Jessie Buckley’s big moment during Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony began with a rush of emotion. The actress buried her face in her hands and shared hugs before making her way to the stage.
Clutching the coveted golden statuette, Buckley burst into laughter. “Wow, thank you so much,” the actress said, fighting off a fit of giggles. “This is really something.”
This marked Buckley’s second Oscar nomination; she was previously nominated for best supporting actress for her role in the 2021 film “The Lost Daughter.”
She took home the best actress Oscar for her performance in “Hamnet,” portraying Agnes, William Shakespeare’s wife, as the couple faces the devastating death of their young son.
Amid the hubbub of Oscar mania, Buckley delivered a poignant speech highlighting the “beautiful chaos” of motherhood.
Speaking to “Hamnet” director Chloé Zhao and screenwriter Maggie O’Farrell, Buckley said, “To get to know these incandescent women and journey to understand the capacity of a mother’s love is the greatest collision of my life.”
She then dedicated her Oscar win to the joys and challenges of motherhood.
“It’s Mother’s Day in the U.K. today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart,” the Irish actress said. “We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds. Thank you for recognizing me in this role. This is the greatest honor. I can’t even believe it.”
Midway through her address, Buckley gave a tearful thank-you to her husband, Freddie Sorenson, and their 8-month-old daughter, Isla.
“I love you. You’re the most incredible dad. You’re my best friend, and I want to have 20,000 more babies with you,” Buckley said.
“And Isla, my little girl, who is 8 months, who has absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming of milk, but this is kind of a big deal,” she continued. “I love you, and I love being your mom, and I can’t wait to discover life beside you.”
Buckley also took a moment in her speech to thank her fellow nominees — Emma Stone (“Bugonia”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”), Kate Hudson (“Song Sung Blue”) and Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”).
“Thank you to the incredible women that I stand beside,” Buckley said. “I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you.”
With her win, Buckley made history as the first Irish best actress winner. Buckley’s entire Ireland-based family attended the Los Angeles ceremony to support her big night.
“My Irish family, they’re all here,” Buckley said. “Ireland bought them flights!”