There’s an Irish actress who has become the talk of awards season with her multiple best actress wins and her endearingly rambling acceptance speeches that combine heart, personal acknowledgements and genuine gratitude. That actress is Jessie Buckley.
Born and raised in Killarney, Co. Kerry, in the wild west coast of Ireland, Jessie has been active in the industry since 2008, when she was a contestant on the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, a talent show to find the lead of Nancy for the West Revival of Oliver!.
In 2025, Jessie starred as Agnes (Anne) Shakespeare in Hamnet, a historical drama directed by Chloé Zhao, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel about William Shakespeare and his family.
Her powerful portrayal of the grieving wife has put her at the centre of the 2026 awards season: she won Best Actress at the Critics’ Choice Awards, and at the Golden Globes she took home Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
She’s also one of the top contenders for this year’s Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet. Nominations are coming on 22 January 2026.
But who is this ethereal Irishwoman with intense layered performances?
Who is Jessie Buckley?
As mentioned, Jessie Buckley is an Irish actress. Born in December 1989 in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
After RADA, she built a stage and screen career from West End theatre to television and film roles.
In television, she starred in HBO’s Chernobyl and Fargo.
Her film debut came in 2017 with Beast, and her breakout role came in 2018 with Wild Rose. Her performance as an aspiring country singer earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress. Her next major film role was The Lost Daughter (2021), where she played a younger Olivia Colman. For this role, she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
She later reunited with Olivia Colman to star as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, a portrayal which won her the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Jessie is also a singer and has given her likeness and done motion capture for the video game The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me.
Now, Jessie is currently sweeping the awards scene for her role in Hamnet.
Is Jessie Buckley married?
Yes, Jessie Buckley is married to Freddie, a mental healthcare worker, whom she met on a blind date. They married in mid-2023 and currently live in Norfolk, England.
Jessie gave him a shout-out in her acceptance speech for Best Female Actor– Motion Picture Drama at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
“My husband, he’s really been enjoying the free canapes and cocktails, so thank you so much for having us along.”
Prior to her relationship with Freddie, Jessie dated House of Guinness actor James Norton from 2015 to 2017. The two starred alongside one another in War & Peace, and she has described the split as “acrimonious”.
After her relationship with James, she’s kept her private life under wraps. Freddie’s surname hasn’t been revealed.
Does Jessie Buckley have any children?
Yes, Jessie gave birth to a baby girl in 2025. However, she hasn’t shared her name.
The Irish actress became pregnant after Hamnet wrapped in September 2024. In an interview with British Vogue, Jessie shared that the film made her feel a “deep need” to be a mother.
The film explores the relationship between Agnes Shakespeare and her husband, famous playwright William Shakespeare (played by fellow Irish actor Paul Mescal), as they deal with the death of their 11-year-old son.
In fact, she shared in that interview that her first outing with her new child was to a screening of Hamnet.
“A friend said to me, ‘Don’t forget that you’re also a new thing when you become a mother,’ she said in the interview.
“A lot of attention is given to this little baby, but your relationship to the world is new, your relationship with your partner is new, your relationship to your work is new.
“I don’t know what the next story is that I need to tell because it’s seismic what’s happened.”
What did Jessie Buckley say in her acceptance speech about Paul Mescal?
After coming up on stage at the Critics’ Choice Awards to accept the Best Actress win, she started off her acceptance speech with a long sigh to settle herself.
“Okay, this is intense,” she started. “Jesus Christ, it’s like so inspiring to be in this room with artists who have inspired me from the ground up. I am nothing without all of you here. I love being part of this village.”
She thanked the crew, the film’s director Chloe Xiao (“You have reminded me of the power of telling a story and the journey that you can go on to touch the deepest parts of what it is to be alive.”) and also her co-star, Paul Mescal.
“Paul, I bloody love you, man,” she started. “And I know loads of other women do in this room, too. But..tough shit!”
The crowd erupted with laughs and applause.
“I could drink you like water,” Jessie continued. “You’re a giant of the heart, and thank you so much for making me a little bit more human.”
Jessie is becoming famous for her acceptance speeches
Like many Irish people, Jessie can tell a good story. Her acceptance speeches have gone viral for their charming anecdotes.
In addition to comparing Paul Mescal to a refreshing glass of water, she also shared a personal story of her brother.
“My brother, Cillian, is a mountain guide and he rang me a few weeks ago because he’s gone to bring a tour to the first-ever cave paintings in France. And he called me up, and he said, “Jess, these are actually legit. Like I actually think they’d sell for a lot of money nowadays.”” The crowd eagerly waited to hear how these ancient paintings would relate to today’s awards.
“But what he did say was so extraordinary was that these paintings weren’t done on the entrance of these caves. They were done in the deepest, darkest parts of these caves. And these first-ever humans, these first-ever artists, decided to go with fire and minerals into the darkest part of the cave to tell their stories.”
Praising her fellow actors and artists for bringing light into the darkest parts of our lives.
A week later, she went a bit more abstract in her acceptance speech for Best Female Actor Motion Picture Drama at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes
“This is not a normal feeling or situation to be in,” Jessie Buckley started her acceptance speech before thanking her co-stars and filmmakers, including the 400 extras. “I would rave in that Globe for the rest of my life with you.”
She gave a special shout-out to the film’s grip, Tomak, who made soup for everyone on the set. Apparently, he disappeared one day and was found peeling all these potatoes and cooking a delicious soup in a soup pot he brought all the way from Poland.
We can’t wait for her next acceptance speech!
