Interview with Saoirse Ronan, star of The Outrun and Greta Gerwig’s favourite actress

The American-Irish actress Saoirse Ronan (30), who became known because of her role as a strong-minded preteen in the film Atonement (2007), has since become one of the most popular faces in American and international cinema. Thanks to her powerful performance as a high-school student seeking emancipation in Greta Gerwig’s highly acclaimed Lady Bird (2018), she won the award for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical” at the Golden Globes ceremony in 2018.

Able to get under the skin of a variety of quite complex and often tormented character with ease, the actress who grew up between New York and Dublin also played the eldest of four sisters, determined to question her status as a woman reduced to wedlock, in Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated 2019 film Little Women, starring alongside Florence Pugh and Timothée Chalamet.

Greta Gerwig’s favorite actress

On Wednesday October 2nd, 2024, Saoirse Ronan once again impressed us in The Outrun, directed by Nora Fingscheidt, the German filmmaker already known for the poignant Benni (2020). The actress embodies Rona, a thirty-something, self-destructive alcoholic evolving in the wilderness of London nights, before finding refuge in the Orkney Islands in the north of Scotland.

As this film adaptation of the novel written by Amy Liptrot is in cinemas now, Numéro has met the actress in the cozy salon of a Parisian hotel, away from the hustle and bustle of the Paris Fashion Week. She shared her thoughts about her intense preparation for the film, as well as her new role as producer and her exciting upcoming projects…

Interview with Saoirse Ronan, star of The Outrun

Numéro: The Outrun is an adaptation from an autobiographical book by Amy Liptrot. What was your reaction when you first came across her memoir?

Saoirse Ronan: What struck me the most when I first read the book was how Amy wrote it. I loved her writing style, it is poetic but still very focused on reality. The joy she feels when she’s in Orkney made me want to go there, to immerse myself in that place. This book is a very honest representation of the time she spent there. It also was a chance for me to immerse myself in the life of a young woman struggling with alcoholism, which is rare when you’re an actress. It’s a story that deeply moved me since I’ve watched people I’ve loved suffer from this addiction. I always knew that it was the type of role I wanted to play. When I read the script for The Outrun, the way the story was presented made me realise that I was ready for that role.

How would you describe your character Rona?

She’s pretty wild. She’s been influenced by her childhood, her parents, the place she grew up in. That’s part of her personality. But she’s also shy, quiet and nervous, so alcohol becomes a kind of remedy. Intoxication is the drug that allows her to distance herself from the version of herself that she hates. There’s a violence I really liked in her character.

“I attended discussion groups in rehab.” Saoirse Ronan

To prepare for this role, did you attend detox sessions with alcoholics?

I went to detox groups and found it very anxiety-provoking. But it was an interesting experience and I think it helped me understand the extent to which these moments of discussion were part of their daily lives. It was an important part of my personal development in terms of understanding this role. We staged these discussion groups in the film, but we also recreated them off-screen, which allowed us to create a real safe space. All this helped me to broaden my own experiences and made me feel closer to what the script was about.

The Outrun was shot for the most part in the north of Scotland. You grew up in Ireland. Did this film resonate with any milestones in your life?

I grew up in a rural part of Ireland and spent a lot of time on my own, in the fields, by the rivers and surrounded by animals. Nature is something that has always made me feel safe. It was really interesting for me to evolve in an environment that seemed so familiar to me.

“After taking on the role of producer for this film, I think that more actresses should play an active role.” Saoirse Ronan

Over the course of your career, you have embodied many complex female characters, such as the protagonist in the film Lady Bird. How do you choose your roles?

There has to be something about the character or the script that strikes my attention. It’s always a good sign when I start reading the dialogues out loud. But it depends, I don’t really have a predetermined idea of what I want to get out of a role or what I’m looking for in a character. I know what universes I’d like to explore, but I think that it’s harder to articulate it in terms of roles. It’s like when you meet someone for the first time and you have no idea whether the chemistry is going to work or not.

It also is your first time as a producer for the film. Why did you choose to take on this role?

I’ve been an actress for 20 years now and I’m very fulfilled doing that. But over the years I’ve also gained a certain amount of experience that I wanted to put to good use. I wanted to be more involved from a creative perspective and bring my own vision to this project, which was going to be centred on me. Now that I have produced this film, I think that more actresses should play an active role. As actors, we probably have more experience than some directors, because we often move from one role to the other and we’re used to working in different environments. We know what directors need, what they feel.

“I’ve always seen fashion as something fun. I’ve never taken it too seriously.” Saoirse Ronan

This year you were appointed ambassador for Louis Vuitton. What is your relation with the fashion industry?

I’m someone who doesn’t know a great deal about fashion, but who knows what she likes and it often triggers an emotional reaction. I’ve been attending Nicolas Ghesquière’s shows at Louis Vuitton for a few years now, and some pieces he designed have struck a visceral chord in me. I feel drawn to certain pieces without really knowing why. It’s quite exciting because it seems like a story since fashion has been with me all my life. I’ve always seen fashion as something fun. I’ve never taken it too seriously.

Can you tell us about your upcoming projects?

I’m going to be in Blitz, Steve McQueen’s new feature that takes place during the Second World War. It follows a little boy trying to get back to his mother in West London. He’s been sent to the countryside, and he’s trying to get back home. It’s beautiful, epic and adventurous. It reminds me of the aesthetics of Steven Spielberg and it’s incredible. Next year, I will also be starring in a film called Bad Apples, a comedy centred on the life of a teacher who kidnaps one of her students.

The Outrun (2024) by Nora Fingscheidt, starring Saoirse Ronan, out in cinemas.

Translation by Emma Naroumbo Armaing.