Samantha Morton is an Academy Award-winning actress who appeared in films such as Minority Report, The Libertine, Control and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
She was born in Nottingham, England on May 13, 1977. She spent part of her childhood in care, after her parents divorced. She started her career as a child actress, joining the Central Junior Television Workshop at age 13. Three years later she moved to London and joined the Royal Court Theatre, where she appeared in plays. She also scored her first screen appearance, as a guest on the television series Cracker. She didn’t get further training, but was cast in television productions such as Jane Eyre and The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling.
Morton appeared in movies such as Band of Gold, released in 1995, and Under the Skin, released in 1997. Film director Woody Allen saw the latter and was impressed with her performance; he eventually cast her as mute girl Hattie in the 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for that performance. In 2002, she won the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the film Morvern Cellar. In 2003, she earned another Oscar nomination, for Best Actress for the film In America.
In 2006, she played murderer Myra Hindley in the television film Longford. Despite being criticized by the relatives of those killed by the actual Hindley, she won a Golden Globe award for best supporting actress, and also was nominated for an Emmy in the same capacity.
She also appeared in films such as Minority Report, released in 2002; The Libertine, released in 2005; Control, released in 2007; and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, also released in 2007. She is set to direct the semi-autobiographical piece The Unloved, set for release in 2008.