In a candid interview, Jessie Buckley shared how she and Paul Mescal prepared for their roles as Shakespeare and his wife in Hamnet through an unconventional method.
At a Glance
- Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal completed a tantric workshop to prepare for their roles in Hamnet
- The workshop involved embodying symbolic representations of lingam and yoni
- Buckley won Best Actress at the 31st Critics Choice Awards for her role
- Why it matters: The unique acting method highlights how actors use physical embodiment to explore complex character dynamics
The two actors, who portray William Shakespeare and Agnes in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, participated in a polarity workshop led by director Chloé Zhao.
The Workshop Experience
Buckley described the initial moments as “excruciatingly embarrassing,” noting that pretending to embody these symbolic forms created immediate vulnerability between the actors.
> “The first three minutes of it were excruciatingly embarrassing. You’re like: ‘We’ve been a penis and a vagina in front of each other, so let’s just go.'”
**Jessie Buckley to British Vogue
The workshop aimed to help the actors connect with their characters through embodiment rather than intellectual analysis.
Director’s Vision
Chloé Zhao explained that the exercise was designed to create a safe space for the actors to explore extreme gendered polarity.
> “It’s about giving [a] safe container for Paul and Jesse to embody their gendered polarity to the extreme, which might be uncomfortable in other settings, but it’s about activating that energy – the masculine and feminine in them to the extreme and see how they play with each other.”
Chloé Zhao to PEOPLE
The director has been studying tantra and working with a tantric teacher, incorporating these practices into her filmmaking process.
Award Recognition
Jessie Buckley won Best Actress at the 31st Critics Choice Awards for her portrayal of Agnes.
She is also nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards on January 11.
Other nominees in her category include:
- Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love)
- Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
- Julia Roberts (After the Hunt)
- Tessa Thompson (Hedda)
- Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)
Key Takeaways
- The tantric workshop helped Buckley and Mescal build chemistry for their roles
- The method involved physical embodiment of symbolic concepts
- Buckley‘s performance has received critical acclaim
- She will next appear in Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s The Bride!, releasing March 6
The unique preparation method contributed to Buckley‘s award-winning performance and demonstrates the creative approaches actors take to embody complex historical figures.
