One of the stars of this summer’s blockbuster hit “The Odyssey” has revealed her older sister passed away earlier this year at the age of just 53.
Samantha Morton, 49, rose to fame in the 1990s in her native United Kingdom, gaining early recognition for acting in the ITV crime drama series “Band of Gold.”
Now a two-time Academy Award-nominated actress, Morton received her nominations for her performances in the 1999 comedy-drama mockumentary “Sweet and Lowdown” (for the Best Supporting Actress award) and the 2003 drama movie “In America” (for the Best Actress award).
She is, perhaps, known for appearing in the likes of 2002’s sci-fi action movie “Minority Report,” 2016’s fantasy flick “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” 2022’s psychological drama movie “The Whale,” and for playing Alpha in the post-apocalyptic horror drama series “The Walking Dead.”
In Christopher Nolan’s 2026 epic action fantasy movie “The Odyssey,” Morton plays Circe, a witch and goddess on the island of Aeaea.
The star revealed her sad news in a chat with The Sunday Times’ Culture Magazine.
Samantha Morton Lost Her Sister in April
Getty“The Odyssey” star Samatha Morton was primarily chatting with The Sunday Times’ Culture Magazine about her role in Christopher Nolan’s latest film. However, the conversation did turn to more personal matters.
Morton told the publication, “My relationship with my past changes as I age and my children age, but things keep happening. I sadly lost my sister on April 22 this year, she was 53.” The actress did not, however, reveal her sister’s name.
The star continued, revealing another recent loss, saying, “I am still dealing with the coroners and the trauma. I lost my real father 18 months ago. Trauma. So the past is always with me, and I’m not saying I’m not going to be all right next week, but every day I wake, say a prayer and say, ‘Please help me.'”
She added, “Someone told me I was resilient when I was younger, but sometimes you’ve got no choice other than to be resilient because if you’re not, you’re dead.”
Per Female First, Morton and her siblings endured a troubled childhood. She was one of nine children, and spent most of her youth in care. Her father and stepfather were both alcoholics who spent much of their lives in prison. Suffice it to say that what she has gone on to achieve is particularly impressive, given her tough start in life.
Morton Is Getting Rave Reviews for Her ‘The Odyssey’ Performance
GettyAs previously stated, Samantha Morton plays the witch and goddess Circe in “The Odyssey.” Like the movie itself, her performance is receiving widespread praise from critics.
Chris Revelle of Pajiba wrote, “Lupita Nyong’o and Anne Hathaway channel simmering outrage at the misogynistic system around them in which men contrive romantic pretenses for their wars. The film’s greatest feat on this front lies with Samantha Morton, whose performance as Circe transcends Nolan’s limitations to run away with the whole movie.”
Gayle Sequeira of The Daily Beast noted, “Nolan’s producer — and wife — Emma Thomas revealed that Morton’s performance received the first standing ovation from the cast and crew of a Nolan film since Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008).”
Phil de Semlyen of Time Out simply said, “Samantha Morton is extraordinary.”
The film itself currently boasts a 94% approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Its fan rating on the same site is an even more impressive 97%.
We’d send our heartfelt condolences to Samantha Morton regarding the recent passing of her sister. May her memory be a blessing and may she rest in eternal peace.
“The Odyssey” is in theaters now.
Samantha Morton’s filmography info was courtesy of IMDb.
