Oscar nominee and Ursuline Convent, Thurles educated, Ms Jessie Buckley, together with fellow Oscar nominee Mr Paul Mescal are understood to be both in talks to star in a new film entitled “Hamnet”.
This historical fiction film, set up at the American entertainment production company, Amblin Partners, led by Steven Spielberg, is all about William Shakespeare’s wife Anne “Agnes” Hathaway and her romance with the man who today is regarded as the world’s most famous playwright.
To be directed by Chinese-born and Oscar-winning film-maker Ms Chloé Zhao; “Hamnet” is a fictional account of William Shakespeare, which tells the story of his wife, and focuses on the death of the couple’s son, ‘Hamnet’, who died when aged just 11 years old, in 1596, and is believed to possibly be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”
Today, little is known about Hamnet and his twin sister Judith; both of whom were born in Stratford-upon-Avon and baptised on February 2nd 1585 in Holy Trinity Church, by Rev. Richard Barton of Coventry. Hamnet was probably named after Hamnet Sadler, latter a baker, who witnessed Shakespeare’s will. Hamnet, sadly, was buried in Stratford on August 11th 1596.
Note: At that time in history about one third of all children died before the age 10.
Specific character details for Royal Academy of Dramatic Art graduate Ms Buckley and Mr Mescal have not been, as yet, publicly disclosed.
“Hamnet” is based on a New York Times-best-selling novel of 2020, written by author Maggie O’Farrell.
In 2023, a stage adaptation of the novel by Ms Lolita Chakrabarti premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, re-opening the Swan Theatre following the COVID-19 pandemic.
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