Jessie Buckley has been hyped as the favourite to win Best Actress in today’s Oscars for her performance as the grief-stricken Agnes Hathaway (Shakespeare’s wife) in Hamnet. But a recent interview in which she said she had insisted her boyfriend get rid of his cats before she moved in has set off a backlash.
It echoes the confected social media firestorm over the other favourite Timothee Chalamet’s comments saying he does not want to work in ballet or opera as ‘no one cares about it’.
Jessie Buckley, 28 December 1989 Killarney, Ireland, no birth time, had mother who was a vocal coach, and started acting early, with a string of successes in Beast, Wild Rose and tv’s The Lost Daughter amongst others.
She is a redoubtable example of the triple conjunction generation with Uranus, Sun, Moon, Neptune, Saturn and Mercury all in Capricorn – ambitious, inventive, uncompromising, independent, highly strung. Her Uranus Sun Neptune oppose Jupiter in Cancer, with Pluto in sextile – so she’ll be lucky, a risk-taker, determined. Her Mars in outspoken, adventurous Sagittarius is sextile a friendly Venus in Aquarius and both are inconjunct Jupiter forming a yod – doubling up on her fortunate streak and self-confidence. Though a Jupiterian yod can backfire if over-confidence takes a hold.
Today she has a smattering of Jupiterian boosts to her Saturn and several midpoints so she may emerge smiling. But the coming two or three years look challenging as transiting Neptune (and Saturn) move in square to her Capricorn planets which hints at a few setbacks this year and an extended run of Neptunian droop into the early 2030s. Neptune can be creative but is not usually good for personal glory. 2030 may be a turnaround year for her with a radical change of attitude or direction bringing renewed success and self-assurance.
From December 21 2025 post on Timothee Chalamet:
Despite outer success he is undergoing a fair amount of soul-searching with his Progressed Moon going through his 8th for another ten months; as well as tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven and Algol at the moment hinting at fairly dramatic changes.
Saturn Neptune moving through his 8th in the coming years (Saturn two and Neptune many) will also throw him back on himself so he may feel under supported and uncommitted. In 2026 tr Neptune will make an undermining square to his Sun from June 2026 onwards and throughout 2027 at the same time as it is conjunct the composite Saturn in his relationship chart with Kylie.
His Jupiter in late Sagittarius will stand him in good stead being close to his Sun but his attention demanding and tornado-force 5th house personality may rub a few workmates the wrong way.
Quite what an actor’s throwaway comments have to do with their thespian talents is unclear. Russell Crowe, who won Best Actor for Gladiator, claimed the awards ceremony is now just a popularity contest. Another indication of a culture corroded by media sound bytes. And a further example of an inability to hold two separate thoughts in mind together. The creatively gifted can be short on brains in other spheres/not nice people. Both together – or all three. Their personality flaws do not diminish their singular abilities.
Comments like hers may not impact thespian abilities and past performances, but they do reflect character. Speaking as an animal lover and admitted cat lady, I’d have second thoughts about having anything to do with — or rewarding — anyone who’d require their partner to get rid of their beloved pets. I’d dump that person quickly and definitely question their character. So, yes, I can see how it might impact the award, depending upon when in the voting process her comments became public.
My best cat relationship story is just before I got married. A few months before I had taken in a stray black cat, bruised, battered and bad tempered who disliked everyone and just about tolerated me. My about-to-be objected to the cat’s obvious antipathy towards him (being Leo!) and my therapist said I could not give up on marriage because of a cat. So I sadly told cat (known as Slasher) that we would have to find him a new home. And lo and behold he wrapped himself round the about-to-be-spouse’s legs, purring loudly and was allowed to come.
Not sure what conclusion to draw except that cats can be canny creatures.