Cory Michael Smith

Cory Michael Smith was born on November 14, 1986 in Columbus, Ohio, where he grew up. He 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]

From 2009 until early 2012 Smith performed in various regional theatre productions for the likes of New York Stage and Film.^{[citation needed]} In 2011, he was seen in the New York City premiere of The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World at Playwrights Horizons. He starred in The Fantasticks at both Barrington Stage Company and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} He appeared in a short horror movie, Dog Food, co-starring Amanda Seyfried, which premiered at the 2014 South by Southwest . Smith also appeared in the HBO mini-series Olive Kitteridge in 2014 and the Todd Haynes film Carol (2015).^{[citation needed]}

In 2014 he began appearing in the TV series Gotham as Edward Nygma.^{[8][9][10][11]}

In 2017, Smith appeared in a supporting role in Todd Haynes' film Wonderstruck.^[12]

In 2018, Smith starred in his first leading role, as an AIDS patient in the independent drama 1985.^[13] In July 2018 he narrated an episode of The New York Times Modern Love Podcast, for which he read Kalle Oskari Mattila's essay about catfishing.^[14]

He appeared in a supporting role in the 2023 drama May December, which had its premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.^[15] The film marked Smith's third collaboration with director Todd Haynes.^[16] In 2024, Smith portrayed Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman's ensemble comedy Saturday Night.^[17]

In September 2024, it was announced he had been cast in a supporting role in Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier's upcoming film Sentimental Value.^[18] The film had its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.^[19] In June 2025, it was announced that Smith would have his first major leading film role in Jeremy Saulnier's upcoming thriller October, which will be produced by A24.^[20]

In a March 2018 interview, Smith stated that he is queer.^[21]