Video: Jessie Buckley Cries After Being Announced The Best Actress Winner For Hamnet At Oscars 2026

Irish actress Jessie Buckley had an emotional moment at the 98th Academy Awards as she won the Best Actress award for her performance in Hamnet. The 36-year-old burst into tears the moment her name was announced on the stage at the Dolby Theatre. Videos of the moment have been doing the rounds on social media.

Buckley’s portrayal of Agnes in the period drama, directed by Chloé Zhao, earned her the top honour in the category. This marked her second Oscar nomination and a historic milestone, as she became the first Irish actress to win the Best Actress award.

As she stepped on stage, clearly emotional, Buckley began her acceptance speech by acknowledging the fellow nominees she competed with in the category - Emma Stone for Bugonia, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, and Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. She said, "I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you," as she praised the “incredible women” she was nominated alongside.

Fighting back tears, Buckley went on to thank her family and revealed that Ireland had even offered to arrange flights so her loved ones could be present for the special moment. She also paid tribute to her father, crediting him for encouraging her dreams and teaching her “to never be defined by expectation to carry from your own passion.”

The actress then turned to her partner, 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," she said.

Buckley also spoke about her eight-month-old daughter, Isla, adding a touch of humour to the emotional moment. She said her daughter has "absolutely no idea of what's going on... and probably dreaming of milk." Calling motherhood a "big deal," she continued, "I love you and I love being your mum and I can't wait to discover life beside you."

She also thanked novelist Maggie O'Farrell, whose novel inspired the film. Reflecting on her role, Buckley said that portraying Agnes and exploring "the journey to understand the capacity of a mother of love is the greatest collision of my life."

Ending her speech with a heartfelt dedication, she said, "It's Mother's Day in the UK 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 continued to create against all odds. Thank you for recognising me in this role. This is the greatest honour. I can't even believe it."

Before Hamnet, Buckley had received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Lost Daughter. Her Best Actress victory caps a remarkable awards season, where she also won top honours at the BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Critics' Choice Awards and the SAG Awards.

In Hamnet, Buckley plays Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of playwright William Shakespeare, portrayed in the film by Paul Mescal. The film is adapted from O’Farrell’s bestselling novel and brings an intimate look at love, loss and family.