Jessie Buckley scores Actor Award nod after Critics Choice Awards triumph

By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter

Irish actress Jessie Buckley has been nominated for another prestigious award following her triumph at the Critics Choice Awards last week.

Buckley is up for female actor in a leading role at the Actor Awards, formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards, for her performance in Hamnet.

The name change for the 32nd annual awards ceremony was revealed during the broadcast announcing the nominations, which was presented by Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie and Abbott Elementary actress Janelle James.

Buckley, 36, portrays William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes Hathaway – historically known as Anne – in the historical drama, which is based on Irish author Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name.

The film explores the relationship between the couple in the aftermath of their 11-year-old son’s death.

It comes after her win at the Critics’ Choice Awards days ago, where she was crowned best actress, with the star the subject of mounting Oscar buzz.

She will compete against Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another and Emma Stone for Bugonia.

Meanwhile, her co-star Paul Mescal has been nominated for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role, for playing William Shakespeare.

The Irish actor, 29, is up against One Battle After Another stars Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn for their roles as Sensei Sergio St Carlos and Colonel Steven J Lockjaw, respectively.

He is also competing against Jacob Elordi for playing The Creature in Frankenstein and Miles Caton for his role as Sammie Moore in Sinners.

Adolescence stars Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco have also been nominated in major categories.

The Netflix drama, which was among the platform’s most-watched titles of 2025, follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.

Cooper and Graham scored nods for outstanding performance by a male actor in a television, movie or limited series, for their portrayal of son and father Jamie and Eddie Miller, respectively.

Doherty played the role of 13-year-old Jamie Miller’s psychologist, while Tremarco starred as Jamie’s mother, Manda.

The pair were nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television, movie or limited series.

The nominations come as the British drama took home four prizes at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday.

British stars were also featured in nominations for outstanding performance in a drama series, with Aimee Lou Wood recognised for The White Lotus in the female category, and Gary Oldman recognised for Slow Horses in the male category.

Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet has been nominated for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for his performance as table tennis champ Marty Mauser in Josh Safdie’s movie Marty Supreme.

The 30-year-old took home the award last year for his role in the Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown.

This year, he will compete for the prize against Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, Michael B Jordan for Sinners and Jesse Plemons for Bugonia.

Meanwhile, singer and actress Ariana Grande is up for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role, for her role as Glinda in Wicked: For Good.

The US star is up against Odessa A’zion, for her role as Rachel Mizler in Marty Supreme, Amy Madigan for starring in Weapons as Gladys, and Wunmi Mosaku for playing Annie in Sinners.

Also competing for the award is American singer-songwriter and actress Teyana Taylor, for her role as Perfidia in One Battle After Another.

The Actor Awards will stream live globally on Netflix on March 1st.