The New York Film Critics Circle earlier today named Saoirse Ronan best actress of 2015 for her role as a young Irish immigrant in the 1950s, navigating life on her own in the borough that gives Brooklyn its title.

While digesting the news back in Dublin, Ronan took time to speak with The Hollywood Reporterabout what the award means to her. The 21-year-old emerging star revealed her strong personal connection to New York City as she also prepares to make her Broadway debut early next year in an all-star revival of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, beginning performances Feb. 29.

Congratulations on your award today.

Ronan: Thank you so, so much. I only heard a couple of hours ago; I was in the car on the way home and I almost crashed into a bus. But yeah, it’s really an absolute honor, I have to say. I’m back in Dublin and I genuinely did almost crash into a bus. I heard actually when I was still in the building, but then I talked to my agent afterwards and we were both very, very happy. And then I almost killed both myself and my mother! It didn’t happen — yet — but that’s how excited I was.

So what does it mean to you to be named best actress by the New York Film Critics Circle?

It means everything, especially the fact that it’s the New York critics recognizing me and the film and work that I’ve done — it couldn’t mean more. This is a city that means so much to me and it’s a huge part of the film. I’ve been saying to my Mam on the way home that this is the first time apart from Irish awards that I’ve gotten a best actress prize, so it means an awful lot, it really does.

As you say, Brooklyn is as much a New York story as it is an Irish story. As a young Irish woman who is making your way internationally now, was it a very personal film for you? Continue reading