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JESSIE BUCKLEY HAS won the Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in Hamnet at the 79th British Academy Film Awards.
The Kerry woman received the award for her performance as Agnes, William Shakespeare’s wife. She was presented with the award by Cork actor Cillian Murphy, who embraced her as she took to the stage.
Accepting her win, Buckley said it was an “incredible honour”.
She thanked Hamnet’s director, Chloe Zhao, for her “uncompromising artistry” and her agent Lindy King, who she said had always encouraged her to “be disobedient”.
The author of the novel Hamnet and co-author of the adapted script, Derry author Maggie O’Farrell, was thanked by Buckley for creating the “gift of a role”.
Jessie Buckley takes home the BAFTA for Leading Actress in Hamnet✨ #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/v9JNIxKhb3
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 22, 2026
Finally, she thanked her young daughter.
“It’s the best role of my life being your mum, and I promise to continue to be disobedient so you can belong to a world in all your complete wildness as a young woman. I am very grateful for this,” she said.
It was the second award for the film, which also won Outstanding British Film. In the latter category, Hamnet was up against Cillian Murphy’s film Steve, which he starred in and produced. The drama is a British-Irish co-production.
Jessie Buckley pictured attending the 79th British Academy Film Awards, at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, where she won Best Actress in a Leading Role. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Hamnet’s stars Buckley and Paul Mescal were among the Irish nominees at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, where the awards show took place.
Mescal, who was up for Supporting Actor, missed out on the award, which went to Sean Penn for One Battle After Another.
The Taoiseach and Tánaiste led congratulations to Buckley after her win. Micheál Martin posted online saying: “Congratulations Jessie Buckley on a richly deserved Best Actress Bafta for your performance in Hamnet.
The Taoiseach added: “Incredibly positive to see Irish talent continuing to shine on the global stage.”
Congratulations Jessie Buckley on a richly deserved Best Actress @BAFTA for your performance in Hamnet.
Incredibly positive to see Irish talent continuing to shine on the global stage. https://t.co/FE58pcRzou
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) February 22, 2026
Tánaiste, Simon Harris, posted “History made!” on X. He said: “Jessie wins the BAFTA for Best Actress, a first for Ireland!”
Harris added: “Massive congratulations to her on a truly remarkable achievement.
“Hard luck to Paul Mescal too, but another nomination is a testament to just how much Irish talent is lighting up screens globally.”
History made! 🇮🇪
Jessie wins the BAFTA for Best Actress, a first for Ireland!
Massive congratulations to her on a truly remarkable achievement. Hard luck to Paul Mescal too but another nomination is a testament to just how much Irish talent is lighting up screens globally. https://t.co/n5iQl8CqCB— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) February 22, 2026
Hamnet was nominated for 11 Baftas – including Best Film, Outstanding British Film and Best Director for Chloé Zhao. It lost out in nine of its nominated categories and won in two.
Dublin and London-based production company Element Pictures was behind films Bugonia, Pillion and My Father’s Shadow, which had a total of nine nominations between them.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald added her congratulations with a post on X: “Comhghairdeas to Kerry’s Jessie Buckley on her big win tonight!
“A sublime talent who has made Ireland so incredibly proud.”
Comhghairdeas to Kerry’s Jessie Buckley on her big win tonight! A sublime talent who has made Ireland so incredibly proud 👏 pic.twitter.com/6swdkJS1EB
— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) February 22, 2026
Those who have known the Co Kerry performer from her earliest acting days also joined in the celebrations.
Marie Moloney, of Killarney Musical Society, first met Buckley when she joined their children’s chorus aged nine.
She said: “She’s done her family proud, she’s done her town proud, and she’s done her country very proud”.
Ms Moloney added the group are “getting used to” Buckley’s wins, adding: “We nearly expected at this stage, but of course, it was wonderful.
“She’s very talented, very, very talented.”
Cillian Murphy pictured this evening in London. He’s to present an award this evening. James Manning / PA
James Manning / PA / PA
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another led the awards, followed by Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. One Battle After Another won the overall award for Best Film, finishing the night with five awards.
Outside of the Irish nominees, there was surprise as Robert Aramayo won Best Actor in a Leading Role over Timothée Chalamet, who was expected to nab the award for his turn in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme.
Aramayo won for I Swear, directed by Kirk Jones.
The cast of Hamnet at the 2026 Baftas. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The full list of winners is as follows:
- Adapted Screenplay – One Battle After Another
- Animated Film – Zootropolis 2
- Best Film – One Battle After Another
- British Short Animation – Two Black Boys in Paradise
- British Short Film – This is Endometriosis
- Casting – I Swear
- Children’s and Family Film – Boong
- Cinematography – One Battle After Another
- Costume Design – Frankenstein
- Director – Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
- Documentary – Mr. Nobody Against Putin
- Editing – One Battle After Another
- EE Rising Star – Robert Aramayo
- Fellowship – Donna Langley
- Film Not in the English Language – Sentimental Value
- Leading Actor – Robert Aramayo (I Swear)
- Leading Actress – Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
- Makeup and Hair – Frankenstein
- Original Score – Sinners
- Original Screenplay – Sinners
- Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema – Clare Binns
- Outstanding British Film – Hamnet
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer – My Father’s Shadow
- Production Design – Frankenstein
- Sound – F1
- Special Visual Effects – Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Supporting Actor – Sean Penn
- Supporting Actress – Wummi Mosaku
With added reporting by Press Association.
