2011
Samantha Morton
Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) in recognition of the her significant contribution to the arts and, in particular, film and television.
Nottingham-born actress Samantha Morton grew up partly in care and, while still at school, joined the Central Junior Television Workshop. She has earned outstanding professional and public acclaim in Britain, America and the wider world for her screenwork.
From teenage parts in television series such as Cracker and Soldier, Soldier, she has gone on to such challenging roles as the real-life Moors Murderer Myra Hindley and Deborah Curtis, wife of the troubled singer Ian Curtis, plus other characters in harsh dramatic situations.
Her work has attracted awards and many nominations. The 2009 TV film The Unloved, which Samantha directed and acted in, gained the BAFTA for Best Single Drama. It centred on a girl growing up in a care home, drawn partly from Samantha’s own early experiences.