Jessie Buckley

Jessie Buckley was born in Killarney, County Kerry, in December 1989, the eldest of five children. Her mother, Marina Cassidy, a vocal coach, encouraged her musical talents early on. Buckley developed her skills in singing and acting through school productions at Ursuline Secondary School and workshops with the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS). She achieved Grade eight in piano, clarinet, and harp with the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 2008, she gained public recognition as a contestant on the BBC talent show “I’d Do Anything,” where she reached the final, finishing in second place.

Following her appearance on “I’d Do Anything,” Buckley made her West End debut in 2008 in Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which later transferred to the Garrick Theatre. She then pursued formal training and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in January 2013. Her screen career began with an episodic role in “Endeavour” in 2014, followed by acclaimed performances as Marya Bolkonskaya in the BBC’s “War and Peace” (2016) and Lorna Bow in “Taboo” (2017). Her film debut came in 2017 with the psychological thriller “Beast,” marking a turning point in her career.

Buckley’s breakthrough continued with leading roles in “Wild Rose” (2018), earning her a BAFTA nomination, and as Lyudmilla Ignatenko in the HBO miniseries “Chernobyl” (2019). Her performance as Young Leda in “The Lost Daughter” (2021) brought her nominations for a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. On stage, her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the 2021 West End revival of “Cabaret” earned her a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2022, she released a collaborative album, “For All Our Days That Tear the Heart,” with Bernard Butler, which was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.