A decades-old filming story has turned into a public disagreement between an acclaimed actress and her former director. What began as a humorous podcast anecdote now features two sharply different recollections of what happened on the River Queen set.
Vincent Ward responds to Samantha Morton’s Emily Watson mix-up claim
Samantha Morton recently recalled an awkward moment from the production of 2005’s River Queen, saying director Vincent Ward mistakenly believed she was fellow British actor Emily Watson.
But Ward has now rejected that version of events, insisting he never confused the two and calling the idea “impossible.” The conflicting accounts have left fans with two very different memories of the same production.
Speaking with host Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Morton said Ward greeted her by saying, “We’re so excited to have you, Emily. I’ve loved you since you were in Breaking the Waves,” referring to Watson’s Oscar-nominated 1996 film.
Morton said she immediately wondered, “Are you joking?” She recalled asking a producer whether Ward knew who she was, only to be told, “Don’t tell him. He thinks you’re Emily Watson.” Looking back, Morton laughed about the mix-up, saying she is often mistaken for “the amazing… extraordinary Emily Watson.”
Ward offered a completely different account in comments to Entertainment Weekly. He said he didn’t remember the alleged incident and stressed that Morton had always been his preferred choice for the role.
“She is a very unique performer,” Ward said, adding that “it would be impossible to confuse her for anyone else.” He also explained that he had admired her performances in films including Minority Report and In America and had “pushed very hard” to cast her despite production challenges.
The comparison between Morton and Watson is an interesting one. Both are acclaimed English actresses, both have earned Academy Award nominations, and both appeared in Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York.
Their careers continue to thrive today, with Morton drawing strong reviews for her role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, while Watson recently impressed critics with her performance as Mary Shakespeare in Hamnet.