Acclaimed actress Jessie Buckley has opened up about the traumatic experience she endured as a teenager on Andrew Lloyd Webber's television talent show, I'd Do Anything, describing the process as having 'brutalised' her.
The 'Bonkers' Reality Show That Launched a Career
In 2008, a 17-year-old Jessie Buckley entered the public eye as a contestant on the BBC reality series, which sought a new star to play Nancy in a West End revival of Oliver!. The Irish performer, now 36, finished as runner-up to Jodie Prenger, but the glossy launchpad for her successful career came at a significant personal cost.
Reflecting in an interview with Vogue, Buckley stated she was in a vulnerable 'moment of discovery' at that age. She criticised the 'unfair objectification' women faced on the show, admitting she 'wasn't well fully' at the time and struggled with depression. 'There was a lot that was really messed up,' she revealed.
A Culture of Body Shaming and 'Femininity School'
Buckley detailed specific aspects of the experience that she found damaging, citing 'a lot of body shaming' as a particular source of distress. She was also subjected to what she termed 'femininity school' while she was 'growing into my body'.
'I really hope that a 15, 17, whatever-age woman never has to be brutalised quite like what happened on that show,' she told the magazine. 'But I didn't recognise it fully at the time. I just felt it, which was difficult.' In hindsight, she calls the entire experience 'bonkers', though she retains a sense of pride in her younger self's bravery.
Defiant Career Moves and Acclaimed Success
Despite the turmoil, Buckley's talent was undeniable. After placing second, she was offered the role of understudy to winner Jodie Prenger. In a bold move, she personally went to the office of legendary theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh to decline the job.
She instead built her career through theatre before moving to screen. Her breakthrough came with the 2018 film Wild Rose, earning her a BAFTA nomination and a British Academy Scotland Award. She gained further recognition for roles in HBO's Chernobyl and FX's Fargo, and was listed on Forbes' 30 Under 30 in 2019.
Her performance in 2021's The Lost Daughter, where she played the younger version of Olivia Colman's character, garnered global acclaim, leading to her second BAFTA nomination and her first Academy Award nomination.
Buckley, a RADA graduate, continues to receive critical praise, recently winning a Critics Choice award for her role in Hamnet. Her journey from a 'brutalised' reality TV contestant to an internationally respected actress underscores her resilience and formidable skill.
