Dublin in the rain. A broken vacuum cleaner. A piano in a music shop that nobody's buying. Most of us remember the 2007 film Once as this quiet, lightning-in-a-bottle moment that shouldn't have worked. It was shot on a shoestring budget of about $150,000 using two Handy-cams and natural light. It wasn't supposed to win an Oscar. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova weren't even supposed to be movie stars. They were just two musicians who happened to be in love, or at least falling into it, while the cameras were rolling.
But then they won the Academy Award for "Falling Slowly." They stood on that stage, looking like two people who had accidentally wandered into the wrong party, and gave one of the most humble speeches in the history of the ceremony. Marketa was only 19. Glen was the weathered busker who had finally found his voice.
What happened after the credits rolled on Once Glen Hansard Marketa Irglova is actually way more interesting than the movie itself. Real life doesn't always have a soundtrack, and it certainly doesn't always have a happy ending—at least not the kind Hollywood sells you.
The Swell Season: When Art Imitates Life Too Well
People often forget that before the movie was a "thing," Glen and Marketa were already a band called The Swell Season. The name came from a book by Josef Škvorecký. Honestly, they were just living the life you see on screen. Glen was the frontman of the iconic Irish band The Frames, and Marketa was the daughter of his friend in the Czech Republic. They started making music together when she was barely a teenager.
Success is a weird drug. When Once blew up, they went from busking on Grafton Street to playing sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall.
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The pressure was immense. You've got two people who are suddenly the "face" of indie romance, while their actual relationship is buckling under the weight of 24/7 touring. They eventually broke up in 2009. Glen has been pretty open about it since, basically saying that they "fell into each other's arms" because of the intensity of the experience, but eventually realized they were better off as just friends.
Why the Breakup Didn't Kill the Music
Most bands implode when the lead singers stop dating. Think Fleetwood Mac, but with fewer capes and more Guinness. With Glen and Marketa, it was different. They didn't stop playing. They released Strict Joy in 2009, an album that basically chronicles the end of their romantic relationship in real-time. It's a heavy record. You can hear the exhaustion.
Where Are They Now? (The 2026 Update)
If you’re looking for them today, you won’t find them living in the same house, but you will find them on the same stages. It’s kinda beautiful, actually.
Marketa Irglova eventually moved to Iceland. She married Sturla Mio Thorisson, a producer, and they have three kids. She’s been releasing solo music that sounds like a glacier melting—beautiful, cinematic, and very "Icelandic." Her 2022 album Lila was a masterclass in piano-driven folk.
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Glen, meanwhile, never really stopped. He’s the guy who will play for four hours in a pub just because the "vibe" is right. He spent years touring with Eddie Vedder and releasing solo records like Between Two Shores.
But here is the thing most people miss: They never truly stayed apart.
In 2023, they released a new Swell Season single called "The Answer Is Yes." Then, in 2025, they dropped a track called "People We Used To Be." It’s a song about mourning the younger versions of themselves while still loving who they are now. In 2026, Glen is actually hitting the road for a massive solo tour—hitting spots like L'Olympia in Paris and the Roundhouse in London—but he still frequently brings Marketa out for Swell Season reunions.
- The Movie Budget: Only $150,000.
- The Oscar Win: "Falling Slowly" (2008).
- The Tony Sweep: The stage musical won 8 Tonys in 2012.
- The Current Status: Best friends, occasional musical collaborators, separate lives.
The Legacy of Once Glen Hansard Marketa Irglova
Why does this story still resonate nearly 20 years later?
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Probably because it feels honest. Most "music movies" feel like they were written by a marketing committee. Once felt like a secret you weren't supposed to see. Even the ending of the film—where they don't end up together—mirrored the reality of their lives. It wasn't about "happily ever after." It was about a specific moment in time where two people made each other better through art.
Honestly, the fact that they can still stand on a stage in 2026 and sing "Falling Slowly" without it feeling like a nostalgia act is a miracle. It's because they didn't let the industry or the "fairytale" narrative ruin the actual friendship.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive back into their world, don't just stop at the Once soundtrack.
- Watch the documentary The Swell Season (2011). It’s a black-and-white look at their lives right as the fame was hitting and their relationship was ending. It’s raw.
- Listen to Marketa’s solo work. Specifically the album Muna. It shows her growth from the "girl at the piano" to a full-fledged composer.
- Catch Glen Hansard live. He is arguably one of the best live performers on the planet. If you're in Europe in May or July of 2026, he’s playing iconic venues like Trinity College Dublin.
The story of Once Glen Hansard Marketa Irglova isn't a tragedy because they broke up. It’s a success story because they survived the fame and kept the music. They proved that you can lose the romance but keep the soul of the collaboration. That’s a lot harder to do than winning an Oscar.
If you're planning to see Glen on his 2026 tour, keep an eye on the setlists. He almost always weaves in the old stories, and on the right night, in the right city, you might just see Marketa step out from the wings to help him finish the song.