Jessie Buckley won Best Actress at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards for playing Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet.
The 31st Critics’ Choice Awards recognized film and television achievements from 2025. Buckley’s win honored her lead performance in Hamnet, a historical drama directed by Chloé Zhao and based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel.
In the film, Buckley portrays Agnes, the wife of playwright William Shakespeare. The story focuses on grief, family, and the emotional circumstances surrounding the creation of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The role required Buckley to carry much of the film’s emotional weight.
Buckley’s competitors in the category included Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, Amanda Seyfried, and Emma Stone. A common mix-up is confusing this award with Best Supporting Actress, which went to Amy Madigan for Weapons. The Critics’ Choice result also differed from several other acting awards presented during the same ceremony, including Timothée Chalamet’s Best Actor victory for Marty Supreme.