Over the last year, Sabrina Carpenter has risen to superstardom thanks in large (or grande) part to the Disney star releasing her single “Espresso” ahead of last April's Coachella set. The single led to her closing out Season 49 of Saturday Night Live, followed by the variety sketch series parodying “Espresso” during Season 50, and it all came full circle when Marcello Hernandez was “arrested” as Domingo during one of her concerts on the Short n' Sweet Tour. Now, the song is at its next logical phase: dramatic readings from celebs like Ariana Grande and Saoirse Ronan.

In celebration of the 2025 Grammys telecast, W Magazine tasked a list of all-stars including Grande, Ronan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Selena Gomez, Cynthia Erivo, Zoe Saldaña, Harris Dickinson, Ryan Destiny, Drew Starkey, and several others to perform dramatic readings of the now-Grammy-winning song. Some really put their all into it with very dramatic readings, while others were content to sing, and some just read it plainly. But it was all too good when combined, as seen below:

One would think if Grande wanted to sing “Espresso,” she fully would, but she instead only offered up a dramatic reading; still, I would desperately love for her to sing the song for another video.

Also, Ronan thinking that the song was “Nespresso” really pulled the whole thing together, and she probably is not the only one who thought that. It’s not surprising that Gomez would sing along, considering she went all out while at the Short n’ Sweet Tour with some friends last year.

W Magazine has done dramatic readings in past, for Taylor Swift songs and Olivia Rodrigo, among others. Plus, “Espresso” is not the only Sabrina Carpenter song that was the focus of a dramatic reading. The publisher also did one for “Please Please Please” featuring Paul Mescal, Andrew Garfield, Demi Moore, and even Pamela Anderson, and it was again one of the greatest things ever. Now, a dramatic reading of “Juno” would perhaps take the cake, especially if it came with a “Juno” position.

Despite having perhaps one of the biggest songs of 2024, Carpenter has one gripe about having a song called “Espresso.” The “Taste” singer told Time that she’s “intentionally stopped” herself from getting the coffee beverage, and I can’t say I blame her. She’s probably had many of them while the song was making rounds last year, and it would probably be too predictable at a Starbucks or Dunkin’ to order one, but at the very least. She still seems to be having a lot of fun performing the song.

Fresh off three Grammy wins, Carpenter probably won’t be slowing down any time soon, and it wouldn’t be surprising if there were more dramatic readings or parodies of her songs in the near future. Following her split with Barry Keoghan, it might be the best to remain busy, and I’m excited to see what she has next up her sleeve.

Some of the biggest and best actors have never won competitive acting Oscars. Some of those names might completely shock you as they have certainly put in the performances that make them worthy of winning the awards. There are a few on this list who have won honorary Oscars or won in other categories, like directing or acting, but none of these stars have been bestowed with the one they probably want the most. So here is our list of actors and actresses who have shockingly never won an Oscar for acting.

Glenn Close

At the top of the list of actors who have shockingly never won an Oscar has to be the great Glenn Close. For decades Close has been putting amazing performances on film, and yet that golden statue has eluded her. She has won multiple Tonys, Emmys, and Golden Globe awards, yet, despite an amazing eight nominations for either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress, she's yet to win one.

Tom Cruise

There is no bigger "movie star" on the planet than Tom Cruise. While no one would realistically expect Cruise to be nominated for his action roles like in the Mission: Impossible movies (though, his stunt work in those movies should really be acknowledged), the Top Gun star has put in the work with Oscar-worthy performances in films like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, and Magnolia. He has been nominated four times, but he's yet to take home the prize.

Angela Bassett

In 1994 Angela Bassett lost out on the Best Actress Oscar for her incredible, transformative performance as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It. Not to take anything away from the winner, Holly Hunter for The Piano, but it's frankly astonishing Bassett didn't win. Sadly, though she was honored in 2024 by the Academy, she still has yet to win a competitive Oscar.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has gotten a lot of bad press in recent years and that may hurt his future chances to win an Academy Award, but frankly, it's amazing he hasn't already won multiple Oscars, and yet he's never won even one. Despite three nominations and many other amazing performances, the Pirates Of The Caribbean star is still Oscar-less.

