Jessie Buckley, a frontrunner for the Best Actress Oscar next Sunday, reveals that her acting aspirations nearly ended before they began due to a shocking childhood theater experience.
Childhood Trauma at Local Production
The 36-year-old actress recounts her first theater outing in Killarney, Co Kerry, where a local amateur production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar left her deeply shaken. Buckley shares on a recent episode of Desert Island Discs, “The first play my parents ever took me to was Jesus Christ Superstar. I was so transported by watching this production, I genuinely thought a man had been crucified in front of my eyes. I was traumatised. I was on the floor sobbing.”
Her parents, concerned for her distress, arranged a backstage visit to reassure her. Buckley explains, “My mum probably out of embarrassment or my dad had to ask could they bring me backstage to meet Mike Murphy, who had played Jesus, to show me he was okay. That was like the first kind of peek behind the curtain – the magic of theatre. It was so real.”
Rise to Stardom with Key Support
Ironically, composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber later propelled Buckley’s career forward. As a judge on the talent show I’d Do Anything, he supported the then-17-year-old in her bid for the role of Nancy in Oliver!. Despite reaching the runner-up spot behind Jodie Prenger, now known for Coronation Street, Buckley felt uneasy about the program’s focus on her appearance.
She reflects, “I wish that hadn’t happened… and I hope that doesn’t ever happen to another young girl at that age.” Opting out of an understudy role, Buckley chose to hone her craft at RADA.
Oscar Buzz for Hamnet
Buckley now garners widespread acclaim for her lead role in Hamnet, a film exploring Shakespeare’s life, positioning her as a strong contender for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Desert Island Discs airs Sundays at 10am on Radio 4 and streams via BBC Sounds.
