Jessie Buckley won the Best Actress award at the Oscars 2026 for her role in Hamnet. She played the role of Agnes Shakespeare, wife of William Shakespeare, in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel.
This was her second nomination at the Oscars, having competed for the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in The Lost Daughter in 2022. However, Sunday marked her first win, and she also became the first Irish person to win the Best Actress Award at the Oscars.
After the Oscars win, Jessie Buckley expressed her gratitude towards her co-actors and everyone involved in the making of Hamnet. She also thanked her family, saying:
“Thank you so much. This is…this is really something. Thank you to the incredible women that I stand beside; I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you. To the producers who created this ship for us to stand in, and my shipmates for life—Hilda, Jessica, Lindsey, Zack—none of this is possible without you.”
She thanked her husband, Freddie Sorensen, and their daughter, whom they welcomed in December last year, saying:
“You, Fred, I love you man. I love you; you’re the most incredible dad. You’re my best friend, and I want to have 20,000 more babies with you, I do. I do! And Isla, my little girl who is eight months, who has absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming of milk, but this is kind of a big deal, and I love you and I love being your mom, and I can’t want to discover life beside you.”
Buckley further expressed gratitude to Maggie O’Farrell and the film’s screenwriters. She thanked them for the role of Agnes and shared how it helped her explore mothership even further. She concluded her speech by saying:
“It’s Mother’s Day in the U.K. today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart. We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds. Thank you for recognizing me in this role. This is the greatest honor. I can’t even believe it.”
Apart from Oscars, Buckley’s performance in Hamnet has also earned nominations at the Baftas, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, and Actor awards this year.
Also Read: From One Battle After Another to Sinners, complete list of all 2026 Oscars winners
Jessie Buckley spoke about women who’ve inspired her last year
Elle named Jessie Buckley as one of its Women in Hollywood honorees in November last year. As the outlet celebrated her journey and achievements, the actress also spoke about how she has been inspired by many other women in the industry. She said:
“Frances McDormand, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, and Laura Dern. What they play is so full. They’re not playing something to appeal. They’re playing a life that is complex and rich and uncomfortable and challenging and provocative.”
She said that these women taught her to be “ruthless” and “know herself”. Jessie Buckley has also starred in the likes of Wicked Little Letters and The Bride!
Meanwhile, Hamnet was released in November last year. It shares the story of William Shakespeare and Agnes’s son dying at a young age, which led to the writer’s iconic play, Hamlet.
Also Read: From Autumn Durald Arkapaw to Jessie Buckley: All 2026 Oscar wins (and snubs) that made history
Edited by Aditya Singh
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