Jessie Buckley has carved out one of the most compelling career trajectories in contemporary cinema, and her latest role in HAMNET promises to be her most emotionally demanding yet. Following her Oscar-nominated performance in THE LOST DAUGHTER and her haunting work in MEN, Buckley continues to seek out projects that push both herself and audiences into uncharted emotional territory.
In Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, Buckley takes on Agnes Shakespeare, the grieving mother at the heart of this intimate portrait of loss and creation. The film explores the profound love story between William Shakespeare and his wife before and after the devastating death of their son Hamnet—the boy whose name would later echo in the playwright’s greatest tragedy. Zhao, fresh off her Oscar win for NOMADLAND, brings her signature fluid directorial approach to this deeply personal story, allowing the narrative to unfold organically through her actors’ discoveries and the natural rhythms of grief.
The production culminated in an extraordinary sequence filmed within a painstakingly constructed replica of Shakespeare’s Globe theater, built to 70% scale and populated with hundreds of background actors. For Buckley, stepping into this recreation of theatrical history while carrying the weight of her character’s journey proved overwhelming. “For the first two days in the Globe, I was genuinely lost. I felt untethered,” she reveals. “You’re at the mecca of where Hamlet is born—everything that we’ve gone through was culminating to this point.” The moment captures something essential about Buckley’s approach to her craft: her willingness to be genuinely vulnerable, to risk losing herself in the service of authentic emotion.
This vulnerability has become Buckley’s calling card throughout her recent career evolution. From her breakout in WILD ROSE through her mesmerizing turn opposite Olivia Colman in THE LOST DAUGHTER, she has consistently chosen roles that demand complete emotional exposure. Her collaboration with Alex Garland in MEN saw her navigate psychological horror with the same fearless commitment she brings to intimate drama, establishing her as an actor unafraid of challenging material.
Working alongside Paul Mescal’s William Shakespeare and supported by a cast including Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, and Jacobi Jupe as the ill-fated Hamnet, Buckley anchors HAMNET with what Zhao describes as the film’s emotional core. The director’s faith in her improvisational process, combined with Max Richter’s evocative score, ultimately helped Buckley find her way through the character’s darkest moments. It’s this combination of artistic trust and emotional courage that has made her one of the most sought-after actors of her generation.
When HAMNET arrives in theaters this November via Focus Features, expanding wide in December, audiences will witness another chapter in Buckley’s remarkable ascent. Her ability to inhabit grief, love, and resilience with equal measure suggests an actor at the height of her powers, unafraid to explore the deepest wells of human experience. In an industry often focused on surface spectacle, Buckley continues to remind us why authentic emotional storytelling remains cinema’s greatest gift.
THE MUMMY is coming to theaters Fri Apr 17.
Lee Cronin—the visionary behind THE HOLE IN THE GROUND and EVIL DEAD RISE—is back with an audacious, twisted retelling that`s already getting rave reviews. A young girl vanishes for eight years. When she finally returns, what should be a joyful reunion becomes a living nightmare.
Watch trailer now at irishfilmtv.com.
SNL UK IS BACK AND WE`RE LIVING FOR IT 🚨✨
Nicola Coughlan (yes, THAT Nicola Coughlan) is hosting on April 25th with the absolute legends that are @foofighters taking the stage 🎸
DERRY GIRLS fans, BRIDGERTON obsessives, this is your moment!
More Nicola at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton is stepping into uncharted territory with THE NEIGHBOURHOOD—an ITV gameshow that`s about to flip the reality TV script entirely.
What happens when you put everyday people in extraordinary circumstances and ask them to compete against their neighbors for serious money?
More at irishfilmtv.com.
17 years old. A trip to Holland. Two Irish lads with big dreams and zero idea what was coming.
That`s where Ciarán Hinds and Liam Neeson bonded—and it changed everything. 🎬
In a beautiful moment on the Late Late Show, Hinds reflected on the power of those formative years—and why family, not accolades, is what truly matters. 💫
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
72 hours. One decision. Everything on the line.
Andrew Scott is stepping into one of WWII`s most untold stories in the upcoming film PRESSURE—where a meteorologist`s weather forecast became the most consequential prediction in history.
Watch new trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 THE YEAR OF ÉANNA HARDWICKE 🎬
From SAIPAN to THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD to NO ORDINARY HEIST—this is the actor`s defining moment. An IFTA winner. A West End star. Now a desperate man caught in a heist like no other.
In cinemas THIS WEEK: a gripping true story of the infamous Northern Bank robbery. £26.5 million. Two families held hostage. No way out.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
BELFAST`s Jamie Dornan will host SNL UK this weekend.
Dornan, known for his role in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and THE TOURIST, will front the program alongside Brit-award winning band Wolf Alice.
The show marks the first British incarnation of the sketch series, which was created by Lorne Michaels and first launched in the US in 1975.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
In a brand-new interview, OUTLANDER star/executive producer, Caitríona Balfe, discusses THAT pivotal Season 8, Episode 3 scene where Claire saves a baby.
A must-watch for OUTLANDER fans!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
✨ Brendan Gleeson just reminded us why he`s one of the greats ✨
Yesterday at the London Standard Theatre Awards, Gleeson took the night for his performance in THE WEIR—and honestly? there`s no one else who could have done it quite like him.
This is an actor who doesn`t perform. he breathes into the role. he becomes it. soul-deep, nuanced, the kind of characterisation that makes you forget you`re watching acting at all.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
