Glen Hansard, Irish singer-actor known for 'Once,' dies in motorcycle accident

Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter and actor beloved for the film "Once," has died following a motorcycle accident. He was 56.

International media including the BBC reported Wednesday, citing his agency ATC Management, that Hansard died in the early hours of that morning in a traffic accident in Dublin, Ireland.

ATC Management said the family was "in deep shock and grief" and asked that their privacy be respected.

According to local media, the accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. near Strawberry Beds road in Lucan, west Dublin. Dublin police said they were seeking witnesses to the motorcycle crash.

Hansard was born in Dublin in 1970 and began his musical career as a busker after dropping out of school as a teenager. He formed the rock band The Frames in 1990, serving as vocalist and guitarist, and the following year made his acting debut as a guitarist in Alan Parker's musical film "The Commitments."

Hansard rose to international prominence when "Once," released in 2007, became a worldwide hit. In John Carney's low-budget musical film, he played one of two unknown musicians who meet in Dublin alongside Czech singer Markéta Irglová. The two co-wrote the film's original soundtrack, which became a major success — particularly "Falling Slowly," which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 80th ceremony in 2008. The film was later adapted into a stage musical, winning eight Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical.

Hansard and Irglová performed together as the project group The Swell Season and appeared in South Korea on multiple occasions. Their 2009 concert at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts drew 2,784 paid audience members per show, setting a record that year for the highest single-performance average paid attendance at the venue. Last year, Hansard reunited with Irglová for a new Swell Season project, releasing the album "Forward."

Hansard also maintained a steady solo career. His second solo album, "Didn't He Ramble," released in 2015, earned a nomination for Best Folk Album at the 58th Grammy Awards the following year.

He is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saariaho, and their 3-year-old son, Kristi.