Sigourney Weaver

It's hard to believe that Sigourney Weaver hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar since the 1980s, when she was nominated thrice. In spite of wonderful performances in huge hits like Avatar and Aliens, she's still searching for that golden statue.

Bradley Cooper

Honestly, you can almost smell the desperation on Bradley Cooper to win an Oscar and that's completely understandable. Cooper is one of the best actors of his generation and has been nominated five times in an acting category (and another seven times in other categories), but hasn't won...yet. He'll surely get one.

Annette Bening

Five nominations and no wins. That's Annette Bening's resume at the Oscars and that is shocking. For decades she's been crushing it on screen and despite those nominations, most recently in 2023 for her incredible performance in Nyad, a win has eluded her.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey may have burst on the scene in wild comedies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask - and we can argue that amazing comedic performances don't get nearly enough love from the Academy - but his more serious roles, like in Man on the Moon and even The Truman Show are certainly worthy of Oscars. Despite multiple Golden Globe nominations and wins, the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind actor has never even been nominated for an Oscar.

Amy Adams

When Amy Adams was first nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for her breakthrough performance in Junebug, a betting person would have bet everything that she would win an Oscar in her career. Yet here we are more than 20 years later and despite five more nominations, Adams is still Oscar-less.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has played every kind of character and starred in every kind of movie. From mega-franchises like Star Wars and the MCU, to more indie films like Pulp Fiction and Do The Right Thing, Jackson has done it all in Hollywood, except win a competitive Oscar and he's shockingly only been nominated once. He was honored by the Academy in 2021 for his body of work.

Scarlett Johansson

In 2020 Scarlett Johansson was nominated in both the Bet Actress category for Marriage Story and Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit. She lost out in both that year and despite an incredible career, they remain her only nominations.

Laurence Fishburne

Literally, since his breakout movie role when he was only 16 in Apocalypse Now, Laurence Fishburne has been putting in award-worthy performances. One of the most astonishing facts on this list, Fishbourne has only been nominated once, for What's Love Got to Do with It in 1994. Despite roles like Furious Styles in Boyz n The Hood, Professor Phipps in Higher Learning, and countless others, he still hasn't won.

Hugh Jackman

While he's best known for his work as Wolverine these days, the multi-talented Hugh Jackman has a ton of performances that have deserved more attention from the Academy. He's won every other award on the planet, including three of the "EGOT" awards, but he's still missing the "O."

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams has been nominated for an Academy Award five times, starting with her breakout role in 2005's Brokeback Mountain. She has yet to break through with a win though. Certainly, she will at some point, right?

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan was just 13 years old when she landed her first Oscar nomination for her performance in Atonement. The Lady Bird star has been nominated three subsequent times but hasn't been able to nail down an award yet. A win for Ronan at some point seems inevitable, given how she crushes every role she's in.

Matt Damon

Another one of the biggest movie stars in the world who has yet to win an acting Oscar is Matt Damon. His most recent of three acting nominations was for 2015's The Martian, and while he has won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, an acting award has eluded him.

Salma Hayek

Despite her transcending performance in Frida, the great Salma Hayek wasn't able to win an Oscar in a stacked category in 2003 (Nicole Kidman won for The Hours). Despite numerous great performances, that remains Hayak's only nomination. For shame.

Willem Dafoe

Despite being one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood for more than four decades, somehow Willem Dafoe has yet to win an Oscar. It seems like every single role he takes on is award-worthy, and yet, despite four nominations, starting with Platoon, he still has yet to take home an Academy Award.

Carey Mulligan

2009's An Education garnered Carey Mulligan her first Oscar nom, and she's since nominated another couple of times, for Promising Young Woman in 2021 and Maestro in 2024. She's run into some stiff competition, but surely at least one of those performances was Oscar-worthy.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been acting his butt off for decades. For that hard work, he's received four Best Supporting Actor nominations, and shockingly, not for his work in Dark Waters, which might be his best performance of all. It's confounding.

