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The twice Oscar-nominated actor Samantha Morton teams up with Brit director Michael Winterbottom for his latest change of direction, Code 46. In the film, described as a futuristic Brief Encounter, Morton plays the object of an insurance investigator's attentions (Tim Robbins). It's the latest in a string of intriguing performances from the Nottingham-born actress, who's best known for her work in Steven Spielberg's Minority Report.

Yet again, Michael Winterbottom has made a radically different film to his last one...

It's incredible, I think Michael changes all the time. I think this is a piece of motion picture history - places that we shot in haven't been shot like that before. He doesn't use loads of gadgets; it's a pioneering use of digital video.

Have you enjoyed your adventures in sci-fi?

The film's not really that science fiction, it's more psychological. But this film was what is good about my job. Through researching your character, you get to learn about different countries' politics, science and art. Plus, you get to travel for free to all these great places.

How was it shooting a film that takes in locations as varied as Seattle, Shanghai, Dubai, and East London?

We just had to get on with it. With Michael, you arrive and a lot of it isn't organised; I liked the fact that we weren't protected. You have to find a truth very quickly - why you're there, what you're trying to achieve, and what your main goal is. Normally, you'd go out there and the traffic is stopped, but this was really incredible. At times, we were a bit nervous.

What, about getting run over?

The traffic was everywhere. We actually thought we were going to die! You'd often get stressed out. On a big-budget film, they take you somewhere because it has an atmosphere, then they control the atmosphere. Whereas Michael didn't do that at all. He just takes you somewhere and says, "That's it. That's what you're going to feed off."

Actors who've worked with Michael always stress how much improvisation he does, even shooting a lot of excess scenes just to experiment...

There really wasn't much room for improvisation. We didn't come away from the script. It was scripted in such a particular way that, strangely, it was like trying to act in another language. Not that I ever have!

Code 46 is another interesting choice for you as an actor. Are you happy with the kind of roles that you're being offered?

I do OK. I do find it really sad that a lot of actresses at the moment feel like that they have to be athletes, as well as models wearing designer clothes, as well as actors. The industry turns into this circus that forgets about the film and story. They just get a bit carried away with themselves - it's too much money and too many yes men.