In her Oscar-nominated period film Hamnet, Chloe Zhao travels four centuries in the past to recount how the sorrow of child loss was the inspiration behind one of literature’s greatest tragedies. Jessi Buckley plays Agnes in Hamnet, a performance that has made her a frontrunner for the Oscars. Mescal avoids turning Shakespeare into a saint or a stereotype. The similarity between the names Hamnet and Hamlet is historically documented, though scholars of English literature debate its significance. Hamnet, which has earned eight Oscar nods — including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Original Score — is now playing in Indian theatres.

Source: The Telegraph February 27, 2026 06:38 UTC