Emma Stone: Jessie Buckley Wins Best Leading Actress at the BAFTAs for Hamnet
Jessie Buckley took home the British Academy Film Award for Best Leading Actress at the ceremony in London for her performance in Hamnet, arriving at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in a custom blue Chanel gown. emma stone unclear in the provided context.
Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall arrival
The BAFTA ceremony unfolded on Sunday night at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in the heart of London. Buckley walked the red carpet in a striking blue gown and later accepted the trophy for Best Leading Actress; she cried on stage during her speech. Photographs from the evening show a group including Joe Alwyn, Maggie O'Farrell, Liza Marshall, Dame Pippa Harris, Chloé Zhao, Jacobi Jupe, Jessie Buckley, Olivia Lynes, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Emily Watson and Nicolas Gonda posing with the Outstanding British Film Award for Hamnet (image credit Ian West/PA Wire).
Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy and earlier Golden Globe look
Buckley’s BAFTA-night gown was a custom piece by Matthieu Blazy for Chanel, adapted from a runway look that appeared in the 2026 Métiers d’art collection last fall. The version she wore was crafted from vibrant velvet, swapped the original long sleeves for a sleeveless silhouette, adjusted the waistline and was finished with silver floral embellishments on each shoulder. This was not the first time she won while wearing blue: earlier this year she earned her first Golden Globe for Hamnet in a silk baby‑blue Jonathan Anderson for Dior gown, styled by Danielle Goldberg and paired with sparkling diamond earrings.
Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell and the film’s story
Hamnet, adapted from the book by Maggie O'Farrell, casts Buckley as Agnes Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, with Paul Mescal portraying Shakespeare. The film follows the tragic circumstances surrounding the couple’s son’s death and the way in which the couple handles their grief. The film proved a critical hit, driving a string of major nominations that included the BAFTAs and the Oscars.
BAFTA reactions: Chloé Zhao, Paul Mescal and One Battle After Another
In her acceptance remarks Buckley dedicated the win to “the women past, present and future that have taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently, ” and addressed director Chloé Zhao directly: “Chloé Zhao, you are making history tonight as a storyteller. Thank you for your uncompromising artistry. ” Cameras captured Zhao in the audience looking emotional; she mouthed “I love you” repeatedly to Buckley as the speech continued. Zhao had been nominated for Best Director for Hamnet but lost to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. Paul Mescal missed out in the Best Supporting Actor category, which was won by Sean Penn for One Battle After Another.
Emma Stone: unclear in the provided context
emma stone unclear in the provided context. What makes this notable is the juxtaposition of Buckley’s awards momentum with the awards season calendar: Buckley must now wait until March 15 to learn whether her Oscar bid has been successful, a concrete deadline that frames the next stage of the film’s awards campaign.
The night also featured wider red‑carpet and awards coverage, with mentions across the event of Paul Mescal & Gracie Abrams’s red‑carpet debut; Kylie Jenner bringing high jewelry; Prince William and Princess Kate attending; a spotlight on Margot Robbie’s Charlotte Brontë Bracelet; Rosé in a black‑and‑white gown; a dramatic neckline on Miley Cyrus; Charli XCX presenting at the Golden Globes; and Jessie Buckley’s earlier Golden Globes debut alongside Ariana Grande’s signature ponytail return.
Buckley lives with her husband, Freddie, and their family in a 16th‑century manor house in the Norfolk Fens, a detail noted alongside coverage of the BAFTA night. She has described working on Hamnet as a “life‑changing experience, ” and the film’s multiple nominations and wins have reinforced that trajectory.
