Jessie Buckley, actor

Jessie Buckley, the acclaimed Irish actor and singer, shares her deeply personal journey on Desert Island Discs, reflecting on her roots in County Kerry, her family's profound influence, and her path from a young talent on a BBC reality show to an Oscar-nominated star. She recounts her emotional connection to music, particularly her mother’s singing and the evocative Gaelic band The Gloaming, as well as pivotal moments like her transformative experience with Sinead O’Connor and her life-changing role in Hamnet. Buckley opens up about her struggles with depression and an eating disorder, her resilience through therapy, and the importance of authenticity in her art. She also speaks candidly about her marriage, motherhood, and the profound bond with her father’s poetry, which she chooses as her essential book. Her final track, Lisa O’Neill’s 'Old Note,' becomes a spiritual anchor, symbolizing both memory and the imagined presence of her future child. The episode is a moving testament to vulnerability, creativity, and the enduring power of family and nature.