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How Samantha Morton Pulled Off Her Wild ‘The Odyssey’ Performance as Circe: “I Wanted to Possess It”
Samantha Morton has drawn significant attention for her role as the witch goddess Circe in Christopher Nolan's star-studded epic "The Odyssey," despite the film featuring A-list actors including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Tom Holland. Nolan himself has praised her performance as limitless, comparing the crew's reaction to her work to their response to Heath Ledger's turn in "The Dark Knight," a comparison that generated considerable pre-release buzz for the film.
In the film, Morton's Circe transforms shipwrecked members of Odysseus's crew into pigs after sensing their desperation, a sequence achieved through practical effects, before Odysseus (Damon) persuades her to reverse the spell. Morton, a British actress working since childhood, has previously earned Oscar nominations for "Sweet and Lowdown" and "In America," and has more recently appeared in "The Serpent Queen," "The Whale" and "She Said." She told The Hollywood Reporter she was unfamiliar with the source material before landing the role, having missed much of her schooling as a child actor, but was won over by the strength of the script.
In short
- Samantha Morton's Circe performance in "The Odyssey" is generating major buzz
- Nolan likened crew reaction to her scenes to Heath Ledger's "Dark Knight" work
- Morton discusses landing the role despite not knowing the original Homer text
Explained simply
"The Odyssey" is Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of Homer's ancient epic poem, which tells of the Greek hero Odysseus and his long journey home after the Trojan War. In the story, Circe is a powerful witch and goddess who uses magic to transform members of Odysseus's crew.
Samantha Morton is a British actress who has worked in film and television since childhood. She has received two Oscar nominations for her supporting roles and has appeared recently in acclaimed films including "The Whale," "She Said" and "The Serpent Queen."
Nolan's production is a major Hollywood undertaking featuring an ensemble cast of established actors. Morton's performance in a significant supporting role has attracted considerable attention ahead of the film's release.