Jessie Buckley recalls ‘excruciatingly embarrassing’ tantric workshop with Paul Mescal for Hamnet as actors speak out on their ‘intuitive, sexy and curious’ filming process

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Jessie Buckley shared that she and Paul Mescal, her co-star in ‘Hamnet,’ went through rigorous preparation for their roles, which included participating in a tantric intimacy workshop.

The 36-year-old Irish actress has received widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare, in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel.

Jessie recently shared in British Vogue that director Chloé Zhao singled her out at a 2022 film festival, immediately telling her she was her top choice for a role.

She then had a promising chemistry test with Paul, age 29, in London – they seemed to have a natural connection. However, they were quickly pulled apart to focus on different work assignments.

To help her actors build a close connection, both emotionally and physically, before filming began, director Zhao had them participate in a tantric workshop and go dancing together to Abba at a New York club.

In the workshop, participants were asked to embody and portray the symbols of lingam – representing male creative energy – and yoni, representing female genitalia.

Jessie described the first few minutes as incredibly awkward, but said things quickly relaxed. ‘Once you’ve been that vulnerable with someone,’ she told Vogue, ‘it’s like, let’s just be ourselves.’

You know, I’ve been following this duo, and the workshop they did together was a huge success! Everyone’s been talking about how natural and believable they were on screen – they just clicked. And honestly, it’s not just acting; they genuinely seem to adore each other, and that really shines through. It’s lovely to see!

Paul shared with Vogue that he admires Jessie immensely, describing her as someone he aspires to be like. He’s particularly impressed by her self-assurance as an artist and her focus on the work itself, rather than the fame and superficial aspects of the industry. He calls her a remarkably strong and admirable person.

At last weekend’s Critics Choice Awards, Jessie playfully celebrated her co-star, publicly expressing her affection for him and jokingly acknowledging his appeal to other women in the audience with a lighthearted, ‘Too bad!’

Jessie and her husband, Freddie, a mental health worker, have been married for two years. They planned and held their wedding at home, in the garden of their cottage in Norfolk, in just seven weeks.

Jessie and her partner had a baby girl last summer, shortly after she finished filming Hamnet. She became pregnant just a few days after the movie wrapped.

She says playing the character of Agnes made her realize she wanted to become a mother. She even borrowed a fake pregnant belly from the show’s set just to experience what it felt like while she was gardening.

The actress shared that the emotional story of Hamnet, focusing on Agnes and William’s heartbreak after losing a child, resonated with her on a personal level and helped her connect with her own feelings.

Of motherhood just months in, Jessie mused: ‘It’s a bit like being a beetle on your back. 

‘A friend said to me, “Don’t forget that you’re also a new thing when you become a mother.”‘

Everyone focuses on the new baby, but remember that you are also adjusting to a lot of changes – your place in the world feels different, your connection with your partner is evolving, and your work life is shifting too.

”I don’t know what the next story is that I need to tell because it’s seismic what’s happened.’ 

You can find the complete article in the February issue of British Vogue, which will be available online and in stores starting Tuesday, January 20th.

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2026-01-06 18:52