Michelle Pfeiffer

The great Michelle Pfeiffer landed her first Oscar nomination in 1988 for Dangerous Liaisons and picked up two more for The Fabulous Baker Boys in 1989 and Love Field in 1992. Since then? Nothing. Zip. She has not even received a nomination as one of the best actresses of her generation. That has to be remedied, as it makes no sense.

Ralph Fiennes

Between 1996 when he was nominated for The English Patient and 2025 when he was nominated for Conclave, the great Ralph Fiennes wasn't even nominated for an Oscar despite countless award-worthy performances.

Naomi Watts

With two nominations and zero wins, Naomi Watts finds herself on this list. She was first nominated in 2004 for 21 Grams and again in 2013 for The Impossible, but she hasn't lucked out with a win yet. Surely one is in her future though, she's too much of a force not to win one.

Ryan Gosling

Year after year Ryan Gosling has put up fantastic performances, so his inclusion on this list is among the most surprising. He seems like a shoo-in to have won at least one Oscar, right? In not for Barbie or Half Nelson, both of which he was nominated for, then certainly for La La Land. Alas, he's yet to take home a trophy.

Alfre Woodard

When Alfre Woodard was nominated for her first (and to-date only) Oscar nomination way back in 1983 for Cross Creek, you'd be crazy to predict she would not get another one for what is now more than 40 years. Despite amazing performances in films like 12 Years A Slave and many others, she has been shut out.

Warren Beatty

There was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty in the late '70s and '80s and despite a slew of hits, Beatty has never won an Oscar. Beatty has been nominated four times for Best Actor, yet his only Academy Award win came for Best Director for Reds in 1982. He didn't even win for Dick Tracy! He wasn't actually nominated for that iconic role though, which is understandable.

Laura Linney

Over her long, impressive career, Laura Linney has been nominated for many awards. She's won multiple Emmys and multiple Golden Globes, but she's never taken home a golden statue from the Academy. Linney has been nominated three times, for 2000's You Can Count on Me, 2004's Kinsey, and 2007's The Savages, but lost out each time. Linney has never been in a movie that has won Best Picture, either.

Ed Harris

Ed Harris is one of the best character actors of the last 50 years and yet he's never won an Oscar. He's been nominated three times for Best Supporting Actor, for Apollo 13, The Truman Show, and The Hours, plus picking a nomination for Best Actor for Pollock, but alas, he's never won. Weirdly, he's also 0-3 on Emmy nominations too. He has picked up two Golden Globes though.

Joan Allen

Joan Allen is an actress flies a little under the radar despite putting in amazing performances in everything she is in. It might because she's been incredibly unlucky at winning awards, despite multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations. That luck includes her Oscar nominations, of which she has three, for Nixon, The Crucible, and The Contender, but sadly no wins.

Richard Gere

Despite being box office gold since the early 1980s, Richard Gere has shockingly never been even nominated for an Oscar. He's been in beloved movies that have stood the test of time like Pretty Woman, An Officer And A Gentleman, Primal Fear, Runaway Bride and so many more, but no nominations. Crazy.

Isabelle Huppert

It might not be a huge surprise that a French actress like Isabelle Huppert hasn't won an Oscar, as obviously the winners are almost always from English-language films. Still, Huppert is one of the most decorated actresses of all time in her native France, having been nominated 16 times (and winning twice) for the César Award (France's version of the Academy Awards). She was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for Elle but lost to Emma Stone (for La La Land).

Paul Dano

It almost seems pre-ordained that at some point Paul Dano will win an Oscar. In performance after performance, he just crushes it. From There Will Be Blood to Love & Mercy, the list of his amazing performances just keeps growing. Like others on this list, the fact that he hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar is mindboggling.

Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan are practically bonded for life after starring in three films together- Little Women, The French Dispatch, and Lady Bird. The actors have bonded and developed a friendship off screen, and the two couldn’t be more supportive of each other. Considering their closeness, it’s no surprise that the actors may have also gotten into an argument or two over the years. Apparently this happened on Little Women, as Chalamet recently opened up about a moment of poor time management on his part that led to his co-star yelling at him.

