A Behind The Scenes Look At "Hamnet"

The Next Best Picture Podcast

Tv & Film

4.2 • 542 Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2026

⏱️ 97 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"Hamnet" is a biographical period film directed by Chloé Zhao, who co-wrote the screenplay with Maggie O'Farrell, based on O'Farrell's 2020 novel. The film dramatizes the family life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, as they cope with the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet. It stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William, alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Noah Jupe in supporting roles. The film had its world premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and received glowing reviews, with Buckley's performance receiving particular praise. The film has received numerous accolades, including winning the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Buckley at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, and eight nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Zhao, and Best Actress for Buckley. It was listed among the top ten films of 2025 by the American Film Institute. Zhao, Mescal, and composer Max Richter were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia, while Ema Sasic got the chance to speak with Jacobi Jupe, production designer Fiona Crombie spoke with Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks had the opportunity to chat with costume designer Malgosia Turzanska. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in select theaters from Focus Features and available to watch from home. The film is up for your consideration for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to The Next Best Picture podcast, and these are my interviews with the director and writer for Hamnick, Chloe Zhao, and the film star, Paul Meskell.
0:09.4	Followed by Emma Sassick's interview with the film star Jacobi Jube.
0:13.3	Followed by my interview with the film's composer Max Richter.
0:17.0	Followed by Cody Derrick's interview with the film's costume designer, Bogosha Torzanska, and Dan Baer's interview with the film's costume designer,
0:26.5	Balgosa, Torazanska, and Dan Baer's interview with the film's production designer Fiona Cromby.
0:29.6	We hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at Hamnet,
0:35.0	and we'll consider it for this year's Academy Awards in all eligible categories, including Best Picture.
0:35.9	Is it true?
0:40.3	You know everything about a person by touching them here? Not everything.
0:41.3	Hi, Chloe.
0:43.3	Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me about Hamnan.
0:45.3	I know you're incredibly busy.
0:47.3	Yeah, thanks for having me.
0:48.3	I wanted to first start off by asking,
0:50.3	in adapting the novel alongside Maggie, I can probably guess that there were moments
0:58.2	where, whether it was due to the time setting, the characters themselves, were there any
1:04.1	moments where you didn't strive for period accuracy, but wanted instead to convey something
1:10.2	that was more universal in its emotional truth.
1:13.3	Because I really sense and it's been proven by the reaction to the film that this is generational.
1:21.4	This appeals to so many different demographics.
1:23.5	It's very universal in its overall feeling.
1:26.6	So I'm just curious about those conversations between you and Maggie early on about historical accuracy versus coming up with an emotional feeling.
	...

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