Remembering Irish singer–songwriter Glen Hansard

July 31, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

From Dublin Streets to Oscar Stage: The Unlikely Path of Glen Hansard

The Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly" almost didn't happen. Glen Hansard had been working on the verse and chorus but wasn't sure where the song was going. Then he sat down with Markéta Irglová, played her the idea, and she suggested swapping their vocal parts at a crucial moment. "For me that was like the key of what made the song suddenly work," Hansard told Terry Gross in 2008. That collaboration — two musicians finding the song together — became the template for the film Once, a low-budget Irish movie that would win an Oscar, launch a Tony-winning Broadway musical, and change both their lives. Hansard died Wednesday at age 56 from a motorcycle crash.

How a Film Lost Its Star and Found Its Lead

Once was never meant to star Hansard. Cillian Murphy was originally cast as the Dublin street musician at the film's center. But Murphy backed out, and when he did, the film's producers pulled their funding. Director John Carney (himself a former member of Hansard's band The Frames) was left with a crew booked and shoot days approaching, but no money and no lead.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:22) **Obituary and Introduction** - Host David B. Coley announces the death of Glen Hansard at age 56 from a motorcycle crash, and sets up the 2008 interview with Terry Gross.
2 (02:47) **Co-Writing "Falling Slowly"** - Hansard and co-star Markéta Irglová describe the first song they ever wrote together, for the film *Once*.
3 (04:46) **How Hansard Got Cast in *Once*** - The film was originally written for Cillian Murphy, who dropped out, leading to a stripped-down, DIY production.
4 (07:39) **The "If You Want Me" Scene** - Hansard describes the film's one mimed musical number, a deliberate throwback to classic musicals.
5 (10:36) **Acting Advice and Playing Yourself** - The non-actors discuss how they approached their roles in *Once*.
6 (12:27) **Scene from the Film: Busking on Grafton Street** - A clip from *Once* plays, showing the first meeting between the two characters.
7 (14:03) **Hansard's Real-Life Busking Education** - Hansard explains why he chose Grafton Street in Dublin and how it became his true education after dropping out of school at 13.

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Show Notes

Irish musician Glen Hansard, best-known for his band The Frames and his part in the 2007 film ‘Once,’ died July 29 in a motorcycle crash. He was 56. Hansard got his start busking in the streets of Dublin. Ironically, it was his headmaster who urged him to drop out of school to pursue music. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2008, with his ‘Once’ co-star Markéta Irglová. Their song from the film, “Falling Slowly,” won an Oscar for Best Original Song.

Also, Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Tony Bennett, who would have been 100 next week, and film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘I Want Your Sex.’

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