Jessie Buckley in HAMNET
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.
🎭 From Shakespeare to a Beatle: Paul Mescal is doing the impossible!
Oscar-nominated Irish actor Paul Mescal is taking on TWO iconic roles that prove he`s one of the most fearless actors working today.
Watch Paul`s latest interview at irishfilmtv.com.
Kerry Condon`s brief but powerful performance in TRAIN DREAMS is pitch perfect.
She inhabits her character with quiet competence, moving through a male-dominated world with both caution and grace.
Watch now on @netflix!
🎬 HAMNET stars to receive Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards!
A stunning meditation on love`s fragility and art`s power to transform suffering into transcendence. This is Irish talent at its absolute finest on the world stage.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix just quietly dropped a crime thriller you`ve been sleeping on, and Brendan Gleeson`s performance alone makes it mandatory viewing.
MR MERCEDES, Stephen King`s dark detective series that somehow flew under the radar, is finally streaming – and it`s everything fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers have been craving.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Andrew Scott is about to steal another movie and we`re absolutely here for it! 🔍
The trailer for WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY has dropped, and our beloved Irish actor is joining Daniel Craig`s Benoit Blanc for what looks like the most deliciously twisted instalment yet.
Scott plays bestselling author Lee Ross, one of several suspects in a seemingly impossible murder that rocks a small town`s religious community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From GLADIATOR II`s arena to the quiet forests of Maine collecting folk songs on wax cylinders—Paul Mescal`s latest role in THE HISTORY OF SOUND might be his most vulnerable yet.
Now on @amazonprime, the film follows Lionel, a shy musician from a Kentucky farm in the 1910s, who meets David White (Josh O`Connor) at the New England Conservatory.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
For more than two decades, Domhnall Gleeson has carved out one of the most diverse and compelling careers in contemporary cinema.
Watch Domhnall break down his career in his latest @esquire interview!
Link in bio ❤️
Adapted from Louise Kennedy`s bestselling novel, TRESPASSES stars Gillian Anderson as executive producer and cast member.
Kennedy praises the "ear-perfect, sexy script" and "gorgeously melancholic aesthetic vision" that brings her Women`s Prize-shortlisted novel to life.
Premieres Sunday 9pm on Channel 4, more at irishfilmtv.com.
THE IRIS AFFAIR is a high-stakes chase thriller that turns Italy into a deadly playground where genius meets danger.
Created by LUTHER mastermind Neil Cross, this Sky Original delivers cinematic tension where trust is fatal and every move could be your last. Two minds. One secret. No escape.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
** NEW TRAILER ALERT **
Roadside Attractions has unveiled the first trailer for H IS FOR HAWK, and it`s breathtaking. Brendan Gleeson appears as the father whose absence shapes everything, bringing his signature depth to a role that haunts the entire film.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 HAMNET has officially overtaken Paul Thomas Anderson`s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER as the Oscar frontrunner!
Chloé Zhao`s Shakespeare-inspired drama now leads with a 96.8% chance of nomination, fueled by its Telluride buzz and Toronto People`s Choice win.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
The DERRY GIRLS creator is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST — and it`s the show Lisa McGee says she`s always wanted to make. 🍀
Three childhood friends. One mysterious death. A wake that goes sideways. Eight episodes of chaos, secrets, and arguments about eyelash extensions.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Pierce Brosnan trades his 007 tuxedo for raw, devastating drama in CURTAIN CALL—arriving on digital November 10.
Starring opposite Jessica Lange, Brosnan continues his brilliant pivot from action hero to serious character actor, exploring the heartbreaking reality of dementia in the theatre world.
Watch trailer on irishfilmtv.com.
Colin Farrell`s latest is dividing audiences, but everyone agrees on one thing: his performance is absolutely magnetic ✨
The Oscar-nominated Irish actor stars as Lord Doyle, a spiraling gambler in neon-soaked Macao searching for redemption.
Don`t miss Farrell at his destructive best, now on @netflix!
Daniel Day-Lewis is BACK and we`re not ready for how devastating ANEMONE is 😭
After 7 years away from the screen, Day-Lewis returns in this quiet Irish masterpiece directed by his son Ronan. It`s not a flashy comeback—it`s something far more powerful. A meditation on isolation, guilt, and the human connections we can`t outrun, no matter how far we go.
ANEMONE is now on Prime!
