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Killarney’s Own Jessie Buckley Shines Bright Ahead of BAFTAs
Killarney, Ireland – The proud parents of Irish actress Jessie Buckley are beaming as their daughter, Jessie Buckley, gears up for the BAFTA Awards on February 22. Her musician mother, Marina Cassidy, and hotel manager father, Tim Buckley, shared their immense pride in her accomplishments. Jessie is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Hamnet at this year’s prestigious event.
This nomination marks another significant milestone in Buckley’s burgeoning career. She previously received an EE Rising Star Award nomination in 2019, a Best Actress in a Leading Role nod for Wild Rose in 2020, and a Best Actress in a Supporting Role nomination for her portrayal of a troubled mother in the psychological drama The Lost Daughter in 2022. Her talent was recognized early on, winning the British Academy Scotland Award for Best Actress for Wild Rose in 2019.
Ciara Higgins, the Head of Artistic Programming at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, fondly recalled Buckley’s prodigious talent from a young age. “I think she was destined for making great art because she’s Jessie Buckley,” Higgins told *Hello!
Magazine*. “Stardom, I’d say, yes – of course, but she, she was always destined to make great art.”
Higgins highlighted Buckley’s exceptional musical aptitude, noting her mastery of five different musical disciplines: Irish harp, piano, clarinet, saxophone, and voice. “She ended up with five different musical disciplines… you might get a piano and another instrument that somebody who’s really talented might do too.
But she [did exams] in five instruments over the course of a period of years,” Higgins explained. Buckley even represented Munster in the RIAM’s High Achiever concert for the Irish Harp, a testament to her dedication and skill.
Higgins emphasized that Buckley “knew what she wanted, she worked hard to get where she went, and she seems to have built her career very, very steadily, knowing where she wants to go.”
This outpouring of support follows Buckley’s recent win at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes on January 11, 2026, where she took home the award for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for her role as Agnes in Hamnet. Her father described a “lovely sense of shared joy” throughout Killarney following her triumph.
During her acceptance speech at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, Buckley delivered an emotional tribute to her fellow nominees, including Hollywood icon Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, Renate Reinsve, Tessa Thompson, and Eva Victor. “Oh my God, the incredible women I am honoured to stand beside in this category.
Julia Roberts, you are a hero to us all. Thank you.
Jennifer, Renata, Eva, Tessa, I’d watch you any time, anywhere, you blow my mind,” she gushed. She also light-heartedly thanked her husband, who was “really been enjoying the free canapes and cocktails,” adding, “This is a real, real honor, I love what I do and I love being part of this industry.”