Saoirse Ronan is ‘dead serious’ about playing a James Bond villain

Ronan has repeatedly backed darker roles, saying a female villain could channel anger in compelling ways

Saoirse Ronan has made her ambitions for the James Bond franchise unusually clear, and they have nothing to do with playing 007. The Oscar nominated actor has said she wants to portray a Bond villain, describing the prospect as a chance to explore a darker side of her acting.

In a new interview with Empire, Ronan reaffirmed that interest and made it clear that her previous comments were not casual speculation. "I want to go dark," she said. "I said that I wanted to be a Bond villain and I’m dead serious."

Ronan also explained why the idea appeals to her. She believes a younger female villain could offer an interesting dramatic perspective, particularly through the character’s ability to direct anger and frustration towards a specific goal.

"I think it would be really interesting, having a young female villain," Ronan told. "Especially for girls and women, to see someone who can just take all that pent-up anger and direct it somewhere, there’s something interesting in that dramatically. So I would love to do more of that."

Her comments arrive while the search for the next James Bond continues. Daniel Craig concluded his run as the British secret agent with No Time to Die in 2021, and the identity of his successor has yet to be officially announced. Ronan is therefore expressing interest in a hypothetical role rather than confirming any involvement with the franchise.

The actor has spoken about wanting to play a Bond villain before. In a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, she said she would "stand by really wanting to play a Bond villain" and explained that she enjoys taking on characters who are slightly evil. She also said a female antagonist who wants to defeat Bond without becoming romantically involved with him would be particularly appealing.

That earlier comment makes her latest statement part of an established career ambition rather than a sudden response to the current Bond casting conversation. Ronan has consistently looked for roles that challenge her and allow her to move away from previous performances.

Her filmography gives some context to that approach. Ronan earned her first Academy Award nomination for Atonement and later received further nominations for Brooklyn, Lady Bird and Little Women. She has also appeared in films including The Lovely Bones, The Grand Budapest Hotel, On Chesil Beach, Mary Queen of Scots, Ammonite, The Outrun and Blitz.

The actor has previously discussed her desire to take on bigger and different challenges. In her 2024 conversation with Vanity Fair, Ronan said she wanted each role to feel distinct from the one before it and that she remained eager to be pushed creatively.

A Bond villain would certainly represent a major change in direction, particularly if the role were written as a central antagonist rather than a supporting character. The franchise has featured several memorable female villains and antagonists across its history, although the series has traditionally placed its most prominent villains in male roles.

Ronan’s comments also come at a significant moment for the franchise. Amazon MGM Studios now has a major creative role in the future of James Bond following its agreement with longtime Bond rights holders Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, while filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct the next 007 film.