Saoirse Ronan has been in the spotlight ever since she was nominated for an Academy Award at the tender age of 13. Now 23, Saoirse (it's pronounced "Sir-sha") is a celebrated actress and in-demand Hollywood star who leads a quiet life outside of her buzzworthy films. To celebrate the release of her latest movie, "Lady Bird," in November 2017, Wonderwall.com is here to give you some insight on the private Irish beauty! Keep reading for 20 things you probably don't know — but should! — about Saoirse!
She's a dual citizen
Saoirse Ronan has dual Irish and American citizenship. The "Brooklyn" actress was born in the Bronx to Irish immigrant parents and moved back to Ireland when she was 3.
RELATED: Saoirse's best fashion moments
She almost joined the "Harry Potter" cast
Saoirse Ronan was almost a student at Hogwarts! She auditioned for the role of Luna Lovegood in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" but lost out to Evanna Lynch.
RELATED: Celebrity name pronunciation guide
How to pronounce her name
Saoirse Ronan's name only looks hard to say, but it's actually quite easy. "It's pronounced either 'Sir-sha' — like 'inertia' — [or] a lot of Irish people would say 'Seer-sha,'" she told Yahoo Movies. "It's Irish for 'freedom' or 'liberty,'" she added. "It's a cool little name there but I didn't like it when I was younger because nobody had that name … but I like it now. It's like my own little stage name that no one can pronounce!"
RELATED: Most iconic dresses in movie history
She's one of the youngest women to be nominated for an Oscar
Speaking of the Oscars, Saoirse Ronan is no stranger to the awards show. She was nominated for best supporting actress at the tender age of 13 for her performance as Briony Tallis in "Atonement."
Ryan Gosling thinks she's a "genius" and this generation's Meryl Streep
Ryan Gosling is one of her biggest fans (swoon)! After working with Saoirse Ronan on 2014's "Lost River," Ryan told the Irish Sun Times that he felt like he was "working with a master… Like someone from the Golden Age. Someone superior to my skills as an actor in every way. She's Meryl [Streep] reborn."
She was a proud pet owner
Saoirse Ronan grew up with a beloved border collie named Sassy. She called the day she had to put him down "the saddest day of her life" during a 2016 interview with The Sunday Morning Herald.
Her first kiss was on a movie set
Saoirse Ronan was 11 when she had her first kiss ever — on the set of her first film, Amy Heckerling's "I Could Never Be a Woman." The kiss, with another child actor, only lasted three seconds but Saoirse had to do about eight takes. "I was a phenomenal kisser by the end," she told W Magazine in 2017.
She moved out of her parents' house when she was 19
Saoirse Ronan moved out of her parents' home in Ireland when she was 19 and settled in London, where she felt "painfully lonely." The 23 year old now lives in New York City.
She doesn't care for fame
"Ma watched Dad lose out on parts or star in shows off-off-Broadway and make buttons. She watched these really talented people never get the shot they deserved," Saoirse Ronan told Time magazine in 2016 (her father is an actor too, best known for his work on "Ballykissangel"). "So they prepared me to be realistic. And that's good, because the moment fame becomes a priority, you should give it up."
She was nearly cast as Katniss in "The Hunger Games"
Saoirse Ronan was almost the Mockingjay! The actress was a frontrunner for the role of Katniss in "The Hunger Games" franchise but eventually lost out to Jennifer Lawrence.
Her next big role is a legendary queen
Saoirse Ronan is playing the titular Mary Stuart in "Mary Queen of Scots," the 2018 film that also stars Margot Robbie as Mary's rival and cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
She's met British royalty
Her upcoming film "Mary Queen of Scots" isn't the only connection Saoirse Ronan has to royalty. The Irish actress met Prince Charles in 2009. "I met Prince Charles when 'The Lovely Bones' came out and we had a royal gala," she told W Magazine in 2017. "I was standing next to the troublemaker Susan Sarandon and she was planning what she was gonna say to Prince Charles and it was very funny."
She worries about maintaining her success
"I'm a huge worrier as well," Saoirse Ronan told Interview Magazine in 2016. "The thing that I would worry about after being nominated again is, 'How do I keep that up?' Not in relation to awards, but keeping up performances."
She would like to direct someday
Saoirse Ronan told Interview Magazine in 2016 that she has never directed but would love to in the future and likes having rules to follow, both in her personal life and work.
Robin Wright is her girl crush
"It's Robin Wright, hands down. What a babe. I always refer back to Robin when I talk about the style of acting that I really like," Saoirse Ronan said during an interview with W Magazine in 2017. "I think it's always really interesting when you see someone who has this air of mystery to them and they keep something to themselves."
She rarely uses social media
Saoirse Ronan has a Twitter account but only logs on every six months or so. She told "Entertainment Tonight" in 2015 that she tweets "every now and then."
She's an only child
"I talk to myself constantly. And I suspect that's a very only-child thing to do," Saoirse Ronan said during an interview with The Irish Times in 2015. "My imagination was always my favorite place. I've always spent a lot of time in my own head. I also think I got the right kind of attention from my mom and dad."
She was an advocate for marriage equality in Ireland
Saoirse Ronan might be an actress but she's not afraid to speak out about politics. The starlet was a big supporter of a 2015 referendum in her native country that permitted same-sex marriage.
She was rumored to be dating Irish music star Hozier
Earlier in 2017, Saoirse Ronan was reportedly dating Irish singer Hozier. The pair met on the set of the music video for his song "Cherry Wine," in which she starred. But neither ever confirmed or denied the relationship.
She contributes to charities in Ireland
Saoirse Ronan works with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and often contributes time and resources to the charity.