Jessie Buckley quietly welcomes first child after surprise pregnancy reveal

Congratulations are in order for first-time mum, Jessie Buckley! The Irish Academy Award-nominated actress, 35, has confirmed she’s welcomed her first child, a baby girl whose name she has kept private, after announcing her pregnancy on a red carpet in April. 

The Wicked Little Letters actress, who tends to keep her private life out of the spotlight, revealed on The New York Times Modern Love podcast in December that she’d quietly welcomed her baby during the year. “Everyone is doing great. I mean, everything is different,” she said of now being a parent alongside husband Freddie, whom she reportedly married in a private ceremony in 2023.

“I remember one of my friends when I was pregnant sent me something that really resonated with me and was such a little gift,” she continued. “But she said, just remember that you are also a new thing.

“Everything’s new. This little human’s new. You’re new. Your relationship’s new. Your whole relationship to the world is new. It’s intense, but it’s just – I just love it. I love it so much.”

Speaking of her baby, Jessie said she can already “see her little personality start to come through”, adding, “I see this life force in her and determination. And I hope she loves life as much as I do.” During the interview, Jessie revealed she fell pregnant a week after wrapping filming on Hamnet, in which she stars as Agnes Shakespeare alongside Paul Mescal and Joe Alwyn. 

The historical drama film, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name, is one of the most anticipated movie releases of 2026, and tells the story of the famed William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, after the loss of their only son, Hamnet. While it’s already come out in the US, Hamnet is set for a wider release in the UK in January. 

Surprise pregnancy announcement 

Jessie surprised onlookers on 1 April when she arrived on the red carpet for CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas sporting a noticeable baby bump. The actress showed off her belly in a tight black dress for photos at the star-studded event. 

The star joined a growing list of celebrities who have used red carpet events as an opportunity to announce their pregnancy to the world. On 1 December 2025, actress Sienna Miller and singer Ellie Goulding both separately announced they’re expecting while walking the Fashion Awards red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall.  

Jessie’s private family life

While she’s known on the big screen for roles in Wicked Little Letters, The Lost Daughter and most recently Hamnet, Jessie has kept her private life and marriage out of the public eye. Little is known about her relationship, but she has been married to her husband, whose name is Freddie, for around two years since mid-2023. 

Jessie revealed on the Table Manners podcast that the pair had a summer wedding at their home in Norfolk. The actress relocated to a historic home in Norfolk after living in London for over a decade, though her and her husband still split their time between Norfolk and a flat in Dalston.

Before meeting her husband, she was previously in a relationship with fellow actor James Norton.