The duo reunited for an event held by the British Film Institute in London. Both actors are having quite a year with Ronan’s movie Blitz premiering on AppleTV+ and Chalamet’s A Complete Unknown generating positive buzz. Their conversation was adorable, as they recalled their early careers and working together. They shared that during production on Little Women, the Wonka star was particularly in a busy phase of his career. He was juggling promoting Beautiful Boy while also making the Greta Gerwig film, and one morning took time to figure out his personal training schedule in tandem with his other responsibilities. He explained (via Entertainment Weekly):

Despite how pure Chalamet’s intent was, the conversation was dipping into valuable time on Little Women, and it drove Ronan and company crazy, so much so she went to his trailer to get him out herself. Chalamet remembered:

Clearly this was the push he needed, but I can imagine that the whole thing was also pretty hilarious. The last thing Chalamet was probably expecting was his angry co-star in a bald cap when he swung open his trailer door. At that point, the two had already done Lady Bird together, so they were definitely familiar enough with each other for there to be no ill will about the whole thing, and they now laugh about it. I think Ronan was in the right here, as being ready for shooting probably should have been Chalamet’s priority at that moment, and not a personal training schedule.

Hopefully now the Call Me By Your Name actor has his busy schedule figured out now, as he arguably has more on his plate than ever. It feels like he’s constantly promoting something, as he followed Wonka quickly up with Dune: Part 2, and then shortly after he began the press tour for A Complete Unknown. It won’t be long before Chalamet promotes his upcoming Josh Safdie movie, Marty Supreme, which releases next year. Luckily, I’m sure this Saoirse Ronan memory is seared into his brain, and the actor will never be late to hair and makeup again, especially if he’s doing another movie with her.

You can see Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown when it hits theaters on December 25th, and Saoirse Ronan in Blitz, which is now available with an Apple TV+ subscription. Fans of the duo can also revisit their chemistry in Little Women, which is streaming with a Hulu subscription. For more information on other exciting titles heading to cinemas and streaming this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.

November is halfway over but as the fall weather gets even colder all the best streaming services are giving us plenty to watch while staying comfy indoors where it’s warm. From heartwarming family movies to potential Oscar nominees, and also ballerina vampires.

There are multiple exciting moving coming soon to Netflix, all for different audiences. What’s upcoming on Hulu looks to be one of the more interesting and creative TV shows we’ve seen in a while. And if you’ve got an Apple TV+ subscription you can check out a film that is likely to be in the awards conversation very soon. Here’s what’s coming to streaming this week.

New Movies

Abigail - November 19 (Prime Video)

Fall is the time for heartwarming family films and end-of-year awards contenders. However, if those sorts of films don’t quite fit your mood this week, there may be a solution. From Radio Silence, the team that gave us the delightfully twisted Ready or Not, Abigail was released earlier this year and tells the story of what happens when a group of criminals team up to kidnap and ransom a young girl who is actually a vampire ballerina.

Spell Bound - November 22 (Netflix)

Before Rachel Zegler becomes a true Disney Princess in the live-action Snow White she voices an animated princess in Spell Bound. The first in a multi-picture deal from Skydance Animation, under the leadership of former Pixar chief John Lasseter, Spell Bound follows Zegler’s Princess Ellian as she goes on a quest to break a spell that has transformed her parents into monsters.

Out Of My Mind - November 22 (Disney+)

Out of My Mind looks like it could be one of the most heartwarming films of the holiday season and a great reason to have a Disney+ subscription. Phoebe-Ray Taylor stars as Melody, a non-verbal girl with cerebral palsy who is given the chance to attend traditional school for the first time. Jennifer Aniston appears as Melody’s inner monologue. This is a rare case of a movie about a disabled character who an actor actually plays with that disability.

Blitz - November 22 (Apple TV+)

Blitz is the story of a nine-year-old boy named George who is sent to live in the English countryside to keep him safe through the German blitz during World War II. Determined to return home to his mother, played by Saoirse Ronan, George strikes out on his own. The new film is written and directed by 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner Steve McQueen.

New TV

Interior Chinatown - November 19 (Hulu)

Based on the novel of the same name by Charles Yu, Interior Chinatown looks to be a wild story about a background character actor who becomes a main character after witnessing a crime. It’s got elements of a crime story, an action movie, and even fantasy all wrapped together. Yu is also a producer of the series, as is Taika Waititi, who directed the first episode.

