The Odyssey features an ensemble cast of A-list stars. However, the actor who steals the show will surprise you.
Christopher Nolan is arguably Hollywood’s most powerful director working today. When Nolan announces a project, many of Hollywood’s top actors will try to secure a part in the movie. The Odyssey might be Nolan’s most star-studded cast. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron are some of the biggest names in the industry, and they will appear in Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic.
Samantha Morton doesn’t have the same allure as the actors listed above. However, Morton might go down as The Odyssey’s MVP.
Samantha Morton is The Odyssey’s biggest surprise
Morton isn’t as recognizable as names like Holland, Zendaya, and Hathaway. However, Morton is a well-respected actor who has been garnering critical acclaim for over 30 years. The 49-year-old is a two-time Oscar nominee and a one-time Emmy nominee, with two BAFTA wins and one Golden Globe.
In The Odyssey, Morton plays the goddess Circe. Though she doesn’t have the same screentime as Damon, Morton had a significant impact on the production. During a recent profile with The L.A. Times, Nolan praised Morton and emphasized the importance of character.
“This was a massive film, and she is someone who comes in and changes the dynamic,” Nolan said. “In some weird way, the film lived or died over that character. She was the fulcrum.”
Nolan admired Morton’s work because of the “depth” she brought to the role and the lack of “limitations on her performance.” Nolan even worked around her schedule to make sure she could appear in his movie.
Morton managed to accomplish something on The Odyssey that hasn’t happened on a Nolan set since a famous 2008 movie.
“After one of her takes, the crew gave her a great round of applause,” Nolan explained. “I was talking with Emma [Thomas] afterwards, and she remembered that the last time that had happened was with Heath Ledger on The Dark Knight.”
Morton’s performance has been one of the biggest takeaways from The Odyssey’s first reactions. “You are not ready for Samantha Morton in The Odyssey,” Empire’s Nick de Semlyen wrote. The L.A. Times’ Joshua Rothkopf wrote, “Her [Morton] scenes are simply incredible, witchy, and wonderful.”
The overwhelming praise for Morton will certainly lead to a campaign from Universal for Best Supporting Actress. Could she follow the footsteps of Ledger and Robert Downey Jr., actors in supporting roles who won Oscars in Nolan movies? It’s certainly possible, given the positive reception around her performance.
If you didn’t know about Morton, get ready to see what all the hype is about in The Odyssey, in theaters on July 17, 2026.
Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for ComingSoon.
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