Saoirse in Irish means ‘freedom’ and Saoirse Ronan, unique and charismatic, is the living epitome of her name. One of the most sought-after young actresses in Hollywood, this Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated actress is incredibly gifted and known for her brilliant calibre to leave an indelible imprint in the minds of viewers with her powerful performances.
Saoirse has been a film buff for a long time and credits her grandmother for instilling the film bug in her. A lover of old films like Eraserhead, On the Waterfront etc., Saoirse had first auditioned for the role of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise. Losing out the role to Evanna Lynch did not deter her as she went on to audition for Amy Heckerling’s I Could Never Be Your Woman and bagged it.
Ronan’s breakthrough film was Joe Wright’s Atonement alongside Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Her heartfelt performance as Knightley’s younger sister won her an Academy Award nomination, making her the seventh-youngest nominee at the age of 13.
Ronan began climbing up the stairs of stardom in 2010, appearing in films like Hanna, Litte Women, The Secret World of Arrietty, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Mary Queen of Scots, Ammonite etc.
Ronan is best celebrated for her role in Greta Gerwig’s 2017 coming-of-age film Lady Bird where she portrays the turbulence of the adolescent mind beautifully while dealing with the pressure and anxieties of teenagers, including first love, college applications, performance anxieties and family problems.
Ronan has been vocal about her love for films. Among some of her favourites, a lighthearted comedy is available for streaming on Netflix USA, UK, Ireland and Canada.
Ronan loves Paul Feig’s 2011 comedy Bridesmaids. Talking about the film, Ronan said, “I love that everyone’s funny and really different in it. There’s never a joke that doesn’t land. I like that it’s about the friendship of the girls and the marriage and even the relationship with Chris O’Dowd is kind of a secondary thing. I really love seeing two pals get a kick out of each other.”
To Ronan, the film is quite refreshing and groundbreaking as it redefines the relationship between women and comedy. “Something like that hadn’t really been done in that way and it’s so brilliant that it was as successful as it was,” she said, before adding, “I feel like the girls in comedy have changed: They paved the way for the rest of us I feel.”
Very cheekily, Ronan added to her comments, “I’m so bad: whenever anyone asks me what my favourite film is, it’s always Sister Act and Dirty Dancing and Bridesmaids. It’s never, like, Citizen Kane.”
Starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Rebel Wilson, Chris O’Dowd, Terry Crews and others, Bridesmaids is a chaotic and hilarious examination of friendship, fun and marriage preparations, viewed through the lens of serious misfortunes and escapades involving brides, bridesmaids and a very unlucky maid of honour.
Read more about Saoirse Ronan’s best films on Netflix here.
