In a Hollywood landscape often dominated by social media metrics and superhero franchises, Irish actor Jessie Buckley stands out as a refreshing anomaly. At 36, with no Marvel role or Instagram account to her name, she has forged a singular path from the scrutiny of reality television to the pinnacle of critical acclaim. Her latest role in the film adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel Hamnet has cemented her status, earning her Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards and placing her firmly in contention for an Oscar.
From Kerry to the West End: A Creative Childhood
Buckley's artistic roots run deep. She grew up in Killarney, County Kerry, the eldest of five children in a musical family nicknamed "the Von Trapps" by neighbours. Her mother, Marina, is an opera singer and vocal coach, while her father, Tim, is a singer and poet. With no television in the house until her teens, Jessie's early creativity was expressed through staging productions with her siblings. This passion continued at convent school, where she took male roles in musicals like West Side Story, and through studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.
However, her initial attempts to enter drama school in London were met with rejection. One such knockback from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama led her, on a whim at age 17, to audition for the BBC reality show I'd Do Anything. The programme, overseen by Andrew Lloyd Webber, sought a new Nancy for a West End revival of Oliver! Buckley was selected as a finalist, but the experience was fraught.
The "Messed-Up" Reality and a Defiant Pivot
For ten weeks, Buckley's every move was critiqued on national television by judges including Denise van Outen and John Barrowman, who called her "awkward". She recently told Vogue the experience was like a "femininity school" marred by "a lot of body shaming." She finished as runner-up to Jodie Prenger.
In a defining moment of self-determination, Buckley turned down an offer to be Prenger's understudy from theatre impresario Cameron Mackintosh. Andrew Lloyd Webber later said he was "secretly pleased she didn't win," believing she was destined for more than musical theatre typecasting. Instead, she took a role in a small production of A Little Night Music, supplementing her income by singing jazz. A fortuitous performance at London's Ivy Club led a benefactor to cover her fees for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), which she attended after a brief suspension for taking singing gigs.
Building a Versatile and Acclaimed Career
After graduating RADA in 2013, Buckley built a formidable stage and screen career marked by remarkable range. She starred in BBC period dramas like War and Peace and shared the stage with Jude Law. Her film breakthrough came with Beast (2017) and Wild Rose (2018), which showcased her singing. She earned her first Oscar nomination for The Lost Daughter (2021) and won an Olivier Award for her role as Sally Bowles in the West End revival of Cabaret.
Her personal life has found stability after a two-year relationship with actor James Norton ended amicably in 2018. She later married TV producer-turned-mental health worker Freddie Sorenson in a low-key Norfolk ceremony. The couple welcomed a baby girl last year, with Buckley noting she "deeply wanted to become a mother" while filming Hamnet.
The Heart-Wrenching Power of 'Hamnet'
In Hamnet, Buckley plays Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), as they grieve their son's death. Her performance, particularly a scene featuring a devastating scream of grief, has become the film's emotional core, leaving audiences profoundly moved. Critics have heaped praise, with Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent writing that Buckley's portrayal connects to a timeless maternal anguish.
Fellow actors are effusive in their admiration. Eddie Redmayne says "every actor I know admires her so hugely" and that she "calls bulls***." Paul Mescal stated he would work with her "until the cows come home," and director Maggie Gyllenhaal believes Buckley can "hold the entire spectrum of human experience inside of her."
From a body-shamed teenager on reality TV to an Oscar-tipped actor balancing nappy changes with red carpets, Jessie Buckley's journey is a testament to raw talent, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to her own unique artistic path.
