Since her breakout role in 2007, Saoirse Ronan has been one of the most exciting talents in Hollywood, giving impeccable performances from action movies to period dramas. At 28 years old, she’s worked with some of Hollywood’s best directors; she’s been on rotation working with Joe Wright, Greta Gerwig, and Wes Anderson. In an interview with The Irish Sun in 2017, Ryan Gosling recalled working with the actress during his feature directorial debut, Lost River, praising her as “Meryl (Streep) reborn;” Ronan would later go on to work with the legendary actress, Meryl Streep, in Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women.
Saoirse isn’t slowing down anytime soon. She’ll soon star alongside Sam Rockwell in the mystery comedy See How They Run, which also features Adrien Brody, David Oyelowo, and Sian Clifford. Before she returns to the silver screen, let’s look back on her best performances so far and see how she became one of the best actresses of her generation.
Briony Tallis in Atonement (2007)
At thirteen years old, Ronan takes Hollywood by storm when she’s cast as the younger Briony in Atonement. Directed by Joe Wright, a young Briony misinterprets an event between her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie (James McAvoy). When she accuses Robbie of a crime he didn’t commit, she forever alters the lives of those around her to a devastating degree across the decades. The plot of Atonement hinges on Ronan's breakout performance. For what could’ve been an unlikable role as the pestering younger sister, Ronan plays Briony with a naivety and passion that stands her apart from her older cast mates. In fact, she is the only actress to receive acting recognition from the Academy; her nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role put a spotlight on Ronan and paved the way for continued acting excellence to follow.
Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones (2009)
Based on the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold, Ronan stars as the ill-fated Susie Salmon, who at fourteen is murdered by her neighbor (Stanley Tucci). From beyond the grave, Susie watches her family from the “In-Between,” refusing to move on until her parents, Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz, discovers the truth about her murder and heal from her absence. Through the supernatural elements of the story itself, Peter Jackson struck gold in casting Ronan, who naturally shines as a young woman whose life is tragically ripped from her. Though The Lovely Bones received mixed reviews, Ronan’s performance here stands as a major highlight.
Hanna in Hanna (2011)
Ronan re-teamed with Atonement director Joe Wright to play the titular skilled assassin on the run. After a CIA agent, played by Cate Blanchett, tracks down her and her father (Eric Bana), Hanna races across Europe in order to evade capture and discover the truth about her upbringing. Though the film is an action thriller, it doubles as a coming-of-age story, where Hanna realizes what she’s been missing in her life and makes her own way in the world. The fight choreography in Hanna shows off Ronan’s versatility as an action star, yet she provides depth to the film’s narrative, making it stand out from your typical action movie.
Daisy in How I Live Now (2013)
Before Tom Holland was swinging webs in New York as Spider-Man, he played Ronan’s cousin in this romantic apocalyptic movie. While Daisy is sent to live with him and his brother Eddie (George Mackay), nuclear war breaks out, and it becomes a matter of survival to reunite with her family and lover. How I Live Now continues Ronan’s success as an action star, even drawing comparisons to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from The Hunger Games. The transformation from rebellious, anorexic teenager to self-sufficient survivor in the woods works due to the fierceness and passion Ronan brings to the role. Her chemistry with Mackay sells what could be considered a questionable love story, giving her character the motivation she needs to endure the surrounding chaos.
Agatha in The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
In her first collaboration with Wes Anderson, Ronan enters the eclectic world of The Grand Budapest Hotel as Agatha, a pastry chef with a distinct birthmark in the shape of Mexico on her cheek. Love interest to Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), she helps him clear the name of famed concierge Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) after he’s framed for the murder of Madame D (Tilda Swinton). From a large ensemble, Ronan shines among them, lending her natural wit and effortless chemistry to the film. Even when engaging in a tense scene in the elevator with Dmitri, played by Adrien Brody, she creates a sense of anxiety and dread with nothing more than a look. Her work here in The Grand Budapest Hotel earned her a spot among Anderson’s usual troupe of actors, making an appearance in his latest film, The French Dispatch.
Eilis Lacey in Brooklyn (2015)
Set in the early 1950s, Ronan’s Eilis moves from Ireland to the New York borough in order to find more job opportunities. Though she’s initially homesick and feels out of place, she gradually begins to create a life for herself, even finding love in the process. When a tragedy sends her back to Ireland, she must decide where home really is for her. Ronan is the heartbeat of this film about moving away from home and figuring out life in the process. Her ability to communicate the complex emotions Eilis feels without speaking is effortless. The tension between her old and new life makes her relatable and universal. It’s no wonder that Ronan’s earnest performance in Brooklyn would mark her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Christine “Lady Bird” MacPherson in Lady Bird (2017)
Lady Bird marks the beginning of the collaboration between Ronan and Greta Gerwig. In Gerwig’s directorial debut, Ronan stars in the titular role as Christine “Lady Bird” MacPherson, a high school senior who’s headstrong and desperately longs to move to New York City. She and her equally opinionated mother, played by Laurie Metcalf, maintain a tumultuous relationship as she’s trying to create a new identity within her life in early 00s Sacramento. Along the way, she’s joined by her best friend (Beanie Feldstein), her first boyfriend (Lucas Hedges), and her first sexual partner (Timothée Chalamet). While her character in Brooklyn is more naive and wide-eyed in her self-discovery, Ronan plays Lady Bird with a messiness and empathy of a high school student, openly defiant of the life around her but inwardly insecure and seeking acceptance. Her perfectly imperfect performance as Lady Bird in this coming-of-age film earned her second Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination at the 2018 Oscars.
Mary Stuart in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
The Irish actress puts her stamp on the famous Scottish queen in the historical drama. In this interpretation of history, Mary Stuart goes toe-to-toe with Queen Elizabeth I, played by Margot Robbie, as she attempts to overthrow her cousin. Treated as equals in power in this film, both Ronan and Robbie command the screen by their strength; in particular, Ronan’s passion pairs well with Robbie’s vulnerability as the famous Tudor queen. After going head-to-head the previous year for Best Actress at the Oscars — Ronan for Lady Bird and Robbie for I, Tonya — having the two of these acclaimed actresses share the screen made up for the historical inaccuracies of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Jo March in Little Women (2019)
Collaborating with Gerwig once again, Ronan leads an all-star cast in Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women, which leads to her third Best Actress nomination. Alongside Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, and Florence Pugh, Little Women tells the story of the March sisters' move from the carefree nature of late childhood into the trials of early adulthood. Ronan embodies the beloved literary heroine Jo March, capturing the passion and frustration of her dreams of being a female writer in the late 1800s, and holds her own against acting heavyweights like Laura Dern and Meryl Streep. In the reverse from Lady Bird, Ronan has the emotional upper hand over Chalamet’s Laurie, yet simultaneously breaks your heart in the process. For a character that has been adapted many times before, Ronan’s Jo March stands out while honoring the previous versions of her.
Charlotte Murchison in Ammonite (2020)
Ronan stars alongside Kate Winslet in this period romance film loosely based on real-life geologist, Charlotte Murchison, and paleontologist, Mary Anning. As Winslet’s Mary takes care of her ill mother (Gemma Jones), she meets Ronan’s Charlotte, and the two begin spending time together collecting fossils on the beach. The film captures the longing and love between these two women. Ronan compliments Winslet as she unravels Mary’s preconceived views of the world, letting herself get caught up in this speculative affair. Though Ammonite is a quieter film than her previous work, Ronan elevates the film through her vulnerability and tenderness, further highlighting why she has been a prominent actress for years.