Ask Onix
Buckley claims best actress at Actor Awards
Irish actor Jessie Buckley secured another major prize on Sunday, taking home the best actress trophy at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles for her role in Hamnet. The win adds to her Golden Globe and BAFTA victories this year, raising expectations for the upcoming Oscars.
Triumph at the Actor Awards
The ceremony, previously known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, honors outstanding performances in television and film. Buckley, visibly moved, dedicated her win to the creative community around her.
"I have been categorically changed by so many people in this room and beyond."
Jessie Buckley
She singled out her Hamnet co-star Emily Watson, calling her an "incredible friend" and crediting Watson's performance in Breaking The Waves as a formative inspiration.
Hamnet: The film behind the acclaim
Based on Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel, Hamnet reimagines the life of William Shakespeare's wife, Agnes, and their family. The story centers on the death of their son, Hamnet, and its potential influence on Shakespeare's Hamlet. The film earned six Golden Globe nominations, winning two, including best film, and also took home the BAFTA for outstanding British film.
Buckley's career: From music to the stage
Born in Killarney, County Kerry, Buckley has built a career spanning nearly two decades. A classically trained musician, she studied singing, piano, clarinet, saxophone, and harp at Dublin's Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). At 11, she won RIAM's nationwide High Achiever award, selected from 40,000 performers.
Buckley gained early recognition as a runner-up on the BBC talent show I'd Do Anything, which sought an actress for the West End's Oliver!. Though offered the understudy role for Nancy, she declined to pursue her own path, landing a part in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music at London's Menier Chocolate Factory. She later graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 2013.
Oscars night looms
The Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on 15 March 2026 at 23:00 GMT. Buckley's recent wins have positioned her as a strong contender for the best actress Oscar, though the competition remains fierce.
