Saoirse Ronan "grieved" not being able to star in The Hobbit and wants to make more blockbusters

Aug. 13, 2024

Exclusive: Saoirse Ronan reveals she’s keen to do more genre movies

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Saoirse Ronan recalls turning down a role in The Hobbit – and says she’s still keen to do more blockbusters, despite her track record for period dramas and independent films.

“I was supposed to be an Elf,” Ronan tellsTotal Film in our new issueout on Thursday, August 15, which featuresBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceon the cover. “But then they rewrote the role, anyway. She was supposed to be a bit younger. It was a choice betweenHannaor The Hobbit. And I chose Hanna… At the time, the idea of being able to go to New Zealand for a year-and-a-half was a dream come true. But there were projects coming in that, as an actor, were so interesting, and that I felt like I couldn’t really pass up. But for a long time, I was grieving the fact that I didn’t get to do it.”

She wants to “more” blockbusters and genre movies, though. “That’s why I don’t think you can put someone in one category,” she continues. “And even with me choosing very well-respected, drama-fuelled, thought-provoking pieces for the most part – I love doing that. But I’m also like, ‘I’ve done a lot of that. I think I want to do a big movie now.’ And hopefully I’ll get to do that.”

Next up for Ronan is The Outrun, based on writer Amy Liptrot’s memoir of the same name, about a young woman’s return to her Scottish home after a stint in rehab for alcoholism. Ronan is also producing the movie.

The Outrun is released on September 27. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, August 15.

Check out the covers below:

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I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

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