How Saoirse Ronan’s biggest regret was a blessing in disguise: “That stayed with me over the years”
At just 13 years old, Saoirse Ronan bagged her very first Oscar nomination for her performance in Atonement. From there, she has fulfilled every ounce of expectation set out for her and become one of the very best actors in Hollywood.
Ever since that breakout performance, she’s rarely had to fight for acting scraps. Almost instantly surpassing the role of struggling auditioner, Ronan’s name found itself on the tip of every casting agent’s tongue, as they sought to land her in whatever big-screen project they were next working on.
Mary Queen of Scots, Lady Bird and Brooklyn all showed her capability as a lead actor, with the latter projects bagging her a second and third Oscar nomination, all at the tender age of 22.
But in the very same year as her Oscar-nominated performance in Atonement, The Harry Potter series was releasing its fifth instalment, The Order Of The Phoenix. Despite being the film that powered the pivot into narrative darkness, setting it up for its grand finale, it did have a fresh injection of comic relief through the character of Luna Lovegood.
The whimsical Irish character was, on the surface, the perfect part for a burgeoning Ronan, who in fact auditioned for the role. And much like Atonement, it would have given her the sort of widespread exposure she needed to begin a career in Hollywood, but may have lacked the sort of artistic credibility that she eventually forged in Joe Wright’s wartime drama.
So with three Oscar nominations under her belt and a career that bills her as the industry’s most sought-after actor, Ronan looks back on that missed opportunity as something of a blessing in disguise.
She recalled, “There are things that you’ll pass on, and then they come out, and you think, ‘Oh God, that was a misstep on my part’. but I think the one that stayed with me over the years – I didn’t say no to it, I just didn’t get the part…”
Adding, “I had gone up for Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter years ago,” she continued, joking that “half of Ireland” came to audition for the Irish character. “I knew I wasn’t going to get it because I was too young, but I got to read out a scene that was gonna be in Harry Potter, and it was the coolest thing ever.”
Ultimately, Ronan’s omission from the role was beneficial for both camps. As mentioned, Ronan’s career went on to immediately flourish, while The Order Of The Phoenix welcomed Evanna Lynch to the fold, who ended up perfectly embodying the Lovegood role.
Not only did Lynch beat over 15,000 other prospects in an open audition, but she also manifested a part that had been long in the making for her. During a childhood battle with anorexia, Lynch consistently wrote to JK Rowling about her deep love for the books, and more specifically outlined her desire to play the part of Lovegood when the opportunity came. While this never guaranteed her casting and she did in fact have to audition, it proved that the role was tailor-made for her, and not the eventual Oscar-nominated Ronan.
