Samantha Morton says Circe role in The Odyssey felt like a rebirth
The actor told Variety that Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster gave her a rare major-film showcase as Circe, with a short but intense sequence.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Samantha Morton has only a brief stretch in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, but Variety reports that her appearance as Circe arrives around the film’s midpoint in a sequence lasting about 10 minutes.
Morton plays the mythic figure who turns Odysseus’ men into pigs. In Homer’s story, Circe is presented as a seductive enchantress, but Morton told Variety she approached the part through a darker lens: a woman using power to protect herself from sexual violence.
Morton said her own background shaped the performance. She told Variety her family has military ties and that war, men, and women’s relationships with men are all complicated. She also said she thought about relatives who had been sexually assaulted and raped while building the character.
The actor said performing the scene forced her to consider “the behavior of mankind and men in particular,” according to Variety.
A blockbuster call she did not expect
Morton told Variety that when Nolan first asked to meet about his next film, she was overwhelmed. She said she cried after getting the call, then had an introductory conversation and read the script without knowing whether the role would become hers.
When Nolan later offered her the part, Morton said she was stunned because, in her words to Variety, “He could have anybody on the planet, and he chose me.”
The role placed Morton in a major studio spectacle alongside stars including Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. Variety noted that Morton has been acting professionally since age 12, with credits including Minority Report, The Whale and The Messenger.
She has also received Oscar nominations for Sweet and Lowdown and In America. Still, Morton, 49, told Variety that major Hollywood film roles have become harder to find as she has grown older, even though she continues to work regularly, mainly in independent films and television.
Nolan, Imax cameras and a cabin full of danger
Morton’s key scene involves Circe drawing soldiers to her cabin, drugging them, and changing them into swine with her hands, according to Variety.
She praised Nolan’s process, telling Variety that he gave her the time and support she needed. Morton described the set as trusting and free, with Nolan offering gentle guidance rather than crowding the performance.
The technical side took some adjustment. Variety reports that The Odyssey was shot entirely with Imax cameras, which are large, loud and weigh 300 pounds. Morton said the first take was “interesting” because the cameras were so close to her face, though she eventually stopped noticing them.
After Odysseus gains control in the scene, Circe delivers a speech about male cruelty and the abuse of power. Morton told Variety she admired the writing because it was stripped down and precise.
For Morton, the part carried weight beyond its running time. She told Variety it felt like “a rebirth” and a second chance to be seen by a broad audience.
Variety reports that The Odyssey opened Friday and that Morton’s performance is already being discussed in awards terms. Morton said recognition from peers would mean something, but added that she has not chased that kind of approval and loves acting for a living.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.