She may be best known for her period pieces, but it seems that Saoirse Ronan is ready to trade her powdered wigs and bonnets for a gun and high-speed car chases.
The four-time Oscar nominee, who flourished in her role as Jo March in Little Women revealed that she is eager to break new ground, saying: ‘I would love to do an action film next! I want to play a Bond villain.’
The role of the main Bond villain is one of the franchises’ most iconic, and yet it has never been filled by a female character in over 60 years. Rami Malek last took on the role in 2021’s No Time to Die as Lyutsifer Safin.
In her latest interview with The Talks, the 30-year-old actress reflected on the period dramas she is often associated with, as she admitted: ‘It is true that I don’t get to do modern-day movies as much as I would like.’
‘It’s just been coincidence really, that I’ve done quite a few period pieces.’
Saoirse Ronan has thrown her hat into the ring for a James Bond role as she revealed it’s her dream to play the franchise’s first female villain
Saoirse continued: ‘There’s just a freedom that you have where you don’t have to filter anything out.
‘I don’t have to double-check to make sure that something is accurate for the time or if there were certain mannerisms or words that hadn’t even been invented yet.’
This desire for freedom, it seems, extends to her desire to play roles in more action-packed films moving forward.
And a James Bond film, it seems, would fit her career aspirations perfectly.
Speaking to Vanity Fair last week, the actress revealed: ‘I’ve always really, really loved doing car scenes because nobody can get to you. Like, once you’re on the road, usually you’ll go out and you’ll shoot for, like, an hour, a couple of hours.
‘Nobody’s doing checks on you.’
As she aligns herself with such defining elements of the 007 realm, this ‘love’ for car scenes is yet another signal that she has her sights set on the franchise.
It comes as just last month she revealed on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast that she had turned down a major Marvel role in favour of pursuing the Bond franchise.
‘I can’t see myself doing Marvel. I don’t…no, I would prefer to do Bond’, she said.
The role of the main Bond villain has never been filled by a female character in over 60 years. Rami Malek last took on the role in 2021’s No Time to Die as Lyutsifer Safin
This is not the first time she has expressed her 007 ambitions, as when speaking to The Sun, she said: ‘I’ve always said that I want to play a Bond villain. I’d really love to do that. I’m serious, I would. If anyone knows Barbara Broccoli, please tell her.’
The actress even tipped her husband, James Lowden, 34, to be the next James Bond during a stint co-hosting with BBC Radio 2 with Edith Bowman, as she insisted: ‘There’s time, there’s time.’
The Bond franchise has been buzzing with speculation since Daniel Craig’s departure after No Time to Die.
At the 2024 Governors Awards on Sunday, Daniel added fuel to the fire with a cryptic comment: ‘The next James Bond could be in the room.’
The actor, 56, who played 007 for five films weighed in on the ongoing debate, as he presented an award on stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
‘If you came here this evening to find out who the next James Bond is, don’t look at me, but he might be in the room. I’m just joking. Maybe I’m not,’ PEOPLE report.
Previous reports suggested Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Theo James could be next in line to take on the iconic role.
Only time – and Barbara Broccoli – will tell.
The actress previously tipped her husband, James Lowden, 34, to be the next James Bond, as she insisted: ‘There’s time, there’s time’ (pictured in September)
