Jessie Buckley Wins Golden Globe for 'Hamnet' as Film Named Best Drama

Jessie Buckley won the Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture drama Sunday night for her performance in “Hamnet.”

The victory follows Buckley’s win at the Critics Choice Awards last week and a recent Screen Actors Guild nomination. She beat a field of nominees that included Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, and Tessa Thompson in what was Buckley's first-ever Golden Globe nomination.

During her acceptance speech, Buckley thanked her collaborators and gave a special mention to lighting technician Tomasz Sternicki. Directed by Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet” tells the story of Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of playwright William Shakespeare, and the family tragedy surrounding the death of their only son.

“Hamnet” earned six total nominations and also won the award for best motion picture drama. The film received additional nods for best director, best screenplay, and a best supporting actor nomination for Paul Mescal.

Jessie Buckley’s Golden Globe triumph for "Hamnet" serves as more than a personal accolade; it acts as a decisive market signal, vaulting the film into the top tier of Oscar contenders. By securing the night’s most prestigious honors—Best Motion Picture (Drama) and Best Actress—the production has demonstrated that high-concept historical storytelling focused on the intersection of personal grief and the creative process resonates deeply with the industry’s critical establishment.

For Buckley, this win represents a definitive career milestone. Having already established significant professional capital with an Academy Award nomination for "The Lost Daughter," her performance here marks a new high-water mark. Critics have lauded her ability to transform a relatively obscure historical figure into a role of profound emotional complexity, solidifying her standing as a premier dramatic lead in the current cinematic landscape.

The film’s success further validates director Chloé Zhao’s distinctive brand of humanistic, interior storytelling. Following her historic sweep with "Nomadland," Zhao continues to prove her proficiency in adapting intimate narratives for a global audience. "Hamnet’s" central arc—the transmutation of parental bereavement into the catalyst for "Hamlet"—is a high-stakes thematic gamble that has clearly yielded significant critical dividends. Buckley’s acceptance speech, which specifically highlighted the contributions of the production crew, underscored the collective technical execution required to sustain such a nuanced period piece. As the awards season moves into its final phase, "Hamnet" now carries the definitive momentum of a frontrunner.

Major award ceremonies like the Golden Globes and the Oscars have always been a fixture for Vietnamese American cinephiles. The success of "Hamnet," helmed by Asian director Chloé Zhao, is expected to further ignite discussions within the community regarding the nuances of prestige dramas and artistic cinema.