Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning musician and actor celebrated for his role in the 2007 film "Once," died Wednesday in a motorcycle crash in Ireland. He was 56.
The incident occurred at the Strawberry Beds in West Dublin shortly before 4:30 a.m., according to The Irish Times. An Garda Síochána, Ireland's national police service, confirmed a fatality in a statement, noting that the motorcyclist, a man in his 50s, received treatment at the scene but was later pronounced deceased.
The scene has been preserved for forensic examination by Garda collision investigators, and local traffic diversions were in place.
ATC Management, which represented Hansard, confirmed his death in a separate 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. The agency added that Hansard's family is "deeply shocked and heartbroken" and requested privacy during their time of grief, while also expressing gratitude for the support and thanking the emergency services.
Hansard gained international recognition for "Once," a musical drama he co-wrote and starred in with Markéta Irglová. The film's original song, "Falling Slowly," earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008.