Jesse Buckley, a leading contender for the Best Actress Oscar next Sunday for her role in Hamnet, reveals that her acting ambitions nearly ended before they began due to a shocking childhood theatre experience.
Childhood Trauma from Local Production
During her appearance on the upcoming episode of Desert Island Discs, Buckley recounts how her parents took her to see a local amateur production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar in her hometown of Killarney, County Kerry. The young girl became so immersed in the performance that she believed she witnessed an actual crucifixion on stage.
“The first play [my parents] ever took me to was Jesus Christ Superstar,” Buckley explains to host Lauren Laverne. “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 meet Mike Murphy, the actor who portrayed Jesus. “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,” she shares. “That was like the first kind of peek behind the curtain – the magic of theatre. It was so real.”
Ironic Boost from Andrew Lloyd Webber
Despite the initial fright, theatre pulled Buckley back in. At age 17, she competed on the talent show I’d Do Anything for the role of Nancy in a West End production of Oliver!. Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of the judges, supported her journey.
Buckley finished as runner-up to Jodie Prenger, now known for her role on Coronation Street. She opted out of an understudy position to pursue drama studies at RADA instead. Reflecting on the competition’s focus on her appearance, she states, “I wish that hadn’t happened… and I hope that doesn’t ever happen to another young girl at that age.”
Now 36, Buckley stars in Hamnet, a film exploring Shakespeare’s life, positioning her as a strong Oscar favorite. Desert Island Discs airs on BBC Radio 4 this Sunday at 10 a.m. and streams on BBC Sounds.
