ACTOR · BORN 1994
Saoirse Ronan
- Born
- 12 April 1994, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
- Known for
- Mary Queen of Scots (2018), Byzantium (2012), How I Live Now (2013), The Outrun (2024)
102 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Saoirse Ronan (born 12 April 1994) is an actor best known for Mary Queen of Scots, Byzantium and How I Live Now.
102 Interesting Facts About Saoirse Ronan
Interesting Facts (35)
- #001
In traditional Irish, the name Saoirse is pronounced "seer-sha," and she pronounces it that way when she is in Ireland. When speaking with people from North America, she pronounces it "sur-shuh." In the UK, on The Graham Norton Show (Series/Season 24, Episode 14), she pronounced it "sair-sha."
- #002
Saoirse Ronan is skilled in martial arts and often uses them in action scenes.
- #003
She moved from New York to Ireland when she was three years old and has lived there since.
- #004
Saoirse Ronan holds dual citizenship of Ireland and the United States.
- #005
She left Neil Jordan, the director of Byzantium (2013), "speechless" after performing the difficult 'Piano Sonata Opus 2, No. 3,' which she mastered in just 12 weeks.
- #006
She learned French for her role as Mary Stuart in Mary Queen of Scots (2018).
- #007
Peter Jackson cast her as the lead in The Lovely Bones (2009) based on an audition tape she sent from Ireland. They were so impressed by the tape that they did not even meet her before offering her the role.
- #008
TIME magazine ranked her performance in The Lovely Bones (2009) as the 3rd best female performance of 2009, just behind Mo'Nique and Carey Mulligan and ahead of Meryl Streep.
- #009
Ronan has been an ambassador for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) for many years.
- #010
She sang the song "Tell Me" for the soundtrack of Lost River (2014), whose music was composed by Johnny Jewel. Jewel said Ronan had never sung publicly before, and stated: "I set up an 8-channel in the floor of the kitchen next door to melt the ice. I unplugged all the phones and put them in the refrigerator. She came into the room and the three of us piled all the furniture and suitcases in the corner to close the door. I wanted her to feel as safe as possible and to sing as intimately as she could. It was as if she were the only person in the world. I promised her that no one would enter that room until we were done. Ryan turned off all the lights and the three of us sat on the floor in a circle in the dark. We recorded it in two takes with a single microphone and no headphones. There are no words to describe that moment."
- #011
One of Saoirse Ronan's idols is Kristen Wiig.
- #012
Saoirse Ronan appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair's 2016 Hollywood Issue alongside Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Rachel Weisz, Lupita Nyong'o, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Helen Mirren, Diane Keaton and Charlotte Rampling. The photograph was taken by Annie Leibovitz.
- #013
With her role in Brooklyn (2015), Saoirse Ronan became the youngest actress to win the Best Actress award at the NYFCC in 2015.
- #014
Saoirse Ronan is a fan of the following films: Taxi Driver (1976), Eraserhead (1977) and Bridesmaids (2011).
- #015
Saoirse Ronan is a big fan of Breaking Bad (2008).
- #016
Although her agency is based in Dublin, Ireland, Saoirse Ronan lives in London, England.
- #017
Saoirse Ronan has appeared in four different projects with Timothée Chalamet: Great Performers: Horror Show (2017), Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019) and The French Dispatch (2021). Greta Gerwig directed two of the films, and because the two actors were considered for guest appearances, the trio nearly reunited on Barbie (2023).
- #018
Saoirse Ronan is one of the youngest actresses to win two Best Actress awards from the New York Film Critics Circle.
- #019
In 2018, Ronan reunited for a second time with her Lady Bird (2017) co-star Timothée Chalamet and director Greta Gerwig for the remake of Little Women (2019).
- #020
In 2017, Ronan starred in the film adaptation of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach (2017), her second film adaptation of a McEwan novel or novella.
