Before playing Circe in ‘The Odyssey’, Samantha Morton almost landed another iconic role. More than a decade after ‘Her’ became one of Hollywood’s most celebrated films.
Morton has candidly reflected on the emotional experience of being replaced before audiences ever heard her performance.
Before Scarlett Johansson, Samantha Morton Was The Original Voice Of ‘Her’
Before Scarlett Johansson’s voice became the iconic AI, Samantha Morton had been working on the character for months. She wasn’t merely recording dialogue; she was actually on set, playing opposite Joaquin Phoenix while he was filming, to help create the emotional connection that is at the core of the film.
“I was surprised and a little sad would be an understatement. But, again, I think that the time I had on set with Joaquin and the working with Spike on the script and finding Samantha and all the work that we did was really special,” she told Josh Horowitz.
Morton said the production went to great lengths to capture her performance, even setting up special recording rooms to let her experiment with Samantha’s voice. In retrospect, she said her version was very British and very different from what the performance audiences got to see.
Although she accepted that directors have the final say in shaping a film, Morton admitted being replaced was “more than a little sad.” She said the experience made her realize that no matter how much work an actor does, he or she is not guaranteed to be in a completed film.
Samantha Morton Just Wants To Change This One Thing About Her Audition
Even though it was a failure, Morton said she was impressed with Scarlett Johansson’s voice, which she described as “beautiful” and “evocative”.
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“I have to say, I think my version of Samantha was very ‘she’s English.’ It was just very, very different. And I think Scarlett Johansson has a beautiful voice. She’s incredibly evocative. So I got it, but I was sad.”
Rather than questioning the casting decision, Morton simply wished she was given one more opportunity to record the role. She also praised Joaquin Phoenix and writer-director Spike Jonze, saying the creative process was special, even though it was a sad conclusion.
Years later, Morton appears to have found perspective on the experience. Being cut from a project is always a blow. But she knows filmmaking is a collaborative art and sometimes hard choices must be made.
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