Saoirse Ronan is here to stay.
Surprisingly born in the Bronx before making Ireland her home, Ronan has proven to be a powerhouse of talent and one of the most influential actors of her generation. Since her screen debut at the age of 9 in the 2003 medical drama “The Clinic,” Ronan has displayed remarkable versatility and depth. From her portrayal as the wide-eyed Briony in “Atonement” to her titular role in “Lady Bird,” Ronan has enriched the cinematic landscape. In celebration of her birthday, Variety ranks her top 11 film performances.
Ronan’s career, often compared to the likes of Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett for its variety of roles and accolades, has reaped a slew of critical and industry prizes. Her breakout role as the curious and precocious teenager Briony in Joe Wright’s “Atonement” not only captured hearts but also garnered the film seven Oscar nominations, earning Ronan her first nomination for supporting actress at just 13.
Unlike many child actors who vanish after early success, Ronan was just getting started. By the age of 25, she had earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Actress nods for her roles in “Brooklyn” (2015), “Lady Bird” (2017), and “Little Women” (2019). She is the second youngest actor to achieve this feat, trailing only behind Jennifer Lawrence.
Looking forward, Ronan continues to expand her horizon with Arcade Pictures, a production company she co-founded with her husband, Jack Lowden, and producer Dominic Norris. Their latest project, “The Outrun” — a Sundance hit drama set for release later this year — has already generated Oscar buzz for Ronan’s portrayal of a woman battling alcoholism. Additionally, Ronan is set to star in Steve McQueen’s World War II epic “Blitz” from Apple Original Films and the comedy “Bad Apples,” currently in production.
Read Variety’s list of Ronan’s best performances below.
Honorable mentions: “The Way Back” (2010); “Byzantium” (2012); “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014);
-
See How They Run (2022)
Image Credit: Courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures In Tom George’s mystery comedy, Ronan plays Constable Stalker, an energetic and eager-to-please officer assigned to assist the alcoholic inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) in trying to solve the murder of a sleazy American director.
While the Agatha Christie references don’t do the film any favors, Ronan makes her sweet and intelligent Constable her own, garnering plenty of chuckles and keeping the film intact for an enjoyable British ride.
-
Ammonite (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy of NEON From writer-director Francis Lee, “Ammonite” takes place in 1840s England, where acclaimed but overlooked fossil hunter Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works alone under brutal conditions on the southern coastline. When Charlotte (Ronan), the wife of a tourist, arrives, the two women develop a passionate love affair that defies the social bounds of their time.
Admittedly, the script doesn’t develop Ronan’s character to its full realization, leaving the audience wanting more. Nonetheless, she elevates Charlotte’s seemingly one-note, melancholy demeanor, but the film struggles to give any more knowledge of her besides what Ronan can convey. As always, she gives it her all.
-
How I Live Now (2013)
Image Credit: ©Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection While director Kevin Macdonald’s films are a mixed bag, this adaptation of the Meg Rosoff novel finds Ronan in impeccable form as Daisy, an teenager sent to the English countryside for the summer as she finds love while fighting for survival as a war takes over the world around her. The post-apocalyptic drama is more timely than we’d like to admit, but more importantly, it sees Ronan’s ability to embody and channel any character, no matter how unfamiliar it may seem.
-
Violet & Daisy (2011)
In this offbeat crime dramedy, Ronan plays Daisy, one half of a teenage assassin duo in “Precious” scribe Geoffrey Fletcher’s directorial debut. Alongside Alexel Bledel and James Gandolfini, her ability to mix the surface innocence with the inner evil gives this panned, quirky endeavor a sense of identity.
-
Hanna (2011)
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Ronan can do anything, even action films.
As a young girl raised in the wilderness to become the perfect assassin, Ronan’s intense and jarring physical transformation in Joe Wright’s film is visually impressive. However, her ability to convey the emotional isolation the titular character feels makes “Hanna” entertaining and stirring.
-
Little Women (2019)
Image Credit: Wilson Webb/courtesy image As Jo March in Greta Gerwig’s latest adaptation of the acclaimed novel, Ronan embodies the spirited, headstrong literary protagonist with a modern twist. Teaming back up with the likes of Timothee Chalamet, her dynamic portrayal captures Jo’s fiery independence and vulnerabilities, equally matched to Winona Ryder’s Oscar-nominated turn from 1994. She made an old character feel new and relevant again. Ronan earned an Oscar nom for best actress, in addition to co-star Florence Pugh in supporting.
-
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collect / Everett Collection Ronan’s work as the titular character in Josie Rourke’s invigorating period drama is undeniably her most underappreciated. Opposite Margot Robbie, Ronan’s Mary Stuart, who battles with her cousin for the throne she’s the rightful heir to, is commanding and underscored by the quest for power and an impending tragic destiny.
-
The Lovely Bones (2009)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection “The Lovely Bones” is a book that has deeply resonated with me, and like many other cinephiles, I was profoundly disappointed with Peter Jackson’s CGI-heavy adaptation. However, the character of Susie Salmon was a shining light in an otherwise lackluster film. Saoirse Ronan’s exceptional portrayal, which managed to show Susie as more than just a victim, was a testament to her immense talent and dedication.
As a girl in the “in-between” after her murder, her touching and ethereal turn is the best element of the film, despite its sole nom for supporting actor Stanley Tucci.
-
Atonement (2007)
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection At the age of 13, Ronan plays the young Briony Tallis in the adaptation of Ian McEwan’s WWII-set novel, delivering a performance that’s both haunting and profoundly impactful, conveying an emotional maturity far beyond her years. Her complex depiction of Briony’s transition from naive child to remorseful adult set the stage for her career and the ultimate success of the character, capturing the destructive power of a misunderstood child with chilling accuracy.
-
Lady Bird (2017)
Image Credit: A24 Who knew Ronan could be so funny as she brilliantly captures the essence of being on the brink of adulthood as a teen early-2000s Sacramento, Calif. Her portrayal of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s second film is filled with all the contradictions typical of adolescence — she is confident and insecure, determined and confused. Embodying these dichotomies with naturalism sans the clichés allows the audience to see their teenage experiences, even if they weren’t young girls.
Her Golden Globe win for lead actress (comedy) was more than deserved.
-
Brooklyn (2015)
Image Credit: ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection Bringing to life the character of Eilis Lacey, a woman caught in a romantic dilemma, Ronan packs a resonant depth that speaks volumes about her acting capabilities. Handling the cultural aspects of Eilis’s character with integrity, she portrays an Irish immigrant to New York during the 1950s with deep understanding and sensitivity. Landing her second Oscar nom and her first as a leading actress, she narrowly lost the prize to Brie Larson for “Room.”