- #021
In a 2015 interview with Guillermo del Toro about Lost River (2014), Ryan Gosling said he wrote the character Rat for Ronan because of the lengths he would go to protect her: ''She's the best, she's so special.'' ''You want to look out for her, she's so special, she's such a little jewel, so precious.'' ''Your instinct is to protect her or look after her.'' ''I knew whether it was Saoirse, you could tell how much he (Bones) was trying to look out for her.''.
- #022
Saoirse Ronan had a border collie dog named Sassy.
- #023
Saoirse Ronan is a big fan of Saturday Night Live (1975) and made her first guest appearance on the show on 2 December 2017.
- #024
In June 2016, Ronan appeared on the cover of TIME magazine and was named one of its "Next Generation Leaders."
- #025
In 2008, she ranked 23rd on Entertainment Weekly's "30 Under 30" list of actresses.
- #026
She is a big fan of David Lynch.
- #027
She is the face of Raf Simons's first fragrance for Calvin Klein, titled 'Women', alongside Lupita Nyong'o.
- #028
Before being homeschooled, Ronan briefly attended Ardattin National School.
- #029
In 2010, at the age of 16, Ronan was invited to join AMPAS.
- #030
She is good friends with Aly Michalka, AJ Michalka and Margot Robbie.
- #031
She returned to work three months after giving birth to her first child to begin filming the Untitled George Harrison Biopic (2028).
- #032
She is a fan of MacGruber (2010).
- #033
She was included among IndieWire's (2018) "Best American Actors Under 30."
- #034
She appeared on the August (2018) cover of Vogue US.
- #035
Saoirse Ronan has played a character giving birth only once, in Mary Queen of Scots (2018).
Behind the Scenes (45)
- #036
Her first name, Saoirse, is Irish and means "Freedom." Her middle name, Una, is Irish and means "Unity." The surname Ronan is also Irish and means "Little Seal."
- #037
She is skilled in martial arts and often uses them in action scenes.
- #038
She holds dual citizenship of Ireland and the United States.
- #039
She left Neil Jordan, the director of Byzantium (2013), "speechless" after performing the difficult piece 'Piano Sonata Opus 2, No. 3,' which she mastered in just 12 weeks.
- #040
Peter Jackson cast her as the lead in Susie Salmon with the intention of an "unknown" playing the part, but things changed midway through filming The Lovely Bones (2009) when Ronan was nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for her performance in Atonement (2007).
- #041
In 2008, at the age of 13, she became the seventh-youngest actress ever nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Atonement (2007). Among the actresses nominated at a younger age than her are Tatum O'Neal, Mary Badham, Quinn Cummings, Abigail Breslin, Patty McCormack and Anna Paquin.
- #042
As of 2018, Saoirse became the second-youngest female actor to receive three Oscar nominations before the age of 24.
- #043
She was offered the role of Kitty in Anna Karenina (2012) but turned it down in order to take roles in Byzantium (2012) and The Host (2013). The reason she declined the film was its long production schedule, which would have required her to turn down film roles from the fall of 2011 until late spring 2012 and ultimately to make a film in what would become a supporting role. By turning the role down, she was able to take the lead in two films. Alicia Vikander was brought in in her place.
- #044
Ryan Gosling has often praised Ronan as follows: "She's a genius. She's a master. She made me a better actor, I think there's an elevation in the abilities of every actor she works with, they improve their game." "I felt like I was working with a master," he said, "like someone from the Golden Age. Someone superior to my skills as an actor in every way. She's Meryl reborn." Gosling was set to play Ronan's father before being fired by Peter Jackson, and the two were nearly going to appear together in 'The Lovely Bones.' The two worked together in 2013, when Gosling directed Ronan in Lost River (2014).
- #045
She sang the song "Tell Me" for the soundtrack of Lost River (2014), whose music was composed by Johnny Jewel. Jewel said Ronan had never sung publicly before and said: "I set up an 8-channel system on the floor of the kitchen next door to melt the ice. I unplugged all the phones and put them in the refrigerator. She came into the room and the three of us piled all the furniture and suitcases in the corner to close the door. I wanted her to feel as safe as possible and I wanted her to sing as intimately as she could. It was as if she were the only person in the world. I promised her that no one would enter that room until we were done. Ryan turned off all the lights and the three of us sat on the floor in a circle in the dark. We recorded it in two takes with a single microphone and no headphones. There are no words to describe that moment."
