Devastating 5-star Oscar contender Hamnet has an unexpected EastEnders connection

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Hamnet ending spoilers follow.

If you’re looking for a powerful and moving film this weekend, Hamnet is now playing in UK cinemas. This beautiful British drama is already generating Oscar buzz, especially for Jessie Buckley’s incredible portrayal of a mother grieving the loss of her child.

Buckley plays Agnes, who is William Shakespeare’s wife in the movie Hamnet. The film tells a fictionalized story about the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, which many believe inspired the creation of the play Hamlet. The movie culminates with Agnes watching the very first performance of Hamlet.

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At first, Agnes was upset that her deceased son was being portrayed in the play. However, she soon understood that writing Hamlet was William’s way of coping with his own sadness, particularly when he acted as the ghost of Hamlet’s father. The play also helped Agnes process her grief, culminating in a moving scene where she connects with the actor playing Hamlet (Noah Jupe), and the rest of the audience joins in a shared moment of connection.

Even though you might be very upset, Agnes starts to smile, realizing she can finally allow her son to move on. A familiar piece of music plays during this moment – you’ve likely heard it in many films and television shows. Surprisingly, this music also links the story of Hamnet to the soap opera EastEnders.

You’ve likely heard the piece of music called ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ by Max Richter, even if you don’t know its name. It’s been featured in several popular shows and movies, including Shutter Island, The Last of Us (specifically the episode with Frank and Bill), The Handmaid’s Tale, The Leftovers, and, notably, Arrival. Though, many consider its use in the recent film Hamnet to be its most powerful appearance yet.

This music instantly evokes feelings of sadness and loss, but with a glimmer of hope. Once you’re familiar with it, hearing the song is a guaranteed cue that you’re about to feel emotional.

Even dedicated fans of Max Richter, who might have originally heard the piece on his 2004 album The Blue Notebooks, would likely forget that it was featured on the British soap opera EastEnders in February 2020. Those who watch EastEnders will recall this was during the show’s 35th anniversary week, which revolved around a dramatic boat party.

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The last episode aired on February 21, 2020 (available on iPlayer) featured the death of Dennis Rickman Jr. He had been trapped in the boat’s storage room by Ian Beale, who discovered Dennis had attacked Ian’s son, Bobby. Sadly, the boat then crashed, resulting in Dennis’s death.

Ian just managed to rescue Dennis, but both of them were unconscious when they were pulled from the water. As paramedics fought to save Dennis’s life, the song ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ played. Meanwhile, Whitney turned herself in to the police, confessing to killing Leo, who had abused her – he was the son of Tony King.

It’s EastEnders’ anniversary week, so there’s plenty happening. The show used the song ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ in a quiet way – if you weren’t familiar with it, you likely wouldn’t have noticed, as it didn’t reach the most powerful parts of the song.

The music from ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ is powerfully used in the film Hamnet. Interestingly, Max Richter actually composed the piece specifically for Hamnet, so it wasn’t borrowed from another source. Actress Jessie Buckley shared the track with director Chloé Zhao, and it ultimately inspired a change to the film’s original ending.

According to Richter, after Jessie – who was already familiar with his work – shared a copy of ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ with Chloe, it suddenly gave her the key to understanding how the film should end. They only had four days of filming left at that point, he told IndieWire.

While driving to the filming location, she had a powerful moment of clarity and decided to change the planned scene. As soon as she arrived, she told everyone to abandon the original idea and try something new. The gesture of reaching out with hands, which wasn’t in the script, came directly from the feeling of the music.

The piece ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ has been used in many films and TV shows, but it feels uniquely suited to the movie Hamnet. Composer Max Richter explained that the music isn’t just background noise; it’s a crucial part of the film’s ending, carefully chosen and deeply meaningful.

Using this piece of music so brilliantly in Hamnet might make it harder for others to use it with the same impact later on. Still, it’s now been featured in both an EastEnders anniversary and a film that could win an Oscar – a rare achievement for any piece of music.

Hamnet is out now in cinemas.

The latest issue of Living Legends is now available, and this edition celebrates the incredible Dolly Parton! You can purchase ‘Dolly at 80’ at newsagents or online for only £8.99.

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2026-01-09 19:50