Samantha Morton Opens Up About Her Painful Exit from 'Her'

Spike Jonze's 2013 film Her remains one of the more formally daring works of its era — a romance built almost entirely on a disembodied voice, and a meditation on intimacy in the age of artificial intelligence. What has rarely been discussed at length, however, is the behind-the-scenes story of how that voice came to belong to Scarlett Johansson rather than to the actress originally cast in the role. In a candid recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Samantha Morton addressed that chapter of her career with a combination of grace and undisguised grief.

Morton's Version of Samantha Was Already Taking Shape

According to Just Jared, Morton — currently appearing in the high-profile ensemble cast of The Odyssey — described a creative process that was far more immersive than audiences might imagine for a purely vocal performance. She worked directly with Joaquin Phoenix on set, building a reciprocal chemistry with her co-star across scenes, and even recorded her lines in a custom-built enclosure she described as a "black kind of padded phone box." She also collaborated closely with Jonze on the script itself, helping to define who Samantha, the sentient operating system, actually was. By the time production wrapped on her contributions, a fully realized character existed — just not one that would make it to the final cut.

A Director's Prerogative, and a Lasting Sting

Morton was measured in her framing of what happened, acknowledging the fundamental reality of the film industry: no actor, particularly one in a non-lead capacity, is ever guaranteed a place in the finished product. "It's every director's prerogative, in regards to the final cut of the film," she said, reflecting advice she'd received earlier in her career not to become too invested in any given role before it was confirmed. Yet she was equally honest that equanimity and pain are not mutually exclusive. "A little sad would be an understatement," she admitted, adding plainly: "It does hurt when you're fired from something."

What stings, perhaps, is not the decision itself but the proximity she had to the finished film. Morton had been on set. She had acted opposite Phoenix. She knew the character intimately. Her version of Samantha, she noted, was distinctly English in its vocal identity — a fundamentally different interpretation from what Johansson would ultimately bring. Scarlett Johansson, who had already demonstrated a remarkable range across prestige projects — including The Prestige, set for theatrical re-release in 2027 — delivered what Morton herself described as a beautiful, deeply evocative performance. "I got it," Morton said, "but I was sad."

The Question of a Second Chance

Perhaps the most poignant detail Morton shared was the simplest: she wished she had been given an opportunity to return to the recording booth and attempt an American accent. It's a small, specific regret that speaks to how close she felt to holding onto the role. Whether a different vocal register would have changed the outcome is impossible to know — Jonze was clearly seeking something particular, and Johansson delivered it definitively, earning significant awards attention in the process.

A Career That Has Continued to Command Respect

It's worth noting that Morton's body of work has never required a single film's validation. From her acclaimed early collaborations with directors like Woody Allen and Jim Sheridan to her later television work on The Walking Dead, she has consistently brought a fierce interiority to complex roles. Her place in The Odyssey only underscores that the industry's respect for her craft remains intact. The Her chapter, by her own telling, is one she has processed without bitterness toward Johansson personally — even if the wound hasn't entirely closed. "Scarlett Johansson!" she said, with what reads as equal parts admiration and resigned humor. "I mean, come on." It is, ultimately, both a compliment and a eulogy for a performance the world never got to hear.

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