- #046
One of her idols is Kristen Wiig.
- #047
She spent several years of her childhood living in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. The neighborhood is made up largely of an Irish and Irish-American community.
- #048
She appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue [2016] alongside Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Rachel Weisz, Lupita Nyong'o, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Helen Mirren, Diane Keaton and Charlotte Rampling. Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.
- #049
She is the youngest female actor to win the best actress award at the NYFCC, in 2015, for her role in Brooklyn (2015).
- #050
She has been in a relationship with Jack Lowden, her co-star in Mary Queen of Scots (2018), since 2017.
- #051
She is a fan of the following films: Taxi Driver (1976), Eraserhead (1977) and Bridesmaids (2011).
- #052
She is a big fan of Breaking Bad (2008).
- #053
She lived in New York while starring in the Broadway production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, directed by Ivo van Hove.
- #054
Although her agency is in Dublin, Ireland, she lives in London, England.
- #055
She appeared in four different projects with Timothée Chalamet: Great Performers: Horror Show (2017), Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019) and The French Dispatch (2021). Greta Gerwig directed two of the films, and because both actors were considered for guest roles, the trio nearly reunited on Barbie (2023).
- #056
She is one of the youngest actresses to win two Best Actress awards from the New York Film Critics Circle.
- #057
At 21, she is the second youngest person to be nominated for multiple acting Oscars; only Angela Lansbury was younger when she earned her second nomination at 20.
- #058
In 2018, Ronan reunited with her Lady Bird (2017) co-star Timothée Chalamet and director Greta Gerwig for a second time for the remake of Little Women (2019).
- #059
She dyed her hair black for Ryan Gosling's film Lost River and said in an interview with ELLE: ''He came up with an idea where he really wanted my character to have black hair. And when Ryan asks you to do something, you do it!''.
- #060
In 2017, Ronan starred in the film adaptation of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach (2017); it was her second film adaptation of an McEwan novel/novella.
- #061
In a 2015 interview with Guillermo del Toro about Lost River (2014), Ryan Gosling said he wrote the character Rat for Ronan because of the lengths he went to in order to protect her: ''She's the best, she's so special.'' ''You want to look out for her, she's so special, she's such a little jewel, so precious.'' ''Your instinct is to protect her or look after her.'' ''I knew if it was Saoirse, you could understand how much effort she (Bones) put into looking out for her.''.
- #062
She is an ambassador for UNICEF's World Barber Day campaign (2018).
- #063
She had a border collie dog named Sassy.
- #064
In January 2016, she appeared on two of Forbes' ''30 Under 30'' lists.
- #065
She is a big fan of Saturday Night Live (1975) and made her first guest hosting appearance on 2 December 2017.
- #066
She gave birth to her first child in August 2025 at the age of 31. The child's father is her husband Jack Lowden.
- #067
In June 2016, Ronan appeared on the front cover of TIME Magazine and was named one of its ''Next Generation Leaders''.
- #068
In 2008, she ranked 23rd on Entertainment Weekly's ''30 Under 30'' list of female actresses.
- #069
I am a big fan of David Lynch.
- #070
She is the face of Raf Simons' first fragrance for Calvin Klein, titled 'Women', alongside Lupita Nyong'o.
- #071
Ronan briefly attended Ardattin National School before being homeschooled.
- #072
Ronan was in New Zealand when it was announced she had been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Atonement (2007).
- #073
The longest gap she has gone without an Oscar nomination is the 8 years between Atonement (2007) and Brooklyn (2015).
- #074
She returned to work three months after giving birth to her first child to begin filming Untitled George Harrison Biopic (2028).
- #075
She auditioned for the role of Sue Storm in Fantastic Four (2015) before Kate Mara was cast.
- #076
In 2018, Ronan was included in Variety500, ''an index of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the global $2 trillion entertainment industry''.
