The 98th Academy Awards delivered an emotional milestone for Irish cinema as Jessie Buckley won the Oscar for Best Actress for her powerful performance in Hamnet. With the victory, Buckley became the first Irish actress ever to win the prestigious award, marking a historic moment at the ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The win capped off a remarkable awards season for the actor. Buckley had already dominated the Best Actress race throughout the year, taking home top honors at the SAG-AFTRA Awards, BAFTA Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and the Golden Globes. By the time the Oscars arrived, many industry observers had already considered her the clear frontrunner — but the emotional moment still left the actor visibly moved when her name was announced.
A Heartfelt Acceptance Speech
Taking the stage, Buckley began by acknowledging her fellow nominees, praising their performances and expressing admiration for their work.
She congratulated Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, and Emma Stone for Bugonia, telling them she hoped to collaborate with them in the future.
The actor then shared a personal moment with the audience, revealing that her entire family had traveled from Ireland to attend the ceremony.
Looking up toward the balcony, Buckley thanked her parents for encouraging her and her siblings to follow their dreams and never allow expectations to limit their ambitions.
A Tribute to Family
Buckley also gave a touching shout-out to her husband, Freddie Sorensen, who was watching from the Hamnet section in the auditorium.
Calling him her best friend and an incredible father, she jokingly told him she wanted to have “20,000 more babies” with him, prompting laughter from the audience.
Their eight-month-old daughter was not present at the ceremony, but Buckley still made sure to mention her during the speech. With a playful tone, she joked that the baby probably had no idea what was happening and was likely dreaming about milk — though her mother winning an Oscar was “kind of a big deal.”
Honoring the Women Behind the Film
Buckley also thanked Hamnet director Chloé Zhao and author Maggie O’Farrell, whose novel inspired the film and who co-wrote the screenplay.
She described working with them as one of the most meaningful creative experiences of her life, especially while exploring the emotional depth of motherhood and grief through the story.
The timing of the award added another emotional layer to the moment, as the ceremony coincided with Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.
Buckley dedicated the award to mothers everywhere, describing motherhood as the “beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.”
The Story Behind Hamnet
Directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao, Hamnet tells a fictionalized story inspired by the life of William Shakespeare. Buckley plays Agnes, the wife of the young playwright, portrayed in the film by Paul Mescal.
The historical drama explores the family’s life together and the devastating tragedy that strikes when their 11-year-old son Hamnet dies from the plague. The film then follows how the family grapples with grief and how the loss ultimately inspires Shakespeare to write one of his most famous plays, Hamlet.
Buckley’s emotionally layered portrayal of a grieving mother became the heart of the film and earned widespread praise from critics and audiences.
A Strong Awards Season for the Film
Hamnet also performed strongly across multiple categories at the Oscars, earning eight nominations overall. In addition to Best Actress, the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director for Chloé Zhao, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell.
The movie also secured nominations for Original Score, Casting, Costume Design, and Production Design.
The film first premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, where Buckley’s performance quickly emerged as one of the most talked-about acting showcases of the year.
What’s Next for Jessie Buckley
Buckley’s Oscar win arrives at a time when her career is already reaching new heights. The actor has built a reputation for emotionally intense performances in films like Women Talking, Wild Rose, and The Lost Daughter, the latter earning her a previous Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Just days before the Academy Awards, Buckley’s latest film The Bride! — directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal — opened in theaters, reuniting the actor with her The Lost Daughter collaborator.
Looking ahead, Buckley is also set to appear in Alice Rohrwacher’s upcoming drama Three Incestuous Sisters, sharing the screen with Dakota Johnson, Saoirse Ronan, and Josh O’Connor.
Final Words
Jessie Buckley’s Best Actress win for Hamnet marks a historic and deeply emotional moment for both the actor and Irish cinema. After a remarkable awards season filled with critical acclaim, her performance ultimately secured one of the highest honors in the film industry.
With several exciting projects already on the horizon, Buckley’s Oscar victory feels less like a final destination — and more like the beginning of an even bigger chapter in her career.
