Saoirse Ronan Eyed for Star Wars 7 Role

Jedi in training? Hanna star says she's tried out for a part in the next adventure

By Josh Grossberg Oct 01, 2013 8:02 PMTags
Saoirse RonanStephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Could the force be with Saoirse Ronan?

The 19-year-old Irish actress has revealed that she recently auditioned for a part in J.J. Abrams' eagerly anticipated new Star Wars film.

While promoting her latest movie, How I Live Now, Ronan confirmed to Sky News that she read for an undisclosed part, though she was quick to note, "so has everyone."

Given the Atonement star's Gaelic name means "freedom," she'd fit in nicely with the New Republic that we imagine the Rebel Alliance has been building since Luke Skywalker & Co. defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor's evil Empire.

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Ronan, of course, at the tender age of 13 became one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for playing an aspiring novelist in 2007's Atonement. Since then, she starred in Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones and reunited with Atonement helmer Joe Wright for 2011's well-received thriller Hanna, so she clearly has the acting and action chops.

Looks-wise, perhaps she can play Luke Han Solo and Princess Leia's daughter?

Either way, the highly touted sequel in George Lucas' seminal franchise—which the Mouse House bought from the master Jedi last October for $4 billion with promises to release one new adventure every year—will reunite original trilogy stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.

If all goes according to plan, Star Wars: Episode VII will hit theaters in 2015.