Buckley was born on 9 February 1977 in Dublin, Ireland and, at age six, emigrated with his family to White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.

[3][4] In his teens, Buckley began his acting career in the television series The Odyssey followed by guest starring roles in The X-Files and Millennium.

Before receiving the role of Adam Ross, Buckley had appeared as a different character on the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in a 2004 episode.

Harold Whaley, program director for Urban Network, suggested the idea of an in-world premiere featuring Buckley as a guest host and panellist for a post-screening Q&A.

"[14] In 2019, Buckley played on the "Away" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.