Thanksgiving is coming next week and several streaming platforms are saving some exciting content for the long weekend so check back in next week to see what’s on the way.

Saoirse Ronan’s best movies have shown her playing women who aren't afraid to speak their minds like in Brooklyn, Lady Bird and her latest film, Blitz. The Irish actress isn’t too far away from that forthright personality herself. The Academy Award nominee recently made comments about women’s safety, which went viral. Now, Gladiator II trainer Paul Biddiss is sharing some keen thoughts of his own about that.

While appearing on The Graham Norton Show, Saoirse Ronan was sitting on the program's sofa alongside Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Eddie Redmayne. When Redmayne shared his experience of working on the streamable action series The Day of the Jackal, he said he learned from military trainer/co-ordinator Paul Biddiss about using a phone as a weapon. When the other actors around him laughed about the idea of having to take out their phones for defense, Ronan interrupted them and said, “That’s what girls have to think about all the time. Am I right, ladies?” She was met with thunderous applause after that.

Over the next 24 hours, the Lady Bird star's comments garnered considerable attention. Amid that, a findings from a YouGov survey showed that women in the UK wanted men to know that they need a “greater awareness and understanding” of women’s safety. After the Golden Globe winner’s comments hit across airwaves and social media, Gladiator II trainer and Parachute Regiment veteran Paul Biddiss spoke to The Guardian, during which he agreed with the actress' viewpoint:

The veteran trainer has been a military advisor on a number of films that involve extras to portray military forces from different eras like the Ridley Scott's Napoleon and HBO’s House of the Dragon. He was faced with a true challenged when teaming up with Scott again for his long-awaited Gladiator II.

Paul Biddiss and Saoirse Ronan are correct in that a phone can indeed be a weapon against threats in pretending to have a phone call if you think you’re being followed. That way, a potential threat has a greater chance of steering clear if they feel the person they’re following is actively connected to someone else. As Biddiss said, a phone can help someone gain enough time to get away from a follower and use the screen as a mirror to watch who’s behind you.

The coordinator wasn't the only person to agree with the Outrun star's assessment either. Paul Mescal, who worked with Ronan in Foe, told RTE’s The Late Late Show that he felt that his former co-star’s comments were “spot on” and “hit the nail on the head.” The star also said he was pleased that the viral moment happened on The Graham Norton Show so that more thought-provoking conversations could take place like that one.

All in all, Paul Biddiss seemed to be grateful that the Atonement brought light to how important it is for women to have their phones on them when walking alone in the streets. Biddiss emphasized how important it was that he trained actress Lashana Lynch on surveillance for The Day of the Jackal the same way that WWII “top performing” female agents were trained since women were less susceptible to being followed back then. It looks like the British trainer's skills can be a real eye-opener on self-defense strategies that can be of great use to anyone.

You can watch Paul Biddiss’ practices in action by streaming Eddie The Day of the Jackal using a Peacock subscription and by checking out Gladiator II when it opens on November 22 as part of the 2024 movie release. And Apple TV+ subscription holders can check out Saoirse Ronan's work in Blitz when the film hits the streaming platform on November 22.

Sometimes, we as viewers forget that the entertainment industry is, at its core, a job. So, like any job, there are just some people who don’t fit the role and their talents are best suited elsewhere for the time being. Actress Saoirse Ronan recently reflected on that as she spoke about the production of The Lovely Bones and Ryan Gosling leaving the cast during the early stages of the movie’s production.

Originally, in The Lovely Bones, Jack Salmon was set to be played by Ryan Gosling. However, on the day filming was set to start he was fired, and the character ended up being played by Mark Wahlberg. So, in an interview on Happy Sad Confused, Josh Horowitz asked Saoirse Ronan about her feelings regarding her almost co-star being fired. He also asked if she was worried about being fired too after this happened. In response, the Little Women star said:

It's not unheard of for actors to be recast last minute, it's just a part of the industry. However, Ronan didn’t see this particular casting shake-up as something to be scared of.

