Christopher Nolan’sThe Odysseyhas finally confirmed the actress behind one of its most intriguing roles. The epic film revealed the performer bringing Homer’s legendary sorceress Circe to life in a portrayal that reimagines the iconic character.
The Odyssey’s Circe casting gets confirmation
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has confirmed Samantha Morton in the role of Circe, according to a new TIME profile. The upcoming IMAX epic arrives in theaters on July 17. The profile notes that Circe, an archetype in Homer’s version, receives “a humanizing update thanks to Samantha Morton’s unsettling yet sympathetic performance.”
Circe plays a significant role in Homer’s original poem as the enchantress who transforms Odysseus’ men into animals. Nolan’s adaptation reportedly elevates the character beyond her archetypal roots in the source material. The filmmaker shot the entire production without green screens across six countries.
Morton joins a sprawling ensemble cast that includes Matt Damon as Odysseus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope. Tom Holland plays Telemachus, while Lupita Nyong’o takes on the dual roles of Helen and Clytemnestra. Zendaya portrays the goddess Athena, and Charlize Theron plays the nymph Calypso.
Damon praised Nolan’s commitment to practical filmmaking during the interview. “Movies like this are not getting made anymore. To do this without a green screen, the way that David Lean would have done it, I don’t know anybody, with the exception of Chris, that’s even trying to do that,” Damon said. “There aren’t a lot of people in their mid-50s as protagonists in these epics. I looked at this like the last movie I’d ever do.”
The Odyssey marks the first feature-length film shot entirely on IMAX cameras. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and the team developed new technology to address the camera’s noise and size challenges. The crew completed principal photography in just 91 days, finishing nine days ahead of schedule.
NBCUniversal chair Donna Langley called the project “a very worthy and solid commercial bet.”
