
  9. Web site: Listen: Cory Michael Smith Reads 'Catfishing Strangers to Find Myself'. July 11, 2018. The New York Times. April 28, 2019.
  10. Web site: 'Gotham' Casts Dollmaker; Cory Michael Smith Talks Riddler Transformation. screenrant.com. Barr. Merrill. January 26, 2015 . February 5, 2015.
  11. Web site: 'Gotham' Star Cory Michael Smith Explains How the Riddler Will Find His 'Evil Nature'. Yahoo. Chan. Robert. January 18, 2015. February 5, 2015.
  12. Web site: The Stirring AIDS Drama Being Told in Black and White. 13 March 2018. The Daily Beast.
  13. Web site: Justified, Broad City, Empire, Mom, 24, Jane The Virgin, Transparent Lead the 2015 Critics Choice Nominations. May 6, 2015. tvline.com. May 8, 2015.
  14. Web site: 2017 Teen Choice Nominees. teenchoice.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170717024951/http://www.teenchoice.com/article/second-and-final-wave-of-%E2%80%9Cteen-choice-2017%E2%80%9D-nominees-announced?1. July 17, 2017. April 28, 2019.
  15. Web site: August's gold awards winners. Queen Palm International Film Festival. April 28, 2019.