Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal Star in 'Hamnet,' a Drama Exploring Shakespeare's Family

Focus Features has released "Hamnet," a new period drama about the family of William Shakespeare. The film stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Shakespeare's wife, Agnes, and the playwright himself. Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao directed the movie. The cast also includes Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn. The story is a fictional account based on the few known facts of Shakespeare's personal life. It centers on the death of the couple's only son, Hamnet, in 1596. The film explores grief, marriage, and artistic legacy. It imagines how this family tragedy may have influenced Shakespeare's later work, including the play "Hamlet."