She also explained why this Lovely Bones change happened in the first place, noting that Gosling was a bit too young for the part. Speaking about Mark Wahlberg taking over for him, she said:

Ronan did go on to share that she does feel fear every so often of being fired from a role, as it’s natural with any job. However, she reiterated that it is just a part of life and it happens.

In past interviews, Gosling has spoken about what happened with The Lovely Bones. The Barbie actor specifically said he felt insecure about playing Jack Salmon because of his age. So, he tried to rectify that by putting on extra weight and growing a beard, which ultimately did not work. But of course, we all know Gosling's movies prove that he is more than Kenough, and this small blip in his career didn't negatively impact him in the long run.

In the end, The Lovely Bones had mixed reactions, in part because it was a departure from Jackson's previous work on The Lord of the Rings. Though the performances from Ronan, Wahlberg, and Stanley Tucci are seen to be some of the shining parts of the film. In fact, it's one of Tucci's best performances, as his turn as George Harvey earned him an Academy Award nomination. However, all this does make me wonder what could have been if Gosling wasn’t removed.

If you’re looking to see Ronan in The Lovely Bones, it is available with a Max subscription or an Amazon Prime subscription.

Kenan Thompson is a Saturday Night Live legend, having been on the show for over two decades and becoming the longest serving SNL cast member in the show's history. With that, he's delivered countless hilarious sketches that have become staples of the series' legacy, including “What Up with That,” which remains iconic. While the sketch has been done no less than 12 times, its debut was special due to a famous star being in the audience at the time

For those who are unfamiliar with the “What Up with That” sketch, it sees a kooky host, played by Kenan Thompson, confusing the famous guests on the fictional talk show by continuously singing the theme show and bringing on stage strange and irrelevant characters. Due to its format, the sketch has featured appearances from numerous stars including Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.

The segment was performed for the first time October 17th 2009, when Gerard Butler hosted and James Franco made a special cameo performance. It didn't take long for the strange musical bit to become a success, with the audience embracing the chaotic energy. Amongst these audience members was none other than Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, who you can see laughing along with the crowd in the front section. See if you can spot her in the clip from X below:

At the time, Saoirse Ronan had yet to become a household name, so she wouldn't have been quickly spotted in an SNL audience. However, the actress, who roughly would’ve only been 15 years old in this clip, had already made a name for herself. She’d made a splash in 2007’s Atonement, which earned her an Oscar nomination in 2008 (The movie also remains one of Ronan’s best films. While this can't be said for sure, that could possibly be why the young starlet to surpass the show's age requirement to attend a taping.

The Little Women actress has since gone on to become an even bigger star, with three more Oscar nominations under her belt, all of which she earned before turning 26. Interestingly enough, she'd also eventually serve as a host on SNL in 2017 amid Season 43. While her sketches seemingly haven't had the same shelf-life that “What Up with That” has, she still had a number of viral and notable ones that fans still return to. Notably, the music video sketch “Welcome To Hell” currently has over 16 million views on YouTube and was one of the biggest sketches that season.

Maybe Saoirse Ronan will return to host SNL soon and address her audience participation in the clip from 2009. It’s been years since “What Up with That” was featured on the show, and Kenan Thompson is still a cast member. So maybe this is the perfect way to bring the sketch back. The Lady Bird star made a fantastic host the first time around, and I think it’s time for her to step back into Studio 8H and create what could be a true full circle moment amid a landmark season for the show.

SNL Season 50's host lineup has yet to be announced in its entirety, so we'll have to wait and see if Saoirse Ronan makes the cut. In the meantime, Peacock subscription holders can check out the show this Saturday on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET, at which time Michael Keatonn will host and Billie Eilish will serve as musical guest. Fans of Ronan can also see her in some of the most anticipated movies on the 2024 movie release schedule, including Blitz, which hits theaters on November 1.

Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan has wowed audiences with her best movies like Little Women, Brooklyn and Lady Bird. While those films have gotten her attention during awards season, those are still considered small-scaled productions compared to the big-budget film franchises of Marvel, Harry Potter and Star Wars, among others. After addressing the casting rumors that surrounded her being offered the part of Yelena Belova in Black Widow, the Irish actress gets real if she’d consider joining an upcoming Marvel movie.

