Renowned Irish actress Saoirse Ronan recently graced the premiere of Nora Fingscheidt’s film, “The Outrun”, held at Dublin’s Lighthouse cinema. Always animated in her conversations, Ronan portrays a character who overcomes alcohol addiction and, after a period of rehabilitation, returns to the Orkney Islands to reconcile with her family and embark on a fresh start. The plot is adapted from Amy Liptrot’s memoir and has won admiration following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Ronan’s layered portrayal has even sparked Oscar chatter regarding a potential best actress nomination. Apart from featuring in front of the camera, she also contributes as a producer for the film.
The Dublin event at the Lighthouse, presumably quite subdued compared to previous extravagant premieres, seems to have seized potentially the final warm evening of the year. Given Ronan’s busy schedule involving constant shooting and residing in North London, maintaining her bond with her homeland could be challenging.
However, Ronan, who spent her childhood in Carlow and Dublin, clarified that she can feel connected to her roots through various mediums besides frequent visits. She stated, “I can connect with home in different ways—reading books, watching films, or hearing the music I play—it’s the little things. There is a robust Irish community in the UK, and a lot of familiar faces over here.”
2021 has packed in a range of emotions for Ronan. She celebrated her 30th birthday in April and tied the knot with actor Jack Lowden in a private ceremony in Edinburgh three months later. Further, the actress will also make her appearance in Steve McQueen’s “Blitz”, scheduled to open at the London Film Festival in the onset of October. In the film, she plays a mother in search of her son amidst the Luftwaffe’s bombardment on London, set for limited release in November.
“What can we anticipate from the upcoming project? McQueen, the celebrated director of films like Hunger and 12 Years a Slave, has a unique approach to film-making.
“This piece is entirely unique from The Outrun and showcases vintage McQueen charm,” she commented. “It embodies a war story, interpreted in a way distinctive to Steve McQueen’s signature style. The story showcases an astonishing scale, while simultaneously maintaining an intimate and emotionally charged narrative.”
The Oscar-nominated actress, Ronan, who was adorned in a complex black attire tonight, has previously journeyed the path of the Oscars. About half a decade ago, she was the penultimate youngest individual to accumulate four nominations. Predictions for her fifth nomination for The Outrun are already underway, with the possibility of an additional supportive mention for Blitz. When asked for some pearls of wisdom for younger colleagues making their maiden journey through the award season, she had this to say:
“Whenever possible, take a mate along,” she suggests, and also emphasised the importance of comfortable footwear noting that “whether you are male or female, always carry flat shoes with you!”