Buckley, 36, triumphed in a competitive category that included nominees Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, and Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value. With the win, Buckley also becomes the first Irish performer to take home the Best Actress Oscar, following previous nominations for Irish actors such as Saoirse Ronan and Ruth Negga in the category.
In Hamnet, Buckley portrays Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of playwright William Shakespeare, played in the film by Paul Mescal. The drama is directed by Chloé Zhao and adapted from the acclaimed novel by Maggie O’Farrell, which explores grief, family and the life surrounding the famous playwright.
During her acceptance speech, Buckley paid tribute to the women nominated alongside her, saying she felt deeply inspired by their “art and heart” and expressed a desire to collaborate with them in the future.
The actor also shared a personal note, revealing that Ireland had funded flights to allow her family to attend the ceremony. She thanked her father for encouraging her and her siblings “to dream and never be defined by expectation,” crediting his support as a driving force in her journey.
Buckley also addressed her partner, Fred, describing him as “the most incredible dad” and her best friend. In a heartfelt moment, she spoke about their daughter Isla, who was born months after filming wrapped on Hamnet. Buckley became pregnant shortly after production ended, and noted with humour that the eight-month-old likely had “absolutely no idea what’s going on”.
Reflecting on the role, Buckley said exploring the emotional depth of Agnes Shakespeare and “the capacity of a mother’s love” had been one of the most profound experiences of her life. She dedicated the award to mothers everywhere, noting that the ceremony coincided with Mother’s Day.
“We all come from a lineage of women who continued to create against all odds,” she said. “Thank you for recognising me in this role. This is the greatest honour.”
The Oscar victory caps a dominant awards season for Buckley. She had already taken home Best Actress prizes at the BAFTA Film Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards for the same performance.
Buckley previously received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Lost Daughter.
The actor also briefly made headlines during the awards season following a light-hearted remark on a U.S. chat show about disliking cats after an unfortunate encounter with a former boyfriend’s pets. Buckley later clarified the comments the next day, insisting she is in fact a “lover of cats” and joking that the misunderstanding had weighed on her.