| Samantha Morton | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 13 1977 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England |
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Samantha Morton (born May 13, 1977) is an Academy Award-nominated English actress.
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Biography
Personal life
Morton was born in Nottingham, England, the daughter of Pamela, a factory worker, and Peter Morton.[1] Her parents divorced in 1979.[2] She attended West Bridgford Comprehensive School and spent part of her childhood in care. Morton has a daughter, Esme (born in 2000), with actor Charlie Creed-Miles. Morton is engaged to filmmaker Harry Holm, son of actor Ian Holm. It was recently announced that Holm and Morton are expecting their first child in January 2008.
Career
Morton began her career as a child actor. At 13 she joined the Central Junior Television Workshop. At 16 she moved to London and appeared in plays at the Royal Court Theatre, also securing an early break as a guest star in an episode of Cracker. Although she applied to institutions such as RADA, she received no further formal training.[3] She eventually starred in television productions like Jane Eyre and The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. Starring roles in Band of Gold (1995), and the film Under the Skin in 1997, raised her profile in the UK. The latter impressed Woody Allen so much he cast her in his film Sweet and Lowdown for which she would receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999. In 2002 she won the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress for her work in Morvern Callar, followed by a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for In America in 2003. Morton played the Moors Murderess Myra Hindley in a television film Longford (2006). Set between 1967 and 1997, the film depicts the relationship between the infamous child killer and Lord Longford, the politician who spent years campaigning for her release. Morton was severely criticised by the relatives of the children who were killed by Hindley and Ian Brady but she insisted, "It is my duty as a performer to raise issues...we're afraid to look at".[4] Morton received a 2007 Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film, both for Best Supporting Actress.
Filmography
- Cracker (1994) (TV)... Joanne Barnes
- Band of Gold (1995) (mini series)... Tracy Richards
- Emma (1996) (TV)... Harriet Smith
- Jane Eyre (1997) (TV)... Jane Eyre
- This Is the Sea (1997)... Hazel Stokes
- Under the Skin (1997)... Iris Kelly
- The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1997) (mini series)... Sophia Western
- Sweet and Lowdown (1999)... Hattie
- Jesus' Son (1999)... Michelle
- Pandaemonium (2000)... Sara Coleridge
- U2: The Best of 1990-2000 (2002) (V)... Mermaid (video "Electrical Storm")
- Minority Report (2002)... Agatha
- Morvern Callar (2002)... Morvern
- Max and Ruby (2002–2007) (TV series)... Ruby
- In America (2003)... Sarah
- Code 46 (2003)... Maria Gonzales
- Enduring Love (2004)... Claire
- Farmers on E (2005)
- River Queen (2005)
- The Libertine (2005)
- Longford (2006) (TV)... Myra Hyndley
- Expired (2007)... Claire - (awaiting release)
- Control (2007)... Deborah Curtis
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)... Mary Queen of Scots
- Mister Lonely (2007)... Marilyn Monroe
- Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Awards and Nominations
Nominations
- Golden Globe 2008 Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Longford.