On the podcast Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, the host sat down with the Foe star and addressed those Black Widow casting rumors. The Golden Globe winner wondered how he heard about that and awkwardly laughed as if she didn't know what to say about that. With that “non-answer,” as Horowitz described it, he asked her if she’d ever consider joining a Marvel movie, and here was her answer:

As all Marvel fans know, Florence Pugh was ultimately cast in the Black Widow movie as Natasha Romanoff’s sister, Yelena Belova. However, there was a rumor floating around that A-lister Saoirse Ronan turned down playing Yelena first, with Deadline reporter Justin Kroll claiming the reason being Marvel wasn’t Ronan’s “cup of tea.”

There’s no denying that Marvel would be a great way to get your name out there. After all, playing Iron Man in many of the Marvel movies in order truly shaped Robert Downey Jr.’s career, with the same happening to Tom Holland playing Spider-Man. At the same time, though, it doesn’t mean that the superhero realm is for every A-lister out there.

With that in mind, I can absolutely picture Saoirse Ronan in a James Bond movie. With her versatility and range, I'd love to see her kicking ass like when she was in the underrated action movie Hanna playing an assassin. But don’t expect the Atonement star to aspire to play the hero as she disclosed to Josh Horowitz how much she’d want to play the villain that gives off “Javier Bardem-vibes.” I’m already crossing my fingers that this moment will happen for her in the future.

The next 2024 movie release that Saoirse Ronan has out is the Sundance Film Festival premiere film The Outrun, where her performance is scoring early Oscar buzz. Even though Ronan can’t picture herself in a Marvel movie, she told Josh Horowitz it doesn’t mean that the talented actress doesn’t see herself starring in big films one of these days:

The BAFTA nominee was almost in Barbie through a cameo appearance. However, she had to turn it down in order to star and produce the drama film The Outrun. With Saoirse Ronan’s history of headlining movies before, I’m sure the time will come when she’ll be in a big mainstream movie that’ll put her name on the map even further.

Saoirse Ronan may not have any interest in doing Marvel films, but I’m confident her future movies will bring her the greatest success that any Marvel actress has experienced before. She’s already got the Steve McQueen WWII-drama Blitz that’s coming to your Apple TV+ subscription on November 22nd, and she's in the upcoming movie Bad Apples about a teacher facing disruption from one student. Even without a big-budget franchise, Ronan still fits the bill for a successful, accomplished actress of her time.

Saoirse Ronan became an accomplished actress at such a young age as she worked on big movies with A-list stars. Her filmography is no joke too, as Ronan's best movies have included Atonement, Little Women, Brooklyn, and Lady Bird, all of which she earned Oscar nominations for. However, for all actors, there’s always that one role that got away, and Ronan admitted which key role that was for her. Here’s a hint: it’s from the Harry Potter series.

Even talented actors and actresses with many roles under their belt don’t land every audition they go for. A couple of examples include Britney Spears almost being cast in The Notebook and Paul Walker being close to leading A Knight’s Tale. As for the role that got away from Saoirse Ronan, she revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live that she went out of an iconic Harry Potter character that would have been perfect for her:

The character of the zany yet lovable Luna Lovegood was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix back in 2007. This was the year Saoirse Ronan’s first big movie Atonement came out, and she was 12 years old when she filmed that. With Luna being around 14 when she made her Harry Potter debut, Ronan probably would have been too young to play a fourth-year student.

However, the Little Women actress would have been great as Luna Lovegood. Saoirse Ronan would definitely pull off the Harry Potter character’s look with her blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes. More so, I could see her portraying Luna’s eccentricities while still making the character heartwarmingly relatable. Plus, I would have loved to see her in a scene like the one when she tells Harry about her deceased mother.

The Lovely Bones actress has also portrayed unorthodox characters before. For example, in Greta Gerwig’s best movies, Lady Bird and Little Women, both characters shamelessly move to the beat of their own drums.

Another quirky character Saoirse Ronan admitted she was “gutted” she couldn’t play was a Weird Barbie alongside Kate McKinnon in Barbie. Her reason for having to turn down the part was so she could play a woman who returns to her childhood Scottish farm after a stint in rehab in the biopic The Outrun. While it would have been amazing to see the Mary Queen of Scots actress play the whimsical Barbieland resident, it makes sense why she said no, because she's both the star and producer of this smaller film.

