When it comes to talented young actresses, Saoirse Ronan is a standout. Though many might not realize, she’s been a significant presence in Hollywood since the early 2000s.
Born in New York City and raised in Dublin, Saoirse started acting in 2003 with a role in The Clinic. Her big break came in 2009 with The Lovely Bones, where she played Susie Salmon alongside Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg. Reflecting on her casting, Saoirse said, “It wasn’t one of those things where you hear about it and you jump up and down and scream. We just sat there [on the couch in their living room] and we’re trying to figure out what they just said. ‘Wait a minute, I’ve been cast in a Peter Jackson film?’”
One of her most notable roles is Jo March in the 2019 adaptation of Little Women. Saoirse revealed, “I had heard, I think from her or my agent, that this was a thing she was going to do, and so straight away I was just, ‘I have to be Jo.’” She even went up to Greta Gerwig at an awards show to express her desire for the role, leading to Greta’s response, “You’re right, you’re Jo.”
We’re certainly glad Saoirse took that bold step!
#1. 2007
Before The Lovely Bones, Saoirse Ronan had already built an impressive resume with seven acting credits, including both TV series and five feature films.
#2. 2008
One of those films was I Could Never Be Your Woman, starring Paul Rudd and Michelle Pfeiffer.
#3. 2009
From 2009 onward, Saoirse appeared in several projects, including The Way Back, Violet & Daisy, and The Host.
#4. 2010
By 2010, Saoirse Ronan had already won several awards, including the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and Best Performance by a Youth in a Leading or Supporting Role—Female.
#5. 2011
Saoirse continued to secure several roles, paving the way for the acclaimed titles we know her for today.
#6. 2012
By 2012, Saoirse Ronan had accumulated an impressive 13 roles by the age of 18.
#7. 2013
In 2013, Saoirse Ronan appeared as Daisy in How I Live and also did voiceover work for Justin and the Knights of Valour.
#8. 2014
In 2014, Saoirse Ronan played Agatha in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.
#9. 2015
2015 was a monumental year for Saoirse Ronan. She starred in Brooklyn, earning nominations for several major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress.
#10. 2016
Although Saoirse didn’t win the Oscar (Brie Larson took home the award for Room in 2016), she continued to make a name for herself.
#11. 2017
Which brings us to Lady Bird! Directed and written by Greta Gerwig, it’s one of the most heartwarming—and heartbreaking—coming-of-age stories ever. Saoirse Ronan’s portrayal of Lady Bird McPherson remains beloved to this day.
#12. 2018
In 2018, Mary Queen of Scots was the next major role for Saoirse Ronan.
#13. 2019
A reunion! Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan teamed up once again for the director’s 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women.
#14. 2020
In 2020, Saoirse Ronan was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Little Women. Although she didn’t win, we have no doubt that her time for an Oscar will come soon enough!
#15. 2021
In 2021, Saoirse Ronan appeared in The French Dispatch as a showgirl and made her West End theatre debut in London, starring as Lady Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth.
#16. 2022
Saoirse Ronan joined Caitriona Balfe on the red carpet at the 2022 British Academy Scotland Awards, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Glasgow on November 20.
#17. 2024
Saoirse Ronan, Justin Bieber, and Bad Bunny are among the stars who may be feeling 30, flirty, and thriving as they enter a new decade in 2024.
