Jesse Buckley has shown love to his Hamnet co-star Paul Mescal in the wake of his 2026 Oscar nomination.
Buckley, 36, was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Agnes Shakespeare in the historical tragedy, but Mescal, who played William Shakespeare, was excluded from the Best Supporting Actor category.
After the nominations were announced, Buckley responded to Mescal’s disdain in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“So, look, I think he’s extraordinary in this movie,” Buckley said. “I think I met my lifelong partner by working with him. I don’t know what else to say other than that he absolutely means the world to me. His artistry will continue to grow and be a theme in many different ways.”
“I know that what we have created together is something very special to us, and I hold it very close to my heart. There is no part of Agnes without Paul,” the Irish actress continued. “There’s no part of what I’ve created or what we’ve created in this story that wouldn’t exist without Paul and what he put into this story. So what’s recognized is his, just as he’s recognized in his own category.”
Hamnet is nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Actress for Buckley, Best Director for Chloé Zhao, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.
Buckley is in the running to compete against Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song San Bleu), Renate Rijnsve (Sentimental Value) and Emma Stone (Bugonia).
Mescal’s nominees for Best Supporting Actor include Benicio Del Toro (“One Battle After Another”), Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”), Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), Sean Penn (“One Battle After Another”), and Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”).
Leading up to the Oscars, Mescal had been racking up nominations throughout awards season, including the Golden Globes (losing to Skarsgård) and the Critics’ Choice Awards (losing to Elordi). He has been nominated for the 32nd Actor Award, which will be aired on March 1st.
Mescal was previously nominated for an Oscar for the 2022 youth drama After Sun.
Based on the 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell, “Hamnet” follows William and Agnes Shakespeare as they deal with the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet.
Mescal and Buckley formed a close bond as they worked together on this moving project. When Buckley accepted the 2026 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress earlier this month, she gave a shoutout to Mescal, who was in the audience.
“Paul, I love you with all my heart,” she said. “And I know there are a lot of other women in this room too, but it’s hard. Working with you every day, I drink you like water. You’re a giant at heart. Thank you so much for making me a little more human.”
Buckley’s comments about mezcal went viral, prompting her to clarify her remarks at the 2026 Golden Globes after winning the award for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
“When I said I could drink Paul like water…I just wanted to clarify what I meant by that,” Buckley told reporters backstage, explaining, “What I’ve discovered as an actor is that it’s possible.”
“He takes you to the core of humanity,” Buckley added of Mescal. “And when you understand what it is, you become like water.”
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast on ABC on Sunday, March 15th at 7pm.
