Glen Hansard, the Irish musician who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008, died in the early hours of Tuesday morning following a motorcycle crash in Dublin. He was 56.
His management company confirmed the death in a statement. "With broken hearts, we announce the passing of Glen Hansard, who passed away in the early hours of this morning, following a road traffic accident in Dublin," the statement read. "Glen's family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time. The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene."
Local police in Ireland are appealing for witnesses following the incident, which has been described as a single-vehicle crash, according to Deadline. The BBC also reported on the police appeal.
Hansard was born and raised in Dublin. He began his career busking on the streets of the Irish capital before forming the rock band The Frames in 1990. He later became one half of the rock duo The Swell Season alongside his Once co-star Marketa Irglova. The film follows a busker and an immigrant through an eventful week in Dublin as they write, rehearse, and record songs that tell their love story. The pair's duet "Falling Slowly" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The film itself went on to have a lasting cultural impact. It was adapted into a Broadway musical that won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Book. That stage production introduced Hansard's work to an entirely new audience, and "Falling Slowly" became one of the most recognized songs in modern musical theater.
Hansard also released several solo albums throughout his career, including Didn't He Ramble, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016. That nomination came more than two decades after he first began his career playing on Dublin streets, a trajectory that made him one of the more distinctive figures in Irish music.
Ireland's prime minister, Micheál Martin, posted a statement on X saying he was "deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Glen Hansard." Martin described Hansard as "A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape over many years." The statement ended: "My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans."
Hansard was 56. No further details about the crash have been released as of press time, and police continue to appeal for witnesses to the single-vehicle incident in Dublin.
