Saoirse Ronan recently appeared on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ to talk about her new film, ‘The Outrun.’ During the chat, she also discussed the roles and awards she lost over the years, especially touching on the Luna Lovegood role in the ‘Harry Potter’ series.
“There’s things that you’ll pass on and then they come out, and you think, ‘Oh God, that was a misstep on my part,’” the actress explained, “but I think the one that stayed with me over the years—I didn’t say no to it, I just didn’t get the part. I lost, again. It’s a running theme for me.”
She continued, “I had gone up for Luna Lovegood in ‘Harry Potter’ years ago, ’cause it was like the Irish character, so they got everyone Irish in—like half of Ireland to come and audition—and I knew I wasn’t going to get it ’cause I was too young, but I got to read out a scene that was gonna be in ‘Harry Potter’ and it was the coolest thing ever.”
Luna first appeared in ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ as a fourteen-year-old Hogwarts student. Evanna Lynch took on the role at the age of twelve, while Ronan was only nine at the time of her audition.
Reading ‘Harry Potter’ books and being part of the franchise helped Lynch through a tough period, according to previous interviews. The actress mentioned how the Wizarding World distracted her from an eating disorder during a chat with RTÉ’s Today as well as her book, ‘The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting.’
Now 33, Lynch remains a ‘Harry Potter’ fan. She most recently responded to criticism of adult fans by Miriam Margolyes, saying, “As for the grown-up fans like myself, regressing to this safe place through life’s ups and downs, I don’t know… I just hope we can always use these stories to reconnect to our own inner child and be reminded of our innocence. There’s nothing more precious and disarming than remembering our innocence.”
‘Harry Potter’ is now set to return on TV. Warner Bros. is searching for actors to play the Golden Trio in a new series set to air in 2026.
