Glen Hansard

An Academy Award-winning songwriter, musician, actor and singer.

Born 21 April 1970 in Dublin, Ireland, Hansard quit school at age 13 to begin busking on Dublin streets. He first came to popular attention as guitar player Outspan Foster in the Alan Parker film The Commitments.

Best know in his native Ireland as the front man of The Swell Season.

The sound-track to Once featured songs from Hansard's writing back catalogue, including new arrangements of songs previously recorded with Marketa Irglova, one of which Falling Slowly was nominated for the 2007 Grammy for "Best Song Written for Motion Picture" and won the 2007 Academy Award for "Best Original Song".