BREAKING: Former Ursuline student new favourite to be next Bond girl

Thurles has reason to celebrate as one of its own, Jessie Buckley, emerges as the frontrunner to become the next Bond girl.

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The Ursuline Secondary School alumna, who recently won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Hamnet, currently leads bookmakers’ lists at 6/4 to be the next bond girl.

Buckley’s performance as Agnes Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, earned widespread acclaim, including the Critics’ Choice Award, marking a striking start to 2026.

Her recent screen work has also placed her alongside Callum Turner, the current favourite for the role of James Bond. If both secure the leading roles, it would not be the first time they have co-starred in a project, adding an intriguing layer to the speculation.

According to Gambling.com, who specialise in comparing and ranking online gambling sites, Buckley now leads the Next Bond Girl market. Their detailed analysis of odds and predictions can be seen down below.

Other contenders for the next Bond girl role include Erin Doherty, celebrated for her portrayal of forensic psychologist Briony Ariston in Netflix’s Adolescence, currently 2/1, and Teyana Taylor, who won Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and is listed at 3/1.

Also in contention are Michelle Williams, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Florence Pugh, and Zendaya, reflecting the depth of talent in contention this awards season.

With Amazon MGM Studios now at the helm of the Bond franchise, casting the next Bond girl has attracted nearly as much attention as the choice of Bond himself.

For Buckley, her combination of critical acclaim and recent awards success makes her a compelling candidate to join the ranks of cinema’s most iconic heroines.

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