With Oscar buzz building around Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley for their performances in Hamnet, the Irish acting pair took to the red carpet in Dublin tonight.
Back in Ireland for the premiere of their new historical drama, based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel about William Shakespeare's family life, both actors were delighted to be back on home turf, getting a huge welcome from Irish fans who were lined up outside the Lighthouse cinema in Smithfield to catch a glimpse of them.
Hamnet, directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, tells the fictionalised story of the marriage between Anne Hathaway (called Agnes in the novel and the film) and William Shakespeare and explores the impact of a sudden tragic loss on their lives.
Mescal, who was nominated for a Golden Globe in the supporting actor category earlier this week for his performance as Shakespeare said "there is real excitement around the film and it is just wonderful to take it home".
Mescal said "we are telling a story about Shakespeare and his family and we took it incredibly seriously" adding that there is a feeling of "pride and reverence" to do with the playwright's work.
The Kildare native said he "really wanted this role" as he wanted to work with the director Chloé Zhao and his co-star Jessie Buckley.
"It would have been the perfect opportunity for it to happen and I'm glad that it did," he said.
He had previously been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor after his breakout role as a young father in the 2022 film Aftersun.
For Buckley, bringing the movie back home "means the world".
She added: "I feel great. I always love coming back to Ireland. I feel so excited about sharing this film in Ireland."
Buckley said there are so many Irish people involved in Hamnet, adding that it is "always beautiful to share things with the people who know you the most".
"All you ever hope for when making a work is touching people's hearts," she said.
Buckley described her co-star Mescal as her "journey partner", "sparring partner" and her "life partner".
"Growing up in this country is so part of our expression and we share so much in what is important to us about the work we make... both being from here, it is a beautiful moment," she said.
Buckley, who was born and raised in Kerry, is no stranger to the awards stage either, having been nominated for an Oscar back in 2022 for her role in The Lost Daughter.
Novelist O'Farrell and director Zhao both appeared at a special event with an audience at the Irish Film institute earlier this afternoon, in conversation with Rick O'Shea, the presenter of Arena on RTÉ Radio 1.
During the conversation, the director revealed that Mescal had orchestrated a meeting with her after he heard she was going to be working on Hamnet.
He had told her that he was a huge fan of the novel and went great lengths to make an impression on Zhao.
For Buckley's casting, Zhao said she had seen her performance in The Lost Daughter and was drawn to her then for this role.
O’Farrell said that 'never in her wildest dreams' did she ever think she would be a Golden Globe nominee.
She had not planned on getting involved with the screenplay adaptation of her book, but she said that "after a 40 minute zoom with Zhao, I found myself agreeing to be co-writer".
Hamnet received six nominations at the Golden Globes.
