Jessie Buckley, a leading contender for Best Actress at the Oscars, reveals her passion for acting almost ended in childhood due to a shocking theater experience.
Childhood Shock from Jesus Christ Superstar
The 36-year-old actress from Killarney, Co Kerry, recounts her first theater visit to a local production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. She vividly believed the onstage crucifixion was real, leaving her deeply shaken.
“The first play my parents ever took me to was Jesus Christ Superstar,” Buckley recalls. “I was so transported by watching this production, I genuinely thought a man had been crucified in front of my eyes. I was traumatised. I was on the floor sobbing.”
Her parents arranged a backstage meeting with Mike Murphy, the actor portraying Jesus, to prove he was unharmed. This encounter offered her initial insight into the magic of theater.
Pivotal Role of Andrew Lloyd Webber
Paradoxically, composer Lord Lloyd-Webber later boosted her career. He served as a judge on the talent competition I’d Do Anything, where 17-year-old Buckley competed for the role of Nancy in Oliver!.
While grateful for his encouragement, Buckley voices unease about the program’s emphasis on her youthful looks. “I wish that hadn’t happened… and I hope that doesn’t ever happen to another young girl at that age,” she states.
Finishing as runner-up to Jodie Prenger, now known for Coronation Street, Buckley rejected an understudy position and pursued drama studies at RADA instead.
Awards analysts predict victory for her performance in Hamnet, which explores Shakespeare’s life.
