After high school, Smith moved to Los Angeles, beginning his acting career in 2008 appearing a cameo role in the paranormal series Medium playing a senior boy which is unaccredited during that episode.

[3] On January 9, 2011, it was reported that he had joined the cast of The CW series 90210, in a recurring role as Marco, a gay soccer player who will become involved with Teddy Montgomery (Trevor Donovan).

[6] Besides 90210, he took up the role of Jackson "Sonny" Kiriakis in Days of Our Lives, the first openly gay contracted character in the hit daytime soap opera (Ryan Scott had previously played the non-contract, openly gay role of Harold Wentworth between 2000 and 2003).

[7][8] Smith's character would become romantically involved with Will Horton, played by Chandler Massey, garnering immense popularity with fans and becoming the show's first same-sex supercouple (commonly referred to by the portmanteau "WilSon").

Smith "lived and breathed basketball" until his senior year in high school when a friend suggested he take a theater art class.

[1] On October 6, 2014, Smith crashed his car in Kingsville Township, Ohio, near his alma mater, critically injuring his passenger, Alyssa Tabit.