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| Samantha Morton: Nottingham born and bred! |
Samantha Morton is one of the UK’s most respected and versatile actresses. In 2007 alone she appeared as Marilyn Monroe (Mister Lonely), Deborah Curtis (Control), Mary Queen of Scots (Elizabeth: The Golden Age) and Myra Hindley (Longford). She’s acted in Hollywood blockbusters alongside the likes of Tom Cruise (Minority Report), Johnny Depp (The Libertine) and current Bond Daniel Craig (Enduring Love). She’s a national treasure and she came back to Notts in November to do a benefit appearance at Broadway for The Television Workshop. We went along to see what she said….
On her early days in Nottingham…
I had a drama teacher at school called Mr Thompson who told me I was good at acting. I was about eleven and we were doing Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat and I wanted to be Joseph, but I only got the part of the fairy. He told me that it’s not always about the lead part and that it’s also about what you get from other people around you.
The thing I love about the Television Workshop was that you met people from all walks of life who came together. I was predominately homeless at the time. I was in and out of foster homes and I’d left school at the age of twelve and never went back. So for me it was just good to be part of something so constructive, something that was consistent in my life was important. At one point Ian (the workshop leader) kicked me out for a few months for misbehaviour – it was ages until he let me back in, but he also gave me train fare to go to London to audition for Peak Practice where I played a blind runaway. It seemed fitting. I got the part and things went well for me from there.
On playing Myra Hindley…
It was presented to me as many scripts are - with a description of the crew and the director, etcetera. I have to go on my instincts as to whether I can get inside a character or not and I trust my agent Nikki who has a really fine eye for the scripts we get sent. We talked about it and we were very nervous initially. As a parent myself I initially said no to the part. But I thought about it more and thought about what art is about and I thought I should do it and try to be respectful, even to her memory, which might seem a bit wrong in the scheme of things. There are layers upon layers to everything and my job as an actor isn’t just about turning up on time and reading my lines.
On making her directing debut with The Unloved, which is currently filming in Notts…
I didn’t really want to be a director because a lot of the directors I see are more like stage managers. They’re there and they have ideas and stuff, but I don’t see a lot of them putting their necks on the line. A long time ago I had a vision of a film, with various images in my head like photographs or a recurring dream. I tried to write it but failed miserably. Then a friend of mine Toni wrote it for me into one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read.
On comedies…
Sweet and Lowdown, directed by Woody Allen, is a bit of a comedy and I think I’m quite funny in that really. The Farrelly Brothers (There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin) have tried to get me into a couple of their films, but I turned them down because I honestly didn’t think the scripts were that funny. So I’ve tried to make comedies, but it’s just never worked out. I did a film once where, having read the script, I thought it was hilarious and told the director that. He turned round and told me it wasn’t a comedy and asked what I was talking about.
On the extent to which acting sends you a bit mad…
I think back in 1996 I went a bit bonkers. I was working all the time, but not putting anything back into myself and my own development. So I decided to go and live in Bali for a bit and write poetry, do yoga and get my head together. I didn’t really care about being famous or earning money. But listening to other people helped and sometimes it’s just about trying to escape your profession. I’ve got an Uncle Jeff and he’s a builder, but he’s not building houses 24 hours a day is he? I just had to learn to stand back a bit, rather than staying up until 4am stressing over scripts, whilst most other actors would just learn their lines and get their heads down. Also a major turning point was having children. There’s nothing like having someone else to look after to focus your mind on the important things.
On meeting Woody Allen, during casting for Sweet and Lowdown…
I think my ignorance helped as I didn’t really know who he was at the time. I still spoke in a really broad Nottingham accent when I met him - you can take the girl out of Nottingham, but you can’t take the Nottingham out of the girl. So I just told him I’d have a proper look through the script and let him know if I was interested. Looking back I wish I could do that now, it was cheeky but also honest and showed a sense of confidence, which I think impressed him. It’s not that I was stupid, I just knew who I was and didn’t give a flying monkey’s what anyone else thought. As my gran and my nana always told me, ‘Even the Queen has a shit!’
What kind of research do you do as an actor…
Research is very important for certain characters, but I’m not a big method actor or anything. I spend a lot of time reading the script, the book if there is one and any background texts. But apart from that it’s about honesty and I would just transfer that character to someone I knew in Nottingham and try and think how they would feel.
On working with Spielberg…
I’ve worked on a few big budget films, but Minority Report was the largest. But I work the same way on all of them. I remember being on set and I had a stand in and there were loads of lights everywhere. So I asked for a word with Steven and said ‘Listen, you’re not going to get the best out of me like this and if that’s the case I might as well go home now. You’ve got to get all the lights out, we’ve got to rehearse it and get to know what’s going on inside out.’ I was very respectful in the way I said it, but they’d paid a lot of money to get me out there and I had to let them know how to get the best out of me.
