Young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, 16, is one of three Irish actors cast for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, according to Ros Hubbard, member of the casting team. In an interview with the Irish Film and Television Network, she mentioned Irish actors Aidan Turner, James Nesbitt, and Saorise Ronan had been cast for The Hobbit.
Although Ronan’s role is not yet known, Hubbard commented, “…working with Peter Jackson is like working with a family. So they’ll have a great time. Saoirse’s family will go too, everyone is very close and very loving on those sorts of jobs. It’s not like typical studio movies at all.
This will be the second collaboration between actress and the director after their 2009 collaboration on the film adaptation of the novel The Lovely Bones. Although the movie flopped at the box office, Ronan was nominated for numerous acting awards for her role as Susie Salmon.
At the age of 13, she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her pivotal role as Briony Tallis in 2007’s Atonement, the film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s bestselling novel.
Filming of The Hobbit was to begin in mid-February but has been slightly delayed due to Peter Jackson’s health problems. He was hospitalized earlier this week for a perforated stomach ulcer.
Ronan stars as the daughter of an ex-CIA man in the action thriller Hanna with Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett, which is set for theatrical release on April 8.