Jeremy Allen White has opened up about his emotional reaction to watching Hamnet, the upcoming historical drama directed by Chloé Zhao. Speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, The Bear star admitted that the film left a lasting impression on him.
“I saw Hamnet in Telluride and I haven’t been that devastated walking out of a theater,” White said, recalling his experience at this year’s Telluride Film Festival.
The film, inspired by Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name, explores the personal grief of William Shakespeare and the events that inspired him to write Hamlet. According to Variety, Hamnet will see a limited release on November 27, 2025, followed by a nationwide release on December 12, 2025.
Jeremy Allen White on the Emotional Impact of Hamnet
During the podcast, White revealed that the film’s emotional weight caught him off guard. “I saw them after and it was embarrassing cause I was like, I didn’t have anything for them. And I wish I could have talked to them later about it, you know,” he said, describing his encounter with the film’s team after the screening.
White also praised Jessie Buckley, who stars as Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, in the movie. “And I have done something with Jessie [Buckley] before and I know her and I wanted to just be like ‘you’re the greatest,’ cause she is. But instead, I was just kind of like ‘You!,’ you know, it was really bad. Hopefully I’ll find her soon, be able to talk to her about it.”
Horowitz noted that such emotional reactions might be common given the film’s poignant storytelling. “They’re probably gonna get a lot of that. Just people just like seeing them and dispersing into tears,” he said.
White agreed, responding simply, “Totally.”
About the Film Hamnet
Jessie Buckley stars opposite Paul Mescal, who plays William Shakespeare. The ensemble cast also includes Joe Alwyn, David Wilmot, Emily Watson, Olivia Lynes, and Jacobi Jupe.
Early reviews have praised Hamnet highly, with the film earning an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.2/10 on IMDb. Adapted from O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, the film delves into the intimate story of loss, creativity, and love that shaped one of literature’s greatest tragedies.
Based on Jeremy Allen White’s heartfelt reaction, Hamnet is shaping up to be one of the most powerful films of the year.
Hamnet premieres in select theaters on November 27, 2025, before expanding nationwide on December 12, 2025.
Source: Soap Central
