79th BAFTA Film Awards: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal secured

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal have both secured BAFTA nominations for their role in the period drama Hamnet. The 79th EE BAFTA Film Awards will be broadcast on on February 22.

The pair star in Chloé Zhao’s screen adaptation of Irish author Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 book of the same name.

Both O’Farrell and Zhao have also been nominated for a BAFTA in the Best Adapted Screenplay category it was confirmed as the 2026 nominees were revealed this afternoon.

Set in 16th century England, Hamnet tells the story of the death of William Shakespeare’s 11-year-old son, and examines the relationship between the playwright and his wife.

For the film, which has been nominated in 11 BAFTA categories, Kildare-born Mescal plays Shakespeare, while Co. Kerry native Buckley plays his wife Agnes.

Earlier this month it received eight nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Buckley.

Buckley, who has already won a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award this month for her Hamnet performance, will go up against Rose Byrne, for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Emma Stone, for Bugonia, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, and Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another in the Best Actress BAFTA category.

Mescal, has been nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Bafta. He is up against Peter Mullan, for I Swear, Sean Penn, for One Batte after Another, Stellan Skarsgård, for Sentimental Value, Benicio Del Toro, for One Battle after Another, and Jacob Elordi, for Frankenstein.

Announcing the nominees for the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip said, “Huge congratulations to the teams behind the 46 superb films nominated today.

“They showcase the very best of storytelling and its ability to engage, entertain and provoke debate.”

She added, “This year’s nominated films are full of bold storytelling and exquisite craft. “And the breadth of narrative, genres and styles is spellbinding.

“Whether newcomers or veterans, I hope our first-time nominees enjoy this much deserved spotlight, and I look forward to welcoming them and all our returning nominees to London.”