Actress Saoirse Ronan, renowned for her work in period dramas, is setting her sights on a role that could shatter James Bond traditions.
The four-time Oscar nominee has revealed her ambition to become the franchise’s first-ever female Bond villain, declaring: “I would love to do an action film next! I want to play a Bond villain.”
Over its 60-year history, the Bond franchise has featured an array of iconic antagonists, most recently Rami Malek’s chilling portrayal of Lyutsifer Safin in No Time to Die.
However, the coveted role of the main villain has yet to be filled by a woman.
In a recent interview with The Talks, the Little Women star reflected on her career, often associated with period dramas. 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.”
She elaborated on the appeal of stepping into different genres, saying: “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.”
It seems that this freedom extends to her aspirations of action-packed roles, with the Bond franchise being a clear favourite.
Speaking to Vanity Fair last week, Ronan revealed her enthusiasm for car scenes, a quintessential element of the 007 universe:
“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.”
Her passion for Bond is no passing fancy. On the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Ronan revealed that she had passed on a major Marvel role in favour of pursuing a Bond project. “I can’t see myself doing Marvel. I don’t…no, I would prefer to do Bond,” she admitted.
She doubled down on her Bond dreams in an earlier interview with The Sun, playfully urging producers to consider her. “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,” she quipped.
Ronan has even tipped her husband, James Lowden, as a contender to be the next 007. While co-hosting BBC Radio 2 with Edith Bowman, she insisted, “There’s time, there’s time.”
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