Glen Hansard, the actor and musician known for the film Once and its Oscar-winning song, tragically died in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday at the age of 56.
The crash happened near Dublin, Ireland, in Hansard’s hometown of Lucan. Reports from the Associated Press say it was a single-vehicle accident that occurred around 4:30 am local time. Hansard received medical attention at the scene, but sadly died shortly after.
The singer-songwriter might best be remembered for his acting roles as well as his musical career.
Singer-songwriter Glen Hansard dies in a motorocycle accident
He became known for his role in the film Once, which tells the story of an Irish busker and his connection with a young Czech immigrant. The two collaborated musically, and he beautifully portrayed a character longing for a deeper connection than the other person could offer.
The actors gave wonderful performances, but the film’s music truly makes it special. Composed entirely by Hansard and Irglová, their songs are deeply moving and add incredible emotional power to the story.
Although “Falling Slowly” won the Academy Award for Best Song in 2008, it was just one of several great songs featured in the film. However, Glen Hansard’s talent extended far beyond his work on the movie Once as well.
I totally forgot he was in The Commitments! That movie is awesome – it’s about a guy in Dublin who puts together a band of regular people who’ve never really played before. It’s so fun watching them become popular and how they deal with everything that comes with it. It’s a really great story!
He released five solo albums, with his most recent one coming out in 2023. His 2015 album, Didn’t He Ramble, received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016.
Glen Hansard is famous for his work with two bands: Swell Season, a rock duo that put out four albums including the soundtrack to the film Once, and the Frames, with whom he recorded eight albums.
I first discovered Hansard busking on the streets of Dublin, and I was immediately hooked. His songs are just so… huge, with these incredible structures, and his voice? It’s full of soul and he can really make you feel what he’s singing about. He’s a fantastic songwriter, of course, but his covers are amazing too. I’ll never forget seeing him perform “Fairytale of New York” at Shane MacGowan’s funeral – it was a really moving tribute in 2023.
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2026-07-29 18:30