Why Circe In Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Looks So Familiar

Universal Pictures

Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is finally here, and early reactions have described his adaptation of Homer's epic poem as a grand piece of blockbuster spectacle. If nothing else, it's certainly the biggest movie Nolan's ever made.

Indeed, this film is an achievement for its writer/director — one that feels like a companion piece to "Oppenheimer" with respect to how Nolan uses the IMAX format. If "Oppenheimer" was Nolan proving he could make a biopic feel huge and spectacular through IMAX, then "The Odyssey" is him making a Ray Harryhausen fantasy adventure on the largest and most expensive canvas available. It also finds Nolan at his most fantastical, telling a story that's full of gods and mythical creatures yet is ultimately a grounded tale about a man desperately trying to get back home to his family.

What's more, "The Odyssey" boasts a star-studded cast in roles big and small, from Matt Damon as its protagonist, Odysseus, to Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, Zendaya as Athena, Mia Goth as Melantho, and Elliot Page as Sinon. But along with the most recognizable names in the movie, there are certain faces that probably ring a bell, even if you can't quite place them.

Such is the case of Circe. The witch and goddess of Aeaea, Circe is brought to life here by Samantha Morton, a British actor who got her start in the ITV series "Soldier Soldier" in the early 1990s before appearing in Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown" and Jim Sheridan's "In America," earning Oscar nods for both films. Since then, however, Morton has become better known for her work in movies like "Minority Report" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," along with her turn as Alpha, the leader of The Whisperers, in the "Walking Dead" TV show.

AMC

Spoilers for the thousands of years old story that is "The Odyssey" to follow.

Christopher Nolan's take on Circe is quite faithful to the text, but it's Samantha Morton's casting that elevates the character and sets it apart from previous interpretations. Traditionally, Circe is depicted as being significantly younger. With Morton, though, you get the sense she's encountered travelers like Odysseus prior to the events of "The Odyssey" and grown resentful of them.

As such, the scene where Circe turns Odysseus' men into pigs is quite disturbing, and the closest Nolan has come to going full body horror to date. More than that, it's the scariest scene Nolan has crafted in his career so far, with Morton giving Circe a villainous aura that's reminiscent of Heath Ledger's Joker from "The Dark Knight." Don't believe me? Just ask Nolan.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Nolan directly compared Morton's turn as Circe to Ledger's Clown Prince of Crime, calling her performance  the "fulcrum" of his re-telling of "The Odyssey."

"In some weird way, the film lived or died over that character," Nolan explained. "After one of her takes, the crew gave her a great round of applause. I was talking with Emma [Thomas, Nolan's producing partner and wife] afterwards, and she remembered that the last time that had happened was with Heath Ledger on 'The Dark Knight.'" And to think Nolan almost had Ledger play Batman instead.

Morton may not be the biggest name in "The Odyssey" (nor is Circe exactly the villain most people associate with the story of Odysseus), but it's clear she brought something unique and exciting to Nolan's adaptation of Homer's epic.

"The Odyssey" is now playing in theaters.