Samantha Morton on Becoming Circe: ‘I Wanted to Possess It’

When an actor talks about a role with the verb ‘possess,’ you know you’re in for something beyond mere performance. In a revealing interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Samantha Morton pulled back the curtain on her upcoming portrayal of Circe, the formidable sorceress from Homer’s epic poem, in the new adaptation of ‘The Odyssey.’ Her language wasn’t that of an actress playing a part; it was that of a vessel being taken over by an ancient, powerful force.

Morton’s comments suggest a performance that is less about imitation and more about incarnation. For an actor of her calibre—a two-time Oscar nominee known for her transformative work in films like ‘Minority Report’ and ‘In America’—such a deep dive is both expected and thrilling. It promises a Circe who is not just a plot device in Odysseus’s journey, but a fully realized, wild, and complex character sprung from the page.

Story Summary (Spoiler-Free)

This news piece is not a review of the film ‘The Odyssey,’ which is still in production or post-production, but an analysis of the actor’s process based on her interview. Therefore, a traditional spoiler-free plot summary is not applicable. The core story of ‘The Odyssey’ is, of course, well-known: the decade-long, perilous voyage of the Greek hero Odysseus as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War, encountering gods, monsters, and temptations along the way. Circe’s island is a pivotal stop where she turns his men into swine before Odysseus, with the help of the god Hermes, secures their release and becomes her lover for a year.

Acting Performances

The entire focus of this article is on Samantha Morton’s acting approach. She describes a process that is intensely physical and psychological. ‘I wanted to possess it,’ she stated, indicating a need to internalize Circe’s power, her isolation, her divinity, and her dangerous allure to the point where the line between actor and character blurs. Morton is known for her immersive techniques, and for a role like Circe—a being who is both seductive and terrifying, a goddess who commands magic—this approach seems essential. She hints at exploring Circe’s perspective deeply, potentially moving her beyond the archetypal ‘witch’ or ‘temptress’ to a more nuanced figure of agency, power, and perhaps loneliness.