Emma Stone: Jessie Buckley Wins Best Leading Actress at the BAFTAs

Jessie Buckley won the BAFTA for Best Leading Actress on Sunday night at the British Academy Film Awards in London, taking the trophy for her portrayal of Agnes Hathaway in Hamnet and arriving at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in a striking blue gown. The victory consolidates the film’s awards-season momentum ahead of the Oscars — emma stone unclear in the provided context.

Jessie Buckley’s Blue Gown at the Royal Festival Hall

Buckley walked the red carpet at the Royal Festival Hall in a custom Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy that adapted a runway look from the 2026 Métiers d’art collection last fall. The actor’s version was cut from the same vibrant velvet fabric, replaced the original long sleeves with a sleeveless silhouette, adjusted the waistline and was finished with silver floral embellishments on each shoulder. Earlier this year she also wore a silk baby-blue Dior dress by Jonathan Anderson — styled by Danielle Goldberg and paired with diamond earrings — when she claimed her first Golden Globe for Hamnet.

Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell and the Film’s Recognition

The film Hamnet, adapted from the Maggie O'Farrell novel, dramatizes the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of William and Agnes Shakespeare’s son and the way the couple handles their grief. Buckley plays Agnes Hathaway opposite Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare. At the ceremony the team behind Hamnet posed with the Outstanding British Film Award: 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 were photographed together with the trophy.

Chloé Zhao and the Acceptance Moment

In her acceptance remarks Buckley dedicated the award to women past, present and future who have taught and continue to teach her how to do the work differently, and she singled out director Chloé Zhao for her artistry. Zhao, who was nominated for Best Director for Hamnet, was visibly emotional in the audience and repeatedly mouthed “I love you” to Buckley as she spoke. Zhao ultimately lost the Best Director prize to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another.

Awards Roll Call: Paul Mescal, Sean Penn and the Oscar Wait

Paul Mescal, who appears in Hamnet, was nominated in the supporting actor category but did not win; the Best Supporting Actor prize went to Sean Penn for One Battle After Another. Buckley’s BAFTA win is part of a wider run of recognition that has included top nominations at both the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards, and she now faces a wait until March 15 to learn whether her Oscar bid will be successful. Buckley cried on stage after her BAFTA win and has described working on Hamnet as a life-changing experience.

Emma Stone

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