The Odyssey’s showstopper upstages its A-list cast

Christopher Nolan always pulls in half of Hollywood when he makes a film, and his new take on ‘The Odyssey’ is no exception. The cast list basically reads like Oscar night: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron... it borders on ridiculous. But here’s the kicker: the standout performance apparently doesn’t belong to any of the household names you’d expect, but to Samantha Morton, who’s acting circles around the rest as Circe, the goddess who famously ruins Odysseus's holiday plans.

Nolan’s Usual Power-List… With a Twist

There’s nothing subtle about that cast. Damon is back for more Nolan after ‘Oppenheimer’, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson have proven their mettle around Nolan before, and Zendaya, Tom Holland – you know the drill. Throw in Lupita Nyong'o and Charlize Theron and you've basically created the Avengers of serious acting.

But Samantha Morton? She’s hardly a cult figure in the UK, but she’s not exactly the hot-ticket name waved about in Netflix deal meetings either. Yet the reviews – and the words from Nolan himself – have put her front and centre.

Samantha Morton: Not as Famous, But Everyone's Favourite

Morton’s journey is absolutely not that of a flash-in-the-pan. Over three decades, she’s hoovered up critical acclaim, if not quite household-name status. Two Oscar nominations, a BAFTA double-win, an Emmy nod, and a Golden Globe for good measure. But in ‘The Odyssey’, she’s landed the role of Circe – and according to Nolan, the entire film hinges on what she does with it.

'This was a massive film, and she is someone who comes in and changes the dynamic. In some weird way, the film lived or died over that character. She was the fulcrum.'
— Christopher Nolan, via the LA Times

Apparently, Morton brought 'depth' to Circe that Nolan found so compelling, he actually shuffled his production schedule to make sure she could fit the part in. And no surprise, she blew everyone away on set.

How Impressed Was Everyone? Let’s Just Say: ‘Dark Knight’ Levels

• After one of Morton’s big takes, the crew gave her a proper round of applause right then and there — something Nolan says hasn’t happened on one of his sets since Heath Ledger did his Joker thing in ‘The Dark Knight.’
• Nolan said to producer Emma Thomas, 'Hey, do you remember the last time this happened?' and she recalls it was with Ledger. Not exactly everyday stuff, is it?
• Early reactions from press have been gushing. Empire’s Nick de Semlyen said, 'You are not ready for Samantha Morton in The Odyssey.' Joshua Rothkopf from the LA Times called her scenes 'simply incredible, witchy, and wonderful.'

With this level of hype, it’s only a matter of time before Universal starts splashing the cash on a Best Supporting Actress campaign for Morton. She’d hardly be the first supporting actor to grab an Oscar off the back of a Nolan film (Heath Ledger and Robert Downey Jr. say hello).

‘The Odyssey’ hits cinemas on 17 July, 2026.