Saoirse Ronan is one of the most critically acclaimed young actresses of the last decade or so, and she is only 25 years old. In 2020, Saoirse Ronan earned her fourth Oscar nomination for her role as Jo March in Little Women. Three of those Oscar nominations have been for Best Actress in a Lead Role. Ronan is only the second youngest actress to receive two nominations by 21, and three by 24. With so many accolades at such a young age, it’s clear that Saoirse Ronan has a major career in movies ahead.
Ronan began acting in 2003. Her first acting gig was on an Irish medical drama called The Clinic. However, it wasn’t until 2007’s Atonement that Hollywood and the British Academy started to take notice of this star in the making. She earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Role in Atonement, and her career just escalated since then.
Saoirse Ronan easily balances appearing in indie movies, big blockbusters, and passion projects. No matter what type of project Ronan decides to undertake, she excels with her exquisite execution. If you’re new to the brilliantly acted world of Saoirse Ronan, here are a few of her projects to check out.
Little Women
Little Women follows the March sisters Amy, Meg, Jo, and Beth as they deal with the Civil War and becoming young women. Greta Gerwig directed the latest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic. Saoirse Ronan takes on the role of Jo March, the aspiring novelist who wants to make her own way in the world, without the confinement of marriage. Little Women’s cast includes Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and rising star Florence Pugh.
Saoirse Ronan gives Jo all the spunk, determination, and vulnerability that makes her such a beloved literary figure. Many have played Jo on the big screen prior to Ronan, but this is one of the best screen versions of Jo because of Ronan’s ability to communicate the barriers still faced by women. Little Women is currently still playing in theaters. It’ll be part of many theater’s Oscar Best Picture showcase on Feb 8. Little Women will likely be available to purchase digitally in March 2020.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a romantic historical drama about an Irish woman, Ellis (Saoirse Ronan), who moves to Brooklyn for work. While there, she falls in love with her life in America and a New Yorker named Tony (Emory Cohen). This makes Ellis torn between her homeland and her new life in New York. It’s based on Colm Tobin’s novel of the same name.
Saoirse Ronan was born in New York City, but her family moved back to Dublin when she was three, giving her both Irish and American roots. She spoke to Indiewire about relating to her character Ellis’ journey in Brooklyn. Saoirse Ronan often gives her whole heart to roles, but she likely gave even more of it in this relatable role. Brooklyn is a quiet movie with great performances by the entire cast, and especially Ronan. The film earned Ronan her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2016. Brooklyn is available to buy or rent on most VOD services. Rent or purchase it HERE.
Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” Music Video
“Galway Girl” is a song about falling in love with a girl from Galway, Ireland. The entire video acts as a tribute to the spirit of Ireland with Ed Sheeran and Saoirse Ronan pub-crawling through different bars on Grafton Street.
Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” music video takes his perspective, so viewers see everything through his eyes. The video mainly focuses on Sheeran watching Ronan’s character and the spirit she brings to the night. It’s a fun video that shows Ronan in a much more playful role than most of her movie roles. Watch Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” music video HERE.
Lady Bird
Lady Bird is Greta Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan, and Timothee Chalamet’s first film collaboration. Lady Bird follows the turbulent relationship between Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) and her mother Marion McPherson (Laurie Metcalf). Their similarities often put their relationship in a constant combative state. Lady Bird earned both actresses Academy Award nominations for Best Lead and Supporting Actress.
Ronan nails the self-involved but sympathetic teen role in Lady Bird. Both Christine and Marion make you gasp at some of their behavior and words, but you also understand their individual struggles and why it fractures this relationship. Lady Bird also shows how despite the fighting, these two characters really love each other. Saoirse Ronan and Metcalf give splendid performances. Lady Bird is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Stream it HERE.
Hanna
Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, and Saoirse Ronan star in Hanna, a movie about a young girl whose father trained her to become an assassin. Hanna is an action adventure movie that Joe Wright directed. In 2019, Amazon Prime Video released a series based on the movie that goes more into the origin of Hanna and her father.
Saoirse Ronan took martial arts classes to do her own stunts. She was a committed actress even as a teen. Along with making Hanna a complete badass, she gave the character some humanity that kept the character from being a soulless killing machine. Hanna is available to stream with a Cinemax subscription. Stream it HERE.
