Jessie Buckley wins the best actress Oscar for tear-jerking ‘Hamnet' performance
Los Angeles (AP): Jessie Buckley claimed her first Oscar on Sunday for her “Hamnet” performance that prompted almost anyone who saw it to blow through a box of tissues.
The prize for best actress went to second-time nominee Buckley for her role as William Shakespeare's wife, Agnes, in the drama directed by Chloe Zhao.
Buckley burst into a fit of laughter before beginning her speech, saying, “This is really something.”
“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,” she said. “We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds. Thank you for recognising me in this role.”
Buckley, who is Irish, had swept the awards circuit leading up to the ceremony, winning in her category at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Actor Awards. She is the first Irish performer to win a best actress Oscar.
A front-runner in the category, Buckley was nominated alongside first-time nominees Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You” and Renate Reinsve for “Sentimental Value”. Two-time winner Emma Stone was also nominated for “Bugonia”, as was two-time nominee Kate Hudson for “Song Sung Blue”.
“Hamnet”, which is an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's prizewinning historical fiction novel from 2020, dramatises the mysterious private life of the famed playwright and poet Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway (who was also called Agnes). The plot centres on the death of the couple's 11-year-old son, Hamnet, and the intense grief that followed.
Fellow Irish actor Paul Mescal plays William as the story imagines a connection between Hamnet's tragic death and the birth of what many consider to be Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, “Hamlet”. (The two names were virtually interchangeable in England during the 16th century).
The film developed a reputation for leaving audiences in tears, due in large part to the potency of Buckley's performance. She was previously nominated for the supporting actress Oscar for her turn in the 2021 film “The Lost Daughter”.
The drama received eight Oscar nominations, including for directing, adapted screenplay and best picture.
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Iran warns of ‘uncontrollable consequences’ after energy site strike
Qatar warns residents of ‘Elavated’ threat
Tehran/Doha: Iran’s President Massoud Pezeshkian has warned that attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure could lead to “uncontrollable consequences” affecting the entire world.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian said he “strongly condemns” the strikes that targeted the South Pars gasfield earlier in the day.
“Such aggressive actions will not achieve anything for the American Zionist enemy and their supporters. Rather, they will complicate the situation and could lead to uncontrollable consequences that will affect the entire world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has urged residents to remain indoors due to what it described as an elevated security threat.
Authorities have not provided further details, but the advisory comes amid growing concerns over the safety of energy infrastructure and civilian areas in the region.
