Reports say Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard has died at the age of 56 in a motorbike crash. Hansard was widely known as an Oscar-winning songwriter as well as the star of Once, the musical drama that helped bring his work to a global audience.
Hansard first emerged from Dublin’s busking scene before building a larger following with his band The Frames. That path made him one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary Irish music, with a career that connected street performance roots to international success.
His profile rose sharply through Once, the film that introduced many viewers to his songwriting and screen presence. The project became a defining part of his public image and helped cement his reputation far beyond Ireland.
News of Glen Hansard’s reported death is likely to resonate across music and film, given his long association with Irish songwriting, The Frames and Once. He is being remembered as an artist whose career began in Dublin and reached audiences around the world.
