Christopher Nolan is known for assembling talented ensembles for his films, and that’s also the case for The Odyssey. The historical drama boasts a cast consisting of A-listers like Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron. Based on the first reactions to Nolan’s latest film, the stars give stunning performances. As it turns out, though, one particular cast member of the book-to-screen adaptation earned a standing ovation on a Nolan set since The Dark Knight’s Heath Ledger.Given the sheer amount of star power within The Odyssey’s stacked cast, it’s easy to imagine just about every one of the main actors generating applause on set. What’s ironic, though, is that the star who got the crew to start clapping is someone who hasn’t been seen in the marketing all that much compared to their co-stars – Samantha Morton. Nolan recently spoke to The L.A. Times about the surreal moment, and the anecdote gives me chills: I’ve always admired Samantha’s work, she brings so much depth of thinking about her role, there are no limitations on her performance. 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.(Image credit: Universal Pictures)Morton plays the juicy role of Circe, and those who’ve read The Odyssey likely know the character is a goddess who inhabits the island of Aeaea. In the story, the powerful witch ensnares Odysseus’ crew with her magic, and he must use his wits to outsmart her. Of course, Nolan doesn’t give any context for the scene that generated that applause. Regardless, given her performances in fare like Jane Eyre, Minority Report and Morvern Callar, I’m not surprised at all that she would impress those on the set.More on The Odyssey(Image credit: Universal Pictures)I Am NOT Cool With Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Being Rated R. Here's Why.From an acting perspective, being compared to Heath Ledger is a major badge of honor. Ledger was a multifaceted performer, who gave great performances in a wide range of films, like Brokeback Mountain, A Knight’s Tale, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and 10 Things I Hate About You (for which he beat out 253 actors). However, Ledger’s finest performance arguably remains his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight, for which he posthumously won an Oscar. Off the top of my head, I can think of several of Ledger’s scenes that would’ve generated applause on the set.More recently, it’s also been sweet to see Christopher Nolan shower so much praise on his Odyssey actors. Sure, Nolan has gently trolled Damon and Holland, but he’s also lauded them and the likes of Hathaway and Zendaya for their performances and commitment to their roles. What’s more ironic is that this all comes long after Holland thought he thought he was messing up on set. That confusion on the actor’s part actually stemmed from his unfamiliarity with the way IMAX cameras work. I’m pumped to see Nolan’s newest movie for myself, and I’ll certainly be checking out the IMAX-filmed feature the way it was meant to be seen. Now, thanks to Nolan’s anecdote about Samantha Morton, I also have more reason to be hyped for the film. Best believe my eyes will be peeled for her scene(s) and, if it’s as great as teased, I’ll do my best not to stand up and clap while I’m in the theater. The Odyssey opens in theaters nationwide on July 17th alongside other 2026 movie schedule releases. In the meantime, anyone who wants to see Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, can stream the film using an HBO Max subscription.