Jessie Buckley crowned Best Actress at 2026 BAFTAs

The awards keep coming for Kerry native Jessie Buckley, who was crowned Best Actress in a Leading Role at the BAFTAs in London on Sunday night.

Buckley's win comes two days after her win the equivalent category at the IFTAs in Dublin. The actress also earned a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet.

“This is nuts,” Buckley said in her acceptance speech. “This really does belong to the women past, present and future who taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently.”

“I share this with my daughter, who has been with me since she was six weeks old on the road with this. It’s the best role of my life being your mum and I promise to continue to be disobedient so you can belong to a world in all your complete wildness as a young woman.”

 

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Buckley's co-star Paul Mescal missed out in the Supporting Actor category, losing out to Sean Penn from One Battle After Another.

Paul Thomas Anderson's epic action-thriller was the big winner on the night, winning six BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best Director.

There was more Irish success elsewhere. Richard Baneham won his third BAFTA, being celebrated for his visual effects work on Avatar: Fire and Ash. A film co-produced by Ireland-based company Element Pictures, My Father's Shadow, was named Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer.