Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970 in Dublin, Ireland) is the principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish rock group The Frames. He is also known for starring in the film Once and co-writing its Academy-Award-winning song, "Falling Slowly." Hansard quit school at age 13 to begin busking on local Dublin streets. He formed The Frames in 1990, and they've been staples of the Irish music scene ever since. Their first album, Another Love Song, was released on Island Records in 1991, and their most recent, The Cost, was released in 2006. Hansard first came to international attention as guitar player Outspan Foster in the 1991 Alan Parker film The Commitments, after attending the New York Film Academy School of Acting. He has often stated that he regretted taking the role, because he felt it distracted from his music career. "Falling Slowly" is an Academy Award-winning song written and performed by personal and professional partners Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. It appeared in the couple's 2007 film Once. The song was given the Academy Award for Best Original Song over the choral gospel song "Raise It Up" from August Rush and three songs from.