Samantha Morton Says She’s Been Out of Work Since Filming ‘The Odyssey’

Samantha Morton revealed she hasn’t worked since wrapping Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” despite delivering one of the film’s most talked-about performances.

During an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast on Monday, the actress, who plays Greek sorceress Circe opposite Matt Damon’s Odysseus, reflected on the politics of the industry and how it has changed in recent years.

“Hope and faith,” Morton said when asked what the recent critical acclaim has meant to her. “That I suppose if you keep at it, and you keep producing good work, and that the right people see it, then maybe you can carry on working.”

She continued: “I haven’t worked for a year since making ‘The Odyssey,’ you know, and I’ve got really good agents and a manager, but at the end of the day, I’m 49. I do believe I’m a good actor, [but] there are other good actors out there. Do you know what I mean? So, the politics of the industry has changed massively.”

Nonetheless, Morton shared that she felt confident that she’ll continue working well into her 80s. Though, elsewhere in the interview, Morton admitted she “cried” upon learning Nolan wanted to meet with her for “The Odyssey” – having previously missed out on a chance to be in his 2006 film, “The Prestige.”

“I think that life and art have a really bizarre way of intertwining and what’s for you won’t pass you,” she added. “But sometimes it’s hard to know that in the time, because there have been times when things haven’t worked out and I’ve been very sad both creatively and financially because I have three children and a mortgage and [a] life.”

Yet, Morton stood by the idea that “if you are earnest” and “have dignity and compassion” that success will follow. However, she encouraged others to “cherish” these moments forever, as “they’re few and far between.”

Morton has emerged as one of the stand-out performers from the stacked ensemble cast of “The Odyssey,” garnering early awards season buzz for only about 10 minutes of screentime.

Outside of her work in “The Odyssey,” Morton is best known for her work in independent films, including Woody Allen’s “Sweet and Lowdown” and Jim Sheridan’s “In America,” which earned her Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively. She’s also known for her performances in 2002’s “Minority Report,” 2016’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and Starz’s “The Serpent Queen.”

Morton is set next to appear in Lisa Mulcahy’s “Love and War,” according to her IMDb.