On child care…
If I hadn’t been an actor I would have been working in childcare. I know a lot of actors do the whole charity and social conscience thing, but I’m always giving myself a kick up the arse to say I’m really lucky with where I am. I could easily have been working in Birds cake shop still, which would be a problem for my weight as I really like egg custards. But I wouldn’t have any of it were it not for acting or the Television Workshop.
On fashion…
I was born in 1977 and I think that says a lot for who I am as a spirit. I was voted worst dressed person at the Oscars. I was wearing a Paul Smith designer suit that was a rip-off of the cover from the Patti Smith album Horses. Eight years later everyone is wearing it!
Samantha Morton on Wikipedia
The Television Workshop website
Samantha Morton at Broadway
Write Commentby seamus flannery Oct 19, 2008, 06:18:26 pm20 quid? Fuckin' hell. She went to my school and a few of my teachers said she was a brat, but I didn't think she was THAT attention seeking.
Go see Kate Adie next week at the Broadway for �6.00 instead. Less money, better spent.
by Sara Oct 19, 2008, 06:28:27 pm20 quid? Fuckin' hell. She went to my school and a few of my teachers said she was a brat, but I didn't think she was THAT attention seeking.
Go see Kate Adie next week at the Broadway for �6.00 instead. Less money, better spent.
Oh God yes, I read about her going to Broadway and for sure, she'd be well worth seeing
by Jared Oct 19, 2008, 08:27:41 pmAll the money goes to The Television Workshop. Sam Morton is doing it as a charity gig (ie unpaid).
The Workshop develops and trains young actors through regional drama workshops in Nottingham, Birmingham and Leeds. It doesn't cost the kids to join it and I think they've had funding problems since ITV Digital collapsed.
I agree that this show is a bit pricey, but hopefully that will go some way to explaining why...
by Lord of the Nish Oct 19, 2008, 11:04:19 pmSeeing as they knocked me back when I auditioned for them back in the day, they can fuck off.
by christmasatthezoo Oct 20, 2008, 07:51:19 ammorton is awful. i've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and on both occasions she was a dick.
by Stillman Oct 20, 2008, 09:25:10 ammorton is awful. i've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and on both occasions she was a dick.
Brilliant! I love to here about celebrities being knobends. Could you provide any detail!!!?
by christmasatthezoo Oct 20, 2008, 10:03:41 amshe's just rude... nothing too specific really. i've spoken to her twice and both times she was a dick so i assume she's always a dick.
gloria hunniford is nice though.
by cheque Oct 20, 2008, 03:15:18 pmAll the money goes to The Television Workshop.
They've fallen right off since Sesame Street.
Seriously, though, I can't help feeling like they'd have got twice as many punters (and raised the same amount of money) by making it £10 a ticket...
by Sara Oct 20, 2008, 04:15:05 pmAll the money goes to The Television Workshop. Sam Morton is doing it as a charity gig (ie unpaid).
The Workshop develops and trains young actors through regional drama workshops in Nottingham, Birmingham and Leeds. It doesn't cost the kids to join it and I think they've had funding problems since ITV Digital collapsed.
I agree that this show is a bit pricey, but hopefully that will go some way to explaining why...
Thanks Jared for that info.morton is awful. i've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and on both occasions she was a dick.
Really? Blimey, she seemed so pleasant when she was being interviewed on TV and proper down to earth - didn't seem to be affected by celebrity egomania either..Hmm.
by Adrian Oct 20, 2008, 11:39:20 pmmorton is awful. i've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and on both occasions she was a dick.
Maybe cos you were staring at her boobs?
/JK
by pow Oct 21, 2008, 10:21:33 ammorton is awful. i've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and on both occasions she was a dick.
she probably thought you were a dick too ...
if you know her, she's very humble and genuine .. and done pretty well for herself .. which is always going to get peoples backs up on somewhere like this eh ..
by christmasatthezoo Oct 21, 2008, 11:31:10 ami've dealt with her in a press capacity which is probably why she's always behaved like a brat. i wouldn't have mentioned it if she hadn't been like it several times and she's also behaved that way towards some of my colleagues. i work for an organisation that champions nottingham and success stories such as samantha morton but the way she has behaved mean that we won't deal with her anymore.
it's a real shame that she behaves this way.... and i mean that.
by Lord of the Nish Oct 21, 2008, 12:29:34 pmSamantha Morton - Nottingham's Mother Teresa, or horrible slattern? Let's have a heated debate!
by seamus flannery Oct 21, 2008, 12:36:28 pmI've only heard bad stories about her. From being a rude, precocious tearaway at WB Comp to nowadays when she's apparently the same. I ain't never seen her in anything that good, anyway.
by Stillman Oct 21, 2008, 01:22:44 pmI heard she sits in Bentons getting wasted all day, and that she is best mates with Macy Gray what hangs about viccy centre. What about that eh?
by floydy Oct 21, 2008, 02:28:15 pmbeing a rude, precocious tearaway at WB Comp
isn't it part of the rules to be a rude precocious tearaway at any comp?
Are you saying she was horrible at school so that means she's a crap grown up?
