Saoirse Ronan is surely on her way to becoming one of the best performers of the 21st century. Already a four-time Oscar nomination at 29, Ronan has built an impressive resumé, starring in films by acclaimed directors like Greta Gerwig, Wes Anderson, Joe Wright, and Garth Davis.
Rising to prominence in 2007, Ronan has worked non-stop since her breakthrough role in 2007's Atonement, cementing her reputation as a remarkably hard-working, versatile, and engaging performer. Many of her movies have become certified classics of modern cinema, largely thanks to her riveting and humane central performances, which have established her as a respected actress and major movie star.
10 'See How They Run' (2022)
Ronan's latest effort saw her starring opposite Oscar winner Sam Rockwell. The 2022 mystery comedy See How They Run follows a tired inspector and an overly eager constable teaming to solve the murder of an important crew member during a prestigious movie shoot. Ronan stars as Constable Stalker, an inexperienced but enthusiastic woman eager to make a name for herself.
See How They Run is a classic whodunit in the vein of Agatha Christie. Ronan delivers one of her most effortless and unassuming performances as Constable Stalker, the young police officer who is as charming as resourceful. Ronan's dynamic with Rockwell and the detailed production values elevate the film, which could easily be another murder mystery.
9 'The Way Back' (2010)
Peter Weir's 2010 survival film The Way Back stars Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell, and Ronan. The plot follows Janusz, a prisoner at a secluded Siberian Gulag who escapes during a blizzard. However, he must traverse over 4,000 miles on foot before being truly free. Ronan plays Irena, an orphaned teenage girl whose path crosses with Janusz's.
Although a supporting performance, Ronan is powerful as the teenage Irena, a role that proves her commitment to daring, challenging films rather than conventional pictures. The Way Back is a harrowing survival movie, and while the veracity of the book that inspired it has been heavily contested, it doesn't take from the film's potent narrative.
8 'Ammonite' (2020)
Ronan stars opposite Oscar winner Kate Winslet in Francis Lee's historical romantic drama Ammonite. The film centers on British paleontologist Mary Anning and presents a fictionalized version of her supposed romance with geologist Charlotte Murchison.
Ammonite lives and dies with Winslet and Ronan's performances. The actresses craft a loving and effective portrayal of forbidden romance that goes a long way in lifting the film past the entrapments of the period romance. Ronan's Murchison is a work of subtle beauty, burning bright whenever sharing the screen with her acclaimed co-star. Ammonite is far from a perfect film, but Winslet and Ronan alone are worth the price of admission.
7 'On Chesil Beach' (2017)
The underrated period drama On Chesil Beach stars Ronan opposite Billy Howle. Based on Ian McEwan's eponymous 2007 novella, the film follows newlyweds Edward and Florence, whose disastrous first attempt at intimacy following their wedding has lifelong repercussions for them both.
Ronan excels in every period drama she does, and On Chesil Beach isn't the exception. The film is a bittersweet look at intimacy and unspoken feelings, powered by a reliably great Ronan and an impressive Howle. The pair brings this tortuous and thought-provoking love story to life with searing intensity, resulting in an unfairly overlooked picture that ranks among Rona's best efforts.
6 'Hanna' (2011)
Joe Wright's 2011 action thriller Hanna stars Ronan as the titular character, a child assassin fleeing from those trying to eliminate her. Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett co-stars as the CIA operative tracking Hanna, while Eric Bana plays the father who trained her in the Finnish wilderness.
Hanna benefits from one of Cate Blanchett's best villainous performances and Wright's gritty approach to action. However, Ronan is the film's beating heart, delivering an assured, skillful, and wholly compelling portrayal of lost childhood and revenge. The then-seventeen-year-old effortlessly carries the film with the expertise of an actress twice her age, producing an underappreciated action thriller that deserves far more attention.
5 'Atonement' (2007)
Ronan rose to prominence with her breakthrough performance in Joe Wright's war romance Atonement. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy star as Cecilia and Robbie, two star-crossed lovers separated after her sister, thirteen-year-old Briony, tells a lie with unexpected and considerable repercussions.
Atonement is among the best war romances of the 21st century, and Ronan is a huge reason behind its success. Briony is the film's catalyst, and Ronan plays the thorny and complicated character with impressive confidence. The actress received a richly deserved first Oscar nomination for her performance, and it's easy to see why. Ronan is assured and determined in the role, brilliantly playing Briony's feeble security and guiding the film's first half comfortably.
4 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' (2014)
Wes Anderson's colorful and quirky historical comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel is among the director's finest efforts. Ralph Fiennes leads an impressive cast as Monsieur Gustave H., a famed concierge wrongly accused of his older benefactor's murder. Aided by his protegé, young lobby boy Zero Moustafa, Gustave must prove his innocence.
Ronan plays a major supporting role as Agatha, a young baker who is also Zero's love interest. The actress seamlessly fits into Anderson's eccentric world, embodying the film's comedic tone without descending into overacting. The Grand Budapest Hotel is the perfect marriage of style and substance, a visually striking ode to melancholy and nostalgia that cements Anderson as a truly unique auteur.
3 'Brooklyn' (2015)
Ronan received her second Oscar nomination for her thoughtful and emotional performance in John Crawley's 2015 romantic drama Brooklyn. Adapted from Colm Tóibín's eponymous 2009 novel, the film follows young Eilis Lacey, an Irish immigrant who finds love upon moving to Brooklyn in the early 1950s. When powerful circumstances force her to return to Ireland, Eilis must decide between her old and new homes.
Brooklyn is a modern masterpiece, a contemplative and poignant exploration of identity and the immigrant experience. Ronan is outstanding as Eilis, crafting a subtle yet comprehensive performance that seamlessly blends sentiment with nuance. Brooklyn remains arguably the best work of Ronan's career, a richly layered performance that speaks volumes with only the flash of her bright blue eyes.
2 'Lady Bird' (2017)
Greta Gerwig's 2017 solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, is among the all-time best coming-of-age movies. Ronan stars as Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, a high school senior navigating a complicated relationship with her mother, played by the mighty Laurie Metcalf.
A riveting and thought-provoking look into motherhood, girlhood, and their ever-changing relationship, Lady Bird is a spectacularly assured debut from one of the best modern directors. Ronan gives a tour-de-force as the title character, incorporating the intricacies and contradictions of adolescence into a fiery performance that earned her a third Oscar nomination.
1 'Little Women' (2019)
Ronan reunited with Greta Gerwig to breathe new life into one of literature's timeless classics. Little Women tells the story of the four March sisters, chronicling their ups and downs as they leave childhood behind in 19th-century Massachusetts. Ronan stars as Jo, with Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh as Amy, and Eliza Scanlen as Beth.
With Little Women, Gerwig does the impossible, making a well-known classic feel refreshing, timely, and topical. Ronan is defiant and inspiring as Jo March, a literary and revolutionary icon of feminism that remains surprising, compelling, and thoroughly relatable today. Little Women is a modern classic in the making, cementing Gerwig and Ronan as one of cinema's all-time great duos.
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