Samantha Morton
Samantha Jane Morton (born 13 May 1977) is an English actress and film director. During her career she has won a BAFTA TV Award, a Golden Globe Award and has been nominated twice for an Academy Award and once for an Emmy Award. Morton began her acting career with guest roles in television shows such as Soldier Soldier and Cracker, before appearing from 1995 to 1996 in the ITV drama Band of Gold. She then starred in the period dramas and coming-of-age features Emma, Jane Eyre and The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. The well-received Under the Skin (1997) made director Woody Allen cast Morton in Sweet and Lowdown (1999), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She then went on to play critically praised roles in smaller and independent projects such as Morvern Callar (2002) and In America (2003). For the latter, she received a second Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Actress, for her performance as the young Irish mother, Sarah, coping with life in New York City. At this time, she also found commercial success with 2002's science fiction thriller Minority Report, opposite Tom Cruise. For her role as Myra Hindley in 2006's Longford, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress (television) . Morton appeared in three biographical films in 2007: Control (as Deborah Curtis), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (as Mary, Queen of Scots) and Mister Lonely (as Marilyn Monroe). She then starred in 2008's drama Synecdoche, New York and 2009's The Messenger. She made her directorial debut with the British television film The Unloved, for which she won a BAFTA Television Award for Best Single Drama. After a three year withdrawal from film, 2012 saw Morton appear in John Carter and Cosmopolis. She has since starred in the 2013 indie drama Decoding Annie Parker and the 2014 period film Miss Julie, directed by Liv Ullmann.