Irish actress Jessie Buckley made BAFTA history on Sunday night, becoming the first Irish performer to win the Best Actress award while delivering an emotional tribute to her infant daughter. The 36-year-old star, visibly moved, accepted the prestigious gong for her role in Chloe Zhao's Hamnet during the star-studded ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall.
An Emotional Dedication to Motherhood
As her voice trembled with emotion, Buckley dedicated her award to her six-month-old daughter, who has accompanied her since infancy. "I'd like to share this with my daughter who has been with me since she was six weeks old on the road with this," she declared. "It's the best role of my life being your mom and I promise to continue to be disobedient so you can belong to a world where all your mad, complex wildness as a young woman."
The actress, who welcomed her daughter with film producer husband Freddie Sorensen last year but has kept the child's name private, concluded her speech to thunderous applause: "I am very grateful for this, thank you so much."
Historic Achievement for Irish Cinema
Buckley's victory marks a significant milestone for Irish representation in British cinema. She triumphed over formidable competition including Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another, and Emma Stone for Bugonia.
Arriving at the ceremony in an eye-catching blue dress with black heels, the actress beamed throughout the evening. In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her unlikely journey: "This is really such an incredible honour. As a little girl I never thought in a million years I would be allowed to make a film but here I am."
Ceremony Highlights and Surprises
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards saw One Battle After Another emerge as the night's big winner, securing six awards including Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. The film had entered the ceremony with a record-breaking 14 nominations.
Meanwhile, Robert Aramayo delivered one of the evening's biggest surprises by winning Best Actor for I Swear, defeating favourites Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another). Aramayo's father celebrated exuberantly in the audience as his son accepted the award.
In a touching moment during his acceptance speech, Aramayo paid tribute to Ethan Hawke, who appeared visibly moved by the gesture. Host Alan Cumming also acknowledged the audience's understanding when John, the inspiration for I Swear, experienced involuntary vocalizations due to Tourette's syndrome during the ceremony.
Afterparty Celebrations
Following the ceremony, Buckley changed into a sophisticated long-sleeved black midi dress with ruffled hem for the Universal and Focus Features afterparty at Oswald's in London. She proudly carried her golden mask trophy, having swapped her ceremony blue dress for the elegant black ensemble completed with simple heels.
The actress was joined by fellow nominees Kate Hudson and Emma Stone as they celebrated her historic win. Buckley, now tipped as a strong contender for the upcoming Oscar for Best Actress, made sure to acknowledge her fellow nominees during her acceptance speech, though she momentarily forgot to mention Hudson before correcting herself.
Complete Winners List
The 2026 BAFTA Awards distributed 28 trophies across various categories. Alongside Buckley's historic win and One Battle After Another's dominance, other notable winners included:
- Best Film: One Battle After Another
- Best Actor: Robert Aramayo for I Swear
- Best Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners
- Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn for One Battle After Another
- Outstanding British Film: Hamnet
- Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
- Best Animated Film: Zootropolis 2
- EE Rising Star Award: Robert Aramayo
The biggest disappointment of the evening was Marty Supreme, which entered with 11 nominations but failed to secure any awards. Meanwhile, Sinners, Frankenstein, and I Swear each collected three awards, while Hamnet earned two trophies including Buckley's historic Best Actress win.
As the celebrations continued into the night, Buckley's emotional tribute to her daughter and her groundbreaking achievement for Irish cinema remained the ceremony's most memorable moments, setting the stage for potential Oscar success in the coming weeks.