- #077
She was included by IndieWire (2018) among the ''Best American actors under 30''.
- #078
For her first Oscar nomination (at 13) for Atonement (2007) (Kodak Theatre / 24 February 2008), she wore a green Alberta Ferretti dress to the Academy Awards.
- #079
She was considered for the lead role in Cinderella (2015), but the role was given to Lily James instead.
- #080
The only time she played a character giving birth in a film was in Mary Queen of Scots (2018).
Characters & Cast (4)
- #081
She was offered the role of Kitty in Anna Karenina (2012) but turned it down to take roles in Byzantium (2012) and The Host (2013). The reason she declined the film was its long production schedule, which would have required her to turn down film roles from the autumn of 2011 until late spring 2012 and ultimately to take a supporting role in a film. By turning the role down, she was able to take the lead in two films. Alicia Vikander was cast in her place.
- #082
Saoirse Ronan has been in a relationship with Jack Lowden, her co-star in Mary Queen of Scots (2018), since 2017.
- #083
Before Kate Mara was cast, she auditioned for the role of Sue Storm in Fantastic Four (2015).
- #084
She was considered for the lead role in Cinderella (2015), but the part was given to Lily James instead.
Career & Awards (13)
- #085
Peter Jackson cast her as the lead, Susie Salmon, intending an "unknown" to play the part, but things changed midway through filming The Lovely Bones (2009) when Ronan was nominated for Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for her performance in Atonement (2007).
- #086
In 2008, at the age of 13, she became the seventh-youngest actor ever nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Atonement (2007). The actresses nominated at a younger age than her include Tatum O'Neal, Mary Badham, Quinn Cummings, Abigail Breslin, Patty McCormack and Anna Paquin.
- #087
As of 2018, Saoirse was the second-youngest female actor to receive three Oscar nominations before the age of 24.
- #088
She has appeared in five films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Atonement (2007), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Brooklyn (2015), Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019).
- #089
She became the second-youngest female actor to earn a second Oscar nomination, at the age of 21, after Angela Lansbury, who received her second nomination at 20.
- #090
Saoirse Ronan lived in New York while starring in the Broadway production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, directed by Ivo van Hove.
- #091
At 21, Saoirse Ronan is the second youngest person to be nominated for multiple acting Oscars; only Angela Lansbury, who earned her second nomination at 20, was younger.
- #092
In January 2016, Saoirse Ronan appeared on two of Forbes' ''30 Under 30'' lists.
- #093
Ronan was in New Zealand when her Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Atonement (2007) was announced.
- #094
The longest gap she has gone without an Oscar nomination is the eight years between Atonement (2007) and Brooklyn (2015).
- #095
She appeared on the cover of the 25th edition of Vanity Fair's 'Hollywood Issue 2019' alongside Chadwick Boseman and Timothée Chalamet, photographed by three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.
- #096
For her first Oscar nomination, for Atonement (2007) (Kodak Theatre / February 24, 2008), she wore a green Alberta Ferretti dress at the age of 13.
- #097
She appeared in a film selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014).
Life & Family (5)
- #098
Ronan was born in New York and raised in Ireland.
- #099
Ryan Gosling has often praised Ronan, saying: "She's a genius. She's a master. She made me a better actor, I think there's a rise in the abilities of every actor she works with, they improve their game." "I felt like I was working with a master," he said, "like someone from the Golden Age. Someone superior to my skills as an actor in every way. She's Meryl reborn." Gosling was set to play Ronan's father before being fired by Peter Jackson, and the pair nearly appeared together in 'The Lovely Bones.' The two worked together in 2013, when Gosling directed Ronan in Lost River (2014).
- #100
Saoirse Ronan spent several years of her childhood living in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx, a neighborhood made up largely of Irish and Irish-American communities.
- #101
Saoirse Ronan gave birth to her first child in August 2025, at the age of 31. The child's father is her husband, Jack Lowden.
- #102
In 2018, Ronan was included in the Variety500, "an index of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the global $2 trillion entertainment industry."
Continue through the archive
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work