Saoirse Ronan is getting ready for the upcoming Oscar season, where she has two remarkable performances that could potentially earn her top honors in the industry.
Variety has confirmed that Ronan will be competing in both the lead actress category for her role in “The Outrun,” a film that gained recognition at Sundance, and in the supporting actress category for her upcoming appearance in the World War II film “Blitz.” This could make her a double nominee for the Oscars this year. If she does receive two nominations, she would become the 13th person and the youngest actor ever to achieve this milestone. Seven out of the 12 previous actors who were double nominees went on to win an Oscar for one of their nominated works.
In “Blitz,” which will premiere as the opening film at the BFI London Film Festival, Ronan portrays Rita, a mother determined to reunite with her 9-year-old son George, played by newcomer Elliott Heffernan, after sending him away to the countryside for safety. The movie, written, directed, and co-produced by Steve McQueen, also features Harris Dickinson, Stephen Graham, and Kathy Burke.
On the other hand, in “The Outrun,” Ronan takes on the emotionally charged character of Rona, a former addict trying to recover and heal on the remote Orkney Islands. This drama, co-written by Nora Fingscheidt and Amy Liptrot, is based on Liptrot’s memoir. The supporting cast includes Paapa Essiedu and Stephen Dillane. Adding to the intrigue, Ronan is also a producer for the film, alongside her husband Jack Lowden, Sarah Brocklehurst, and Dominic Norris. Three women have previously won the Best Actress Oscar for movies they also produced.
At just 30 years old, Ronan is already considered “overdue” for an Oscar win, having received four previous nominations for her outstanding performances in films like “Atonement,” “Brooklyn,” “Lady Bird,” and “Little Women.” If she secures nominations for both “Blitz” and “The Outrun,” Ronan will surpass Kate Winslet’s record of becoming the youngest actor to receive five or six nominations, a milestone Winslet reached at 31 with “Little Children” and at 34 with “The Reader.”
A double nomination for Ronan could draw parallels to Winslet’s 2008 Oscar campaign when she was expected to receive two nods but was ultimately placed in the lead category for one of her films. As the Oscar season heats up, all eyes will be on Ronan to see if she can achieve the coveted double nomination. With her exceptional performances in two very distinct films, this could be the year she finally takes home the gold.
Sony Pictures Classics is set to release “The Outrun” in theaters on Oct. 4, while “Blitz” will premiere in select theaters on Nov. 1 before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22.
