Tim Buckley said his daughter had “remained herself throughout it all” and the joy his daughter felt on receiving the award in California on Sunday night was “infectious”..
No Irish actress has won the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globes next weekend is seen as another major indicator of whether the 36-year-old Killarney-born actress could be in contention.
Asked whether he worried about his daughter ahead of the major awards and intense campaigning, Mr Buckley said: “It wouldn’t be her favourite thing — she has to psych herself up like a boxer before going out there. But once she’s in the ring, I think she makes me and the country proud.”
Mr Buckley added that her husband and their eight-month-old daughter were helping to keep her “grounded” and maintain perspective.
He described the nominations as a “fantastic honour”, saying there would be “no pressure”, but that the family’s fingers would be “crossed” as awards season gathers pace.
Speaking to Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio One, Mr Buckley described it as a “funny twist of fate” that two English figures such as William Shakespeare and his wife are being portrayed in Hamnet by Irish actors – Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
He said he was “quite happy” that they had “conquered two of their iconic literary giants and the inspiration behind them”.
“We keep quiet about those kinds of things and keep them to ourselves, but little smiles break out every now and again,” he said.
“It’s a funny twist of fate all right that two little Paddys should play the most quintessential English roles, but we’re good at that. We invade in our own little way — we invade the vastness of people’s minds — and that’s a great thing to be able to do.”
Jessie Buckley with co-star Paul Mescal (Photo: Getty)
Mr Buckley said the film should also contribute to fans returning to the cinema, adding that there is “nothing like seeing a film on the big screen.”
“When you go to the cinema, you go into that dark cave and it’s a communal experience. A lot of people now with streaming and all these things have got out of the habit of going to the cinema, but there’s nothing like seeing a film on the big screen,” he said.
“We’ve kind of lost it a little bit compared to when we were young and there used to be queues around the block.
“These films now that are coming out, and especially when you have two fantastic Irish stars and Irish writer and a lot of other Irish people involved in this film, it’s a lovely incentive to get into the cinema.”
He said the film helped to “demystify” Shakespeare, adding that it was “really important” to see human stories that showed how “joy, sorrows, pain in the self same style” are the same through time.
“It will get people seeing that their own stories are important, that grief is important and a shared grief is one that you can hold a little bit easier on your shoulders or in your heart. I think that film brings that out.”
Mr Buckley said there was a need for “magic” and “moments that take us to another place”.
Jessie Buckley in ‘Hamnet’
The film explores the relationship between Shakespeare and his wife Agnes Hathaway – historically known as Anne – in the aftermath of their 11-year-old son’s death, and is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name.
During her speech at the award show, Buckley thanked director Chloe Zhao and co-stars Paul Mescal and Emily Watson, whom she called her “north star”.
“Chloe Zhao, you have reminded me of the power of telling a story and the journey that you can go on to touch the deepest parts of what it is to be alive, thank you,” she said.
“Paul, I bloody love you, man – and I know loads of other women do in this room too – but tough shit. I could drink you like water working with you every single day.
“You’re a giant of the heart and thank you so much for making me a little bit more human.”