Loving Vincent
Loving Vincent is a completely hand drawn animation about the life and death of Vincent Van Gogh. The drawings of Loving Vincent mimic the famed painter’s actual post-impressionist style. The film is a fictionalized account of Van Gogh’s death told through the journey of Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth). He’s trying to deliver Vincent Van Gogh’s last letter to his brother. Armand’s journey makes him explore if Van Gogh’s death was murder or suicide.
Saoirse Ronan plays Marguerite Gachet, the daughter of Van Gogh’s doctor, Paul Gachet (Jerome Flynn). Marguerite and Van Gogh develop a friendship that makes Dr. Gachet worry about her being a distraction for Van Gogh and his art. Loving Vincent is a gorgeous animation that showcases the uncertainty of Van Gogh’s life and death. Even as an animated version of herself, Ronan gives the character depth. Loving Vincent is available on Hulu. Stream it HERE.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson directed and wrote The Grand Budapest Hotel. It revolves around the adventures of M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero (Tony Revolori). The Grand Budapest Hotel has an all-star cast that includes Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Owen Wilson.
Saoirse Ronan plays Zero’s love interest Agatha in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The pair have a fun dynamic. Ronan also portrays Agatha as someone who is both clever and kind. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a unique, playful movie with beautiful cinematography. It’s available to buy or rent on most major streaming platforms like Amazon Prime.
How I Live Now
How I Live Now is set in an alternative universe where World War III is currently happening. An American named Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) goes to live with her English relatives. She starts to fall in love with her cousin, Edmond (George MacKay), but then their lives are thrown even further for a loop when a nuclear bomb hits. Daisy, Edmond, and her two younger cousins must try to survive in this new dangerous world.
How I Live Now is a bleak movie, but it captivates you from start to finish. This is mainly due to Saoirse Ronan’s lead role. She takes you through Daisy’s journey as a misfit teen to the only hope of survival for her and her cousins. How I Live Now includes a cast of some of the current biggest young stars. Besides Ronan and George MacKay, Tom Holland plays one of Daisy’s young cousins. How I Live Now is available to stream free on Tubi. Stream it HERE.
The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson directed The Lovely Bones, a film adaptation of Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel of the same name. Saoirse Ronan stars alongside Stanley Tucci, Rachael Weisz, and Mark Wahlberg. Susie Salmon (Ronan) is murdered and her family falls apart. The Lovely Bones is told from Susie’s perspective as she lives in limbo watching her family and friends deal with the aftermath of her death.
Saoirse Ronan expertly breaks your heart in The Lovely Bones. The film is a look at what happens when a life is taken too soon, and the scars that can’t heal. The Lovely Bones really highlights the amazing acting potential that Saoirse Ronan had at such a young age. The movie is available to stream on Hulu. Stream it HERE.
Atonement
Saoirse Ronan plays the child version of Briony in Atonement. Briony is an aspiring writer who witnesses a crime and then accuses the wrong man of it. This tears her sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and the man she loves, Robbie (James McAvoy), apart.
Atonement showcases how the lives of adults can be a confusing and scary place for a child. It also shows how one lie can destroy a life. Saoirse Ronan gives Briony youthful spirit with a touch of determination and cluelessness when it comes to being an adult. There are three different actresses playing Briony in Atonement, but Ronan definitely stands out the most for her unforgettable performance in the film. Atonement is available to stream with a Starz subscription. Stream it HERE.
Hozier’s “Chery Wine” Music Video
“Cherry Wine” is a song about a toxic relationship. It’s told from the perspective of someone who is dealing with an abusive significant other. Saoirse Ronan stars in the “Cherry Wine” video, and she plays a character abused by her male lover. The entire song and video is about domestic abuse.
Saoirse Ronan doesn’t utter one word in “Cherry Wine,” but she makes all her emotions come across in her facial expressions. Hozier and Ronan show how the intoxicating nature of love can keep people in a cycle of abuse. The song is beautiful and powerful, and the video matches it. Watch Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” HERE.
Watch the Academy Awards this Sunday to see if Saoirse Ronan takes home her first Academy Award. Later this year, Ronan will reunite with Wes Anderson in The French Dispatch. She’ll also star opposite Kate Winslet in Ammonite sometime in 2020. Based on solely on Ronan’s acting prowess, we’ll guess that she may earn another Oscar nomination for her performance in one of those films.
