Jessie Buckley is set to return to cinemas this spring with The Bride!, a high-profile new film that reunites the Killarney-born actor with Maggie Gyllenhaal, following their acclaimed collaboration on The Lost Daughter.
The film, which will be released in Irish cinemas on Friday, March 6, marks Gyllenhaal’s second outing as a director and is being billed as a bold reimagining of the classic Frankenstein myth. Produced by Warner Bros, The Bride! shifts the familiar gothic story into a striking new setting, blending horror, romance and social commentary.
Set in 1930s Chicago, the film follows a lonely Frankenstein’s Monster, played by Christian Bale, who seeks out a pioneering scientist, Dr Euphronious, portrayed by Annette Bening. The monster asks the scientist to create a companion — a request that leads to the resurrection of a murdered young woman, reborn as The Bride, played by Buckley.
According to the studio, “The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!” The description signals a film that leans heavily into heightened drama and genre-bending storytelling rather than a straightforward literary adaptation.
Alongside Buckley, Bale and Bening, the cast also includes Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz, making it one of the most star-studded releases of the year. The project was unveiled to industry insiders at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, where first footage reportedly highlighted the film’s striking visual style and darkly comic tone.
For Buckley, The Bride! continues a run of ambitious, character-driven projects that have cemented her reputation as one of the most compelling actors of her generation. Since winning a Golden Globe for her performance in Fargo, she has consistently balanced major studio films with challenging independent work, earning praise for her emotional range and fearless role choices.
Irish audiences will have seen Buckley most recently opposite Paul Mescal in Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Hamnet, a film that further showcased her ability to anchor intimate, emotionally complex stories. Her role in The Bride!, however, represents a sharp tonal shift — placing her at the centre of a gothic epic with blockbuster scale.
Jessie Buckley Reveals She Was ‘Brutalised’ On BBC Reality TV Show
Jessie Buckley has spoken candidly about her early brush with fame, revealing she felt “brutalised” and unfairly objectified while competing on the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything as a teenager.
The Irish actress, now 36, first came to public attention in 2008 when she appeared on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s reality series, which searched for a young performer to play Nancy in a West End revival of Oliver!. Buckley was just 17 at the time and went on to finish second, losing out to eventual winner Jodie Prenger.
Since then, Buckley has built one of the most acclaimed acting careers of her generation, starring in projects including Hamnet, Fargo, The Lost Daughter and Women Talking. But looking back at her time on the show, she has admitted the experience left a lasting mark.
Speaking to Vogue, Buckley reflected on how exposed she felt during the competition, describing an environment that she believes placed young women under intense and unfair scrutiny. “I was 17. I was in a moment of discovery. As women, it’s such unfair objectification … Back then, I was just trying to move into a space of myself,” she said.
Buckley added that she hopes no young performer has to go through a similar experience today. “I really hope that a 15, 17, whatever-age woman never has to be brutalised quite like what happened on that show. But I didn’t recognise it fully at the time. I just felt it, which was difficult.”
At the time, I’d Do Anything was one of the BBC’s biggest Saturday night entertainment shows, attracting millions of viewers and making overnight stars of its contestants. The programme was designed to showcase raw talent, but Buckley’s comments add to a growing conversation about how young performers — particularly young women — were treated during the peak of reality TV in the late 2000s.
Despite the emotional toll, Buckley says she was also caught up in the excitement of being given such a rare opportunity at a young age. “It’s bonkers, in hindsight. I was just like: ‘Oh my God. I get to peek behind this curtain already. I get to sing. I get to be part of this industry that I really was hoping I could be part of,’” she said.
Hamnet — released in Irish cinemas 9 January 2026 — has generated intense critical buzz and placed Buckley firmly in the spotlight for top acting honours.
Directed by Oscar-winning auteur Chloé Zhao and adapted from the 2020 novel by Coleraine-born author Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet reimagines the tragic story of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, charting the devastating impact of losing their young son, Hamnet, to plague in 1596. The film has been celebrated on the festival circuit and is now rolling out widely in cinemas across Ireland and the UK.
Buckley, who portrays Agnes — historically known as Anne Hathaway — has been at the heart of this acclaim. At the Irish premiere in Dublin’s Light House Cinema, she spoke candidly about the experience of making the film and the profound connection she felt with the material and her castmates.
“It wasn’t just camaraderie, it was a family, we lived like a family, the minute we got that set none of us wanted to leave,” Buckley said of her time on set, emphasising the close bond among the cast and crew that, she suggested, fuelled the emotional core of their performances.
The comments underscore what many observers have noted: Buckley’s portrayal is not just technically impressive but deeply felt. Her work with co-star Paul Mescal — who plays Shakespeare opposite her — has drawn particular praise, and the pair have quickly become one of the most celebrated screen partnerships of the year.
This acclaim has translated into tangible industry recognition. Buckley recently won Best Actress at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards for her work in Hamnet, an accolade that positions her as a major contender in the upcoming Oscar race.
Buckley’s performance in Hamnet marks a high point in a career that has steadily ascended from stage and television to international film stardom. Born in Killarney, Co. Kerry, she first came to public attention as a finalist on a BBC talent show and has since built a resume of acclaimed roles in films such as Wild Rose and The Lost Daughter, the latter earning her previous award nominations.
Her ability to navigate both musical and dramatic terrain has made her one of Ireland’s most versatile performers. Critics and audiences alike have praised her capacity to convey complexity and emotional truth, traits that have served her well in Hamnet’s challenging material.
Hamnet itself — with a running time of 126 minutes — is already among the most anticipated films of the year. Starring Buckley and Mescal alongside Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn, the film premiered at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and was later featured at the BFI London Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, where early screenings underscored its potential as both a commercial and awards contender.
The story’s resonance — exploring love, loss and the origins of one of Shakespeare’s greatest works — has struck a chord with audiences. Critics have praised Zhao’s direction and the film’s emotional depth, with particular emphasis on Buckley’s central performance as a defining strength.
For Buckley, the film’s Irish release comes at a moment of personal and professional convergence. Recently becoming a mother herself, she has spoken about how motherhood has informed her perspective on roles such as Agnes, adding another layer of authenticity to her portrayal.
As Hamnet opens across cinemas in Ireland today, it offers not just a cinematic event but a showcase of Buckley’s extraordinary talent at its most compelling. For many, it marks the arrival of an Irish star whose best work may yet lie ahead.
Written by Louise Ducrocq
Louise is an expert content creator, and online author for Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. She's evolved in a few different fields, including mental health and travel, and is now excited to be part of the wonderful word of Radio.
