Oscar-nominated actress Jessie Buckley has revealed that acting was "like water" to her, crediting her passion for the craft with helping her overcome an eating disorder and depression during her teenage years. The 36-year-old Irish star, currently in the running for Best Actress for her role in "Hamnet," spoke candidly about her mental health journey on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
Buckley stated that acting felt essential to her survival. "I didn't know how to be alive the way I wanted to be, and it was difficult," she said. "But I do not for a second regret it, and I think I've been able to transform it." She described a pivotal moment after moving to London, realizing that if she didn't get better, she wouldn't be able to continue with music and theatre, and might not survive. "That was the thing that turned it in my head," she explained.
The actress, who rose to fame on the BBC talent show "I'd Do Anything," also reflected on facing criticism for her appearance early in her career. "I was putting a brave face on, because really what I wanted to do was sing and act," Buckley told presenter Lauren Laverne. "All of a sudden you had to be a certain kind of person. And I just wasn't, I never will be. That's just not me."
Buckley, who has already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her performance in "Hamnet," emotionally shared one of her disc choices: a recording of her mother singing. She expressed immense pride in her mother, who is "writing her own story right now at 60 years of age."