Jessie Buckley named as Norfolk Screen patron

Oscar-winning actress Jessie Buckley has hailed the "deeply beautiful cinematic landscape" of her adopted home county of Norfolk.

Known for her roles in Hamnet, Wicked Little Letters, Wild Rose and Cabaret, the Irish actress has been named as a patron of Norfolk Screen.

The company works to establish the county as a "screen-friendly region" and develop the area's reputation for the use in film and TV.

Buckley, who now lives in Norfolk, said: "I'm proud to be a patron of Norfolk Screen, whose work is helping to spotlight this remarkable region and its growing appeal for film and TV production."

Norfolk has been used as a filming location for, among others, Wicked, The Girl on the Train, The Avengers, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, and the BBC crime drama, Strike.

In February, the group named Norfolk-born Olivia Colman as a patron.

She noted the county as holding a "cinematic charm" with the "quiet drama of its landscapes" and the "passion of communities who welcome and support productions with such enthusiasm".

Throughout her career, Buckley has worked across stage and screen and took part in the BBC's I'd Do Anything I'd Do Anything, a reality talent show searching for an actress to play Nancy in Oliver! on the West End in 2008.

Most recently she starred as Agnes Shakespeare opposite Paul Mescal in Hamnet, which earned her an Oscar for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, a Bafta, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Golden Globe.

Norfolk Screen said it was "honoured" to have Buckley among its patrons and that her passion for the county's landscapes, stories and creative potential made her an "inspiring advocate".

Buckley said: "Norfolk is very different from where I grew up in Ireland but when I meet that black earth and realise that this land used to be under water it does something to me.

"I love returning home to Norfolk… to a quiet, mysterious and deeply beautiful cinematic landscape that takes me somewhere I don't ever expect."

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