Actress Samantha Morton, 49, has revealed she has not worked in a year since completing filming for "The Odyssey," a professional lull she believes is a consequence of her age in the entertainment industry.
Morton, who has garnered awards attention for her portrayal of the sorceress Circe in the film, stated on the "Happy, Sad, Confused" podcast that despite having "really good agents and a manager," she has been unable to find new roles. "I do believe I'm a good actor, there are other good actors out there," she said. "So, the politics of the industry has changed massively." Morton expressed confidence that she will continue working into her 80s and finds satisfaction in having had the opportunity to collaborate with director Christopher Nolan. She had long admired Nolan's work, recalling a strong desire to audition for his 2006 film "The Prestige," even joking to her agent that she had experience as a magician's assistant.
"I left school at 12 and started acting at that age," Morton said of her role in "The Odyssey." "I'm not highly educated. I didn't know the source material. I was just going by the script which blew my mind."
Morton's acting career began in her early teens after joining the Central Junior Television Workshop. Early television roles followed in shows such as "Soldier Soldier" and "Cracker." By age 16, she had moved to London and experienced homelessness, sleeping at St. Pancras station. Her breakthrough role came at 18 as Tracy Richards in the drama "Band Of Gold."
She received an Oscar nomination for her role in Woody Allen's 1999 film "Sweet And Lowdown" and gained wider recognition in 2002 for her performance in "Minority Report," starring alongside Tom Cruise. She also appeared with Sean Penn in "Sweet And Lowdown." Morton's early career included roles in films such as "Under the Skin" (1997), where she played Iris, a woman coping with grief. Her extensive filmography also features a role opposite Tom Cruise in "Minority Report."