Oscar nominees have always been a topic of interest, no matter the era. It’s especially exciting when newer actors come into the spotlight for their performances. American and British actors have been dominating the field for decades; foreign films and talent have only recently been highlighted in the past few years. This year’s Oscar nominees and winners have been swept almost entirely by Irish actors, as well as the countless wins and nominations for Sweden’s Sentimental Value. Hamnet, starring Jesse Buckley and Paul Mescal, two relatively new Irish actors, have been receiving role after role in recent years before finally reaching the Oscars with Hamnet. Jesse Buckley, originally from Kerry, took home Best Actress of the year after her heart wrenching performance as a grieving mother, impressing all of us, including the Academy of Motion Pictures.
Irish news outlets like “RTE” and “The Irish Times” have brought it to Ireland as well as the US’s attention to the vastness of their achievement. During the Irish Film & Television Academy Awards (IFTA), the host proudly stated, “Our actors have won more Oscars per capita than any other country,” as well as that, “we are in the midst of an Irish cultural renaissance.” Ireland, being the tiny country that it is, has produced immense amounts of talent making it to Hollywood. Irish talent and Irish-produced films have earned a whopping ten Oscar nominations this year. Talent like Cillian Murphy and the band Kneecap have been very vocal in recent years regarding their Irish pride as well as what’s still happening politically in their part of the world. These strong voices show through in their works with Irish storytelling themes like family, grief, and identity. Jesse Buckley has been our star of the show this year with Hamnet as well as her new film, The Bride. Her immense talent has made its way to Hollywood, and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Buckley also basked in her country’s pride during her speech by speaking Irish for the small percentage that still understands it. The Irish language has been a massive topic of discussion because of artists like Kneecap, who have gone viral on social media. Actors like Mescal and Murphy have publicly shared their support of the movement. Buckley bringing it to the attention of the Oscars has done so much for the movement.
Paul Mescal, from Kildare, began his acting career alongside British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones in Normal People, a romantic drama based on the novel by Sally Rooney. Not only did this skyrocket Mescal’s acting career, but it also brought attention to the very melancholy Irish story. This was just one of the moments that got the ball rolling for Irish talent. The biggest being the blockbuster Oppenheimer. The film starring Cillian Murphy won seven Oscars out of thirteen nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. This made Murphy the first Irish-born actor to win this award; in his speech, he dedicated it to “peacemakers everywhere.” He ends his acceptance speech with, “I’m a very proud Irishman standing here tonight.” After the success of the film and his historic win, Murphy has continued to work on his award-winning show Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
The new and highly anticipated Beatles biopic, directed by Sam Mendes, has also made headlines as an exciting film to expect in 2028. Both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have been cast by Irish actors Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan. For such a huge budget Hollywood film, it is monumental that two Irish actors have been cast for such important roles. Before this year, this would have been unimaginable. Barry Keoghan, from Dublin, got his first big film opportunity in 2023’s Saltburn. He was nominated for two Golden Globes and five bafta’s (British Academy Film Awards) for his performance. His role in the 2022 Irish film The Banshees of Inisherin won him his first bafta for best actor, putting him more on the American radar. His newest project happens to be Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Keoghan was cast specifically by Murphy, showing his continuous support for Ireland in his works.
Hollywood has always been an exclusive club that’s very hard to break into, but after the diversity in this year’s nominations, we can finally see it branching out. Films like Parasite in 2019 have paved the way for other foreign films like Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent. Hopefully, we as an audience will continue to see new foreign films and actors get the recognition they deserve, as more Irish actors dominate the industry.
Her Campus – Chapman University
Erin Sweeney – Staff Writer
@hercampuschapman
Éire Literature 