Nottingham actress Samantha Morton reveals the 'tough time' she spent in homeless hostel

Two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton has opened up about the 'tough time' she spent in a Nottingham homeless hostel when she was a teenager.

The Minority Report actress, who was born and grew up in the city, mentioned the period during an interview about the struggles she has faced in her career, which she claims has included working with TV directors who were "bullies and brutal".

The 41 year old told The Big Issue that as a young actress she did not feel able to speak out when things felt uncomfortable and revealed she has experienced "close shaves" in Hollywood.

The Golden Globe winner told the magazine: "As a young unaccompanied actress going to auditions with strange people in strange places, being asked to do things which were not in the script but not feeling able to say no... I didn't understand that I had a right to say I didn't feel comfortable."

She added: "I felt I was from the streets and I'd won the lottery even being in the show, rather than feeling I had earned the right to be there.

"Some of the male directors working in TV drama in the 90s were delicate and kind. And some were bullies and brutal."

Morton, who has won a British Academy Television Award and British Independent Film Award, also discussed her time spent in a Nottingham homeless hostel when she was 16.

She said: "It was called an independence unit but basically it was a dumping ground for kids who had to leave care.

"We were just forgotten about really, with no support or follow up. The people who ran the unit were great, they were as helpful as they could be with helping you get your money or apply for college. But it was a very tough time."

Morton has previously spoken out about abuse it is claimed she suffered while in care as a child. Her intervention came after the investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

Nottinghamshire Police has launched three operations looking at historic child abuse in Nottingham and the wider county, which focused on children in care and foster care.

A national independent inquiry concluded its investigation in October which looked at the extent of any institutional failures to protect children in the care of Nottingham city councils and Nottinghamshire councils.

After the final hearing, Bassetlaw MP John Mann urged the inquiry to "be bold" as it considers what recommendations to make.

Since securing her first role as Clare Anderson in TV drama Soldier Soldier in 1991, Morton has gone on to star in a range of TV shows and films, including the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Most recently she has portrayed Alpha, the leader of The Whisperers faction in post-apocalyptic TV drama The Walking Dead.