Jessie Buckley heads into Sunday night's Academy Awards on the brink of history, with Richard Baneham and Retirement Plan also carrying strong Irish hopes.
Jessie Buckley will be the main focus for Irish viewers at the Oscars on Sunday night, with the Kerry actor heading into the 98th Academy Awards on the brink of history. If she wins Best Actress for Hamnet, Buckley will become the first Irish woman to take home the Oscar in that category.
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That puts her firmly at the centre of Ireland's interest in Hollywood’s biggest night. Hamnet is also a major contender beyond Buckley’s acting nomination, with the film recognised in categories including Best Picture, Best Director for Chloé Zhao and Best Adapted Screenplay for Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell.
Buckley is not the only Irish name with a strong stake in Sunday night’s ceremony. Richard Baneham is once again in the running in the Best Visual Effects category for his work on Avatar: Fire and Ash, while Irish short Retirement Plan is nominated for Best Animated Short Film.
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Directed by John Kelly and produced by Kelly and Andrew Freedman, Retirement Plan has already emerged as one of the standout Irish success stories of this awards season. The film was backed through Screen Ireland’s Frameworks scheme in partnership with RTÉ, and will air on RTÉ One at 10:50pm on Oscar night or you can watch it now on RTÉ Player.
There is further Irish-linked interest in the Best Picture race through Bugonia, produced by Element Pictures, which is also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Blue Moon, which was produced by Wild Atlantic Pictures, also adds to the Irish interest, with the film picking up nominations including Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for Ethan Hawke.
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The ceremony itself will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien hosting. For viewers here, RTÉ’s live coverage begins at 11pm on Sunday 15 March on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
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