Saoirse burst onto our screens in the 2007 Joe Wright adaptation of the classic Atonement and has made quite the impact since… Born to Irish parents in America, Saoirse returned to County Carlow when she was aged just three but was bound to enter the acting world, following the example of her father. We take a look at her career performances to date…

1. The Clinic

Believe it or not, Saoirse’s first appearance on Irish screens was the underrated The Clinic… We have photo evidence to prove it. She played Rhiannon Geraghty in four separate appearances.

2. Atonement

Still a stand-out performance, Saoirse played the young troubled Briony Tallis in the spectacular adaptation of Ian McKellan’s Atonement. Earning herself a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, Atonement placed Ronan on the map and Hollywood was infatuated with her.

3. The Lovely Bones

Although the Lovely Bones had been in development for a few years with Lynn Ramsay, Peter Jackson finally took the reins of a very delicate script adapted from the cult classic. The Lovely Bones revolves around Susie Salmon and her journey into the after life after her brutal murder. Although Ronan refused to shoot a rape scene, the film worked all the better for it. Underrated and certainly one of her best, the film was unfairly mauled by critics.

4. The Way Back

Ronan played Irena in a film based on a true story concerning Siberian gulag escapees who walked over 4000 miles to freedom. Peter Weird commented that he had cast Ronan because he felt like he was looking into the eyes of an old woman with a lot to tell. Her exit is heartbreaking…

5. Hanna

Even though Ronan played the main character in the Lovely Bones, Hanna was her real first title role. Playing opposite living legend Cate Blanchett, Ronan went the full hog for her action scenes and was mesmerizing as the young assassin.

6. Byzantium

Currently making its way around the film festivals, Byzantium, directed by Neil Jordan and shot in Ireland, will not get a release date here until June of this year. But what more could we want here? Ronan, Jordan and vampires? Sold.

7. The Host

No young actress is really a star until they star in a teenage cult and The Host, written by Stephanie Meyer, has given Ronan that opportunity. Unfortunately, the film has been ripped apart by the critics, but no one is criticizing Ronan’s performance… 

With a career past most actresses in Hollywood would be jealous of, Ronan shows no signs of slowing down. Interestingly, she has been cast to play Mary in Mary, Queen of Scots and of course, there is always that Gosling directorial debut to look forward to, How to Catch a Monster.