You can watch Saoirse Ronan talk about both The Outrun and her Harry Potter audition below:

Even though Saoirse Ronan lost the role of Luna Lovegood to Evanna Lynch, her career has been nothing short of jaw-dropping. After all, there’s already early Oscar buzz for her latest lead role in the 2024 movie release The Outrun, which is playing in theaters now.

The 2010s were a transformative decade for movies as directors like Damien Chazelle, Greta Gerwig and Jordan Peele hit the mainstream, and many actors exploded into stardom or gave career-defining performances in movies like theirs. Now, it’s time to celebrate some of the best films of this decade and the performers who starred in them. 

Emma Stone – La La Land 

This ode to Old Hollywood and modern romance from Damien Chazelle is widely beloved in part because of Emma Stone's performance. If you go back to reviews for La La Land, you’ll see Stone and Ryan Gosling praised for their work as they played Mia and Sebastian, two aspiring artists who fall in love with each other. Notably, Emma Stone won her first Oscar for the film because of the wonderful performance she gave as the up-and-coming actress. 

Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids

When it comes to Bridesmaids and all its hilarious lines and gags, we all need to say a collective thank you to Kristen Wiig. Not only did the Saturday Night Live alum lead the stellar ensemble cast of this 2011 flick, but she also wrote the movie with Annie Mumolo, and they got an Oscar nomination for it. 

Mahershala Ali – Moonlight

Moonlight, which famously won Best Picture in 2017, is a coming-of-age film that follows Chiron through three stages of his life, focusing on him exploring his sexuality and identity. In it, Mahershala Ali plays Juan, a man who has a pivotal role in Chiron’s early life. Famously, Ali won his first Oscar for his moving performance in this film. 

Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out

Get Out is considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it marked the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. While this film about the deeply dark turn a trip takes after a white woman brings her Black boyfriend home to meet her family is career-defining for its director – as he’s gone on to become quite the name in the genre – it also marked a major breakout for Daniel Kaluuya who played the film’s lead, Chris. 

Amy Adams – Arrival 

Arrival is unquestionably one of Amy Adams’ best movies, and to this day, folks are still livid that she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for it. She plays Louise, a linguist assigned to decipher and translate an alien language. However, as Arrival’s ending makes abundantly clear, there’s way more to it than that, and one of the major reasons this movie works is because of Adams’ masterful, emotional and nuanced performance. 

J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

In Whiplash, one of J.K. Simmons’ best films, he plays a brilliant and brutal jazz conductor and instructor named Terence Fletcher. During the film, Miles Teller plays a young drummer named Andrew who is determined to become great, and his intense relationship with Terence and the notion of being the best is what makes Damien Chazelle’s film magnificent. On top of its overall acclaim, Simmons also won an Oscar for his performance.

Hugh Jackman – Logan 

Logan was Hugh Jackman’s last ride as the Wolverine, and it was basically perfect. While he’s returned to the role since in Deadpool and Wolverine, Logan still serves as a wonderful conclusion to the iconic X-Man’s story. It was also a game-changing Marvel film, as it brought a level of grit and intrigue that we hadn’t really seen in a movie from this universe before. 

Ben Affleck – Argo 

Much like Good Will Hunting, Argo marked a major milestone in Ben Affleck’s career. It was one of the films that solidified him as a top-tier director, and on top of that, he also starred in the film about a CIA agent disguised as a producer who goes into Tehran on a mission to save a group of Americans. Oh, also, the film went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars too. 

Jesse Eisenberg — The Social Network

The Social Network cast is stacked, however, it wouldn’t be what it is without Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Mark Zuckerberg at its center. His nuanced performance which is somehow both collected and chaotic compliments Aaron Sorkin’s fast-talking script perfectly, and he expertly helped build up tension in the film that director David Fincher is known for. All around, that made for a perfect, heart-pounding drama about the rise of Facebook.

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf Of Wall Street  

While Leonardo DiCaprio has a long list of career-defining performances, and he and Martin Scorsