One of the youngest actresses to be nominated for an Oscar, it was clear from the outset that Saoirse Ronan was destined for big things, and that’s before you throw her actor father Paul Ronan into the mix. Earning the election at just 13 for her role in 2007’s Atonement, she went on to star alongside the likes of Susan Sarandon (in 2009’s The Lovely Bones) and Cate Blanchett (2011’s Hanna). Now, at just 20 years old, Ronan already has a reputation for role picking done right.
When we catch her jetlagged and cocooned in blankets on a sofa in her home in Ireland, Ronan is doing what any sensible girl would do: indulging in a 24-hour marathon of Homeland, her latest obsession. We talk through upcoming films Stockholm, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, dream director collaborations and why integrity is paramount.
Wonderland: Talk us through the films you have coming out.
Saoirse Ronan: At the start of the year I did Stockholm, Pennsylvania. It’s a tiny film written and directed by Nikole Beckwith. It was her first time directing and we did it in 19 days, on a million dollar budget. I’d never done anything like that before. It was interesting to see how somebody, especially a new filmmaker, could handle that kind of pressure. After that I had about a week off, before moving onto Brooklyn.
