THEat night of Oscars 2026 he had a suspended, intimate moment when Jessie Buckley, 36 years old, she took the stage at the Dolby Theater to collect the statuette as best leading actress For Hamnet. A historic achievement: it is the first Irish actress to win in this category. But more than a celebration, his was a speech punctuated by a precise word, repeated several times with emotion: maternity. The actress spoke about the eight month old daughterof her family and of the strength of women, transforming the ceremony into something surprisingly personal.
Jessie Buckley, an Oscar as a mother
The most touching moment of the evening came when the The actress’s thoughts flew to her daughter Isla, just eight months old. “Isla has absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming about milk right now, but this is a important moment and I love being your mom» he declared with great joy. «My daughter put in her first tooth this week – he said -. I woke up with her lying on my chest, cuddling me.”
Jessie Buckley during her speech at the 2026 Oscars. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images)
The chemistry with the character in Hamnet
Playing a mother in Hamnet Becoming a mother in real life produces something that’s hard to put into words, but Jessie Buckley tried: “I feel like it’s a gift to be able to explore motherhood through this incredible mother that is Agnes, and then become one myself.” He dedicated the densest words of the whole to Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell speech: «Understanding the capacity of a mother’s love was the greatest collision of my life». Not an awards speech metaphor. A true thing.
«The beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart»
The 2026 Oscars ceremony fell on the same day as Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom, and Jessie Buckley transformed it into a collective dedication: “We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create despite everything.” Then: «I want to dedicate this award to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart». In the audience, someone stopped holding back tears.
Jessie Buckley in a scene from the film Hamnet. (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES LLC)
Jessie Buckley, the dedication of love to her husband
For her husband Freddie she reserved the phrase that made people laugh and move at the same time: «You are the most incredible dad, you are my best friend. I wish I had 20,000 more children with you». Buckley came into this night with Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG Award wins already in the same category. An awards season that left no big doubts about who would win the 2026 Oscar. But nothing in his voice sounded like something expected. It sounded like a surprise. How it must sound, when what you really win is much more than a statuette.
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