Jessie Buckley dedicates Oscar win to ‘beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart’

Jessie Buckley dedicated her history-making best actress Oscar win to the “beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart”.

The 36-year-old became the first Irish actress to win the prize, taking home the award for her portrayal of William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes – historically known as Anne – in the film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell novel Hamnet.

Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film follows the couple as they deal with the grief of losing their son.

Buckley burst into tears after hearing her name and used her acceptance speech to thank her team, family and fellow nominees as well as to pay tribute to the women who “create against all odds”.

She said: “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.”

“Mum, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation but to carve from your own passion.”

Buckley also called out her husband and “best friend”, Freddie Sorensen, who she married in 2023 with the couple having their first child last year.

She said: “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.

“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 mum and I can’t wait to discover life beside you.

Marking Mother’s Day, Buckley went on to dedicate her award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart”.

She said: “Chloe and Maggie, to get to know this incandescent woman and journey to understand the capacity of a mother’s love is the greatest collision of my life.

“We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds.

“Thank you for recognising me in this role. This is the greatest honour. I can’t even believe it.”

Buckley beat Song Sung Blue actress Kate Hudson and Bugonia star Emma Stone who were also up for the best actress award along with If I Had Legs I’d Kick You star Rose Byrne and Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve for her role in Sentimental Value.

The Irish actress triumphed throughout this year’s award season with the Oscar win completing her collection of accolades which includes a Bafta, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice award for her role in the film.

Born in Killarney, Buckley spent five years studying at an all-girls convent school before going on to join the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything in 2008, aged 17.

The show documented the search for a new lead to play Nancy in the West End revival of the musical Oliver! with Buckley ending as runner up, losing out to Coronation Street star Jodie Prenger.

She went on to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) in London and graduated with a BA in acting in 2013.

Her stage career kicked off that same year with the star performing at Shakespeare’s Globe in a production of The Tempest before starring alongside The Holiday actor Jude Law in a West End production of Henry V.

Buckley later starred in the TV series adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War & Peace in 2016, portraying Marya Bolkonskaya, and made her film debut a year later in Michael Pearce’s psychological thriller Beast alongside Emma actor Johnny Flynn.

She later starred in Wild Rose (2018), a coming-of-age musical drama about a troubled single mother of two and former convict, Rose-Lynn from Glasgow, who tries to follow her dream of becoming a country singer – a role which won her the 2019 Scottish Bafta for best actress.

She also has a string of TV credits including playing Lyudmilla Ignatenko in the 2019 HBO drama Chernobyl and later starred in the hit series Fargo as Oraetta Mayflower.

Her film credits include starring in The Lost Daughter (2021) alongside Olivia Colman, a role which scored her first Oscar nod for best supporting actress, and period drama Women Talking (2022).

In 2022 Buckley won the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in Cabaret.