I'm not sure about your logic, it's kind of all wrongbuuuut ...
little barrie used to go to my mates house at school lunch and have luncheon-meat sandwiches
and he kept all of his shoes in a straight line under his bed
what a fucking autistic menkle case, thats why he's so good on guitar and everyone hates his little body big hair BULLSHIT
sorry, threadkill
by Sara Oct 21, 2008, 03:37:12 pmI heard she sits in Bentons getting wasted all day, and that she is best mates with Macy Gray what hangs about viccy centre. What about that eh?
Sounds like a fun woman! I'm down with Bentons now.being a rude, precocious tearaway at WB Comp
isn't it part of the rules to be a rude precocious tearaway at any comp?
Are you saying she was horrible at school so that means she's a crap grown up?
I'm not sure about your logic, it's kind of all wrongbuuuut ...
little barrie used to go to my mates house at school lunch and have luncheon-meat sandwiches
and he kept all of his shoes in a straight line under his bed
what a fucking autistic menkle case, thats why he's so good on guitar and everyone hates his little body big hair BULLSHIT
sorry, threadkill
If you're a thinking or troubled kid then yeps, I'd say it's spot on to be a nightmare at comp school!
I told my Art Teacher to
"Fuck off you fat cow"
Luckily, we worked through our differences and I saw the light...eventually.
Luckily for Sam Morton, she turned out to be a damn fine actress and anyone who says she ain't a good actress, needs their eyes/ears tested IMHO!I mean FFS, how many people could play Myra Hindley as well as she did??? Eh?
by floydy Oct 21, 2008, 04:01:35 pmshe's amazing in Control
In America is great too
and Sweet and Lowdown is just a ridiculously good performance
by christmasatthezoo Oct 21, 2008, 04:39:23 pmshe's a bloody good actress and no mistake.
by Stillman Oct 21, 2008, 05:05:28 pmI bet she could tell a few stories about Tom Cruise.
Go on, somebody ask her about that
by floydy Oct 22, 2008, 10:48:04 amis he the wrong type of gay, the really creepy kind
and does he pay his wives?
by D Oct 22, 2008, 02:03:22 pmFunny this.
A friend of mine was offered work with the production company yesterday that's doing the film she's in but she couldn't do it as she had to be based in Nottingham and is based London/Cambridge. Her words were, without me saying anything "It doesn't matter, I've worked with Morton before and she's a dick", and this was coming from a very down to earth and humble girl.
I also know her manager and popped into the Lace market hotel foyer when she knocked on the window just to say hello (to her manager, not her). After I left, Morton decided to make a snidey comment which I found out later in the day from the girl who worked on reception and was stood behind them (and also a friend of mine).
Perhaps, when so many unconnected people are saying it, there's some truth in it? But hey - 'celebs', they're just people like everyone else at the end of the day, with more money.
by Stillman Oct 22, 2008, 02:06:57 pmHmmm the case for the prosecution has assembled some quite compelling evidence. I must retire to consider the verdict.
Having said this I did quite enjoy the hokeyness of Minority Report.
by floydy Oct 22, 2008, 02:35:16 pmwhat about the people you don't know any second hand internet stuff about?
by Stillman Oct 22, 2008, 03:30:35 pmwhat about the people you don't know any second hand internet stuff about?I just make stuff up about them. Who needs Heat magazine?
by Lord of the Nish Oct 22, 2008, 03:55:35 pmRight, you all forced my hand; I had to ring up someone I know who's worked with her twice.
The first time: "She was really nice"
The second time: "It had all gone to her head and she went mental"
Since then: "She's got a reputation for being an absolute fucking nightmare"
Said friend has heard her been described as, quote; "That cunting, fucking girl! THAT CUNTING, FUCKING GIRRRRLLL!" by none other than Brian Blessed.
by Stillman Oct 22, 2008, 04:21:32 pmThe message board for her on IMDB is full of venomous comments. Maybe its just some kind of internet fad like 'ZOFMG shes a pain in the buttocks ROLFCOPTER'
by floydy Oct 22, 2008, 04:24:32 pmso anyway, what was the question?
by Jared Nov 04, 2008, 03:02:12 pmReally enjoyed this last night - despite the fact I was feeling pretty ropey! She came across well, told a few good secrets (you know she turned down a role in Xmen?) and definitely still has her Nottingham accent.
Some of what she said will be in the next issue of LeftLion Magazine.
by themilkman Nov 04, 2008, 03:48:58 pmQuoteSaid friend has heard her been described as, quote; "That cunting, fucking girl! THAT CUNTING, FUCKING GIRRRRLLL!" by none other than Brian Blessed.
I have never heard of Samantha Morton, but when Voltar speaks - you must listen.
by Mr Curtis Nov 07, 2008, 11:25:37 amIt was a very good night. It was a full house too which is awesome seeing as the tickets were a little on the pricey side, but it meant that �6,000 was raised for the Workshop which will see the group into the new year. Lots of new talent emerging from that place at the moment; the new year will see some ace tv and film appearances!
