Jessie Buckley’s recent comments about her preference in the classic “cats or dogs” debate have sparked controversy, with some fans fearing it might even impact her Oscar chances.

Buckley, a frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Actress due to her powerful portrayal of Agnes Hathaway in Chloe Zhao’s “Hamnet,” finds herself in hot water over a resurfaced interview from November. In this interview, the 36-year-old actress candidly shared an ultimatum she gave her husband, Freddie Sorensen, before moving in together: it was either his adored cats or her.

During the episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Buckley revealed her dislike for cats, a sentiment that was humorously echoed by her “Hamnet” co-star, Paul Mescal, with both actors chuckling over the topic. Buckley remarked, “I don’t like cats,” to which Mescal added, “F*** cats,” and laughter ensued.

Her comments drew the attention of cat enthusiasts, especially when she recalled, “My husband, when I started dating him, he had two cats… This is bad as well. I’m gonna get cancelled.” Buckley described one of the felines as a “pedigree model bitch” that appeared to stage a rebellion against her. “I’d come home, and there’d just be poo on my pillow,” she recounted, leading her to declare, “it’s me or the cats.” Ultimately, she triumphed in the standoff.

Ms Buckley caught cat lovers’ attention when she added: ‘My husband, when I started dating him, he had two cats… This is bad as well. I’m gonna get cancelled.

‘One of the cats was like a pedigree model bitch, and she staged a coup against me. I’d come home, and there’d just be poo on my pillow. And I was like, ‘it’s me or the cats’. But I won!’

Jesse Buckley issued a brutal ultimatum to her husband Freddie Sorensen about his beloved cats – and fans are worrying that it could jeopardise her Oscar hopes

An interview from November has resurfaced, which shows the 36-year-old actress admitting she had given husband Freddie an ultimatum (Jessie and Freddie pictured in January)

Ms Buckley has now desperately backtracked to say she is a lover of cats, following the backlash.

She said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: ‘I need to clarify something for all cat lovers in the world.

‘I am a lover of cats. I woke up this morning to the world thinking I really don’t love cats and it really weighed on me all day. I felt sick.

‘I want to just tell cat people, I actually auditioned to be a cat once. And there’s been misconceptions because of an interview that I did. 

They asked me if I was a dog or a cat [person] and I’m thinking I’m probably a quarter cat and three-quarters dog.’

The Hamnet star then confirmed she had auditioned for the Cats musical, but gave the ‘worst’ try-out of her life.

She grimaced and said: ‘I’m making that face because honestly, I gave the worst audition of my life. 

‘Well, how do you be a cat?!… It was so hot. I was sweating. I was like licking my paw… Obviously, I didn’t get it.’

Ms Buckley has so far picked up all the awards she was nominated for this season, including a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award.

In the original interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast (Pictured), Ms Buckley stated, ‘I don’t like cats,’ while her Hamnet co-star Paul Mescal echoed, ‘F*** cats’

Jessie’s answer to the age old question of ‘cats or dogs’ has left her at risk of being cancelled – and some fans even believe it could derail her Oscar hopes

Concerned fans said they worried that Jessie’s dislike of cats could backfire on her.

They wrote: ‘Damage control. Oscar voting is over, but she needs to protect her future casting potential and box office success. She’s a talented actress and I wouldn’t necessarily boycott her if she made something I was interested in, but I’m not buying her change of heart,’;

‘not the damage control [crying face],’; ‘To late miss..the harm is done ….you are done for cat lovers,’; 

‘Desperately trying to save her Oscar campaign,’; ‘Sorry jessie u just dont f*** with cats. Cats are everything.. that interview was questionable,’; 

‘Figured this was coming but I think Oscar voting closed before airtime,’; ‘That Oscar is secured.’ 

Fans are now eager to watch if she picks up her first Oscar on March 15, or if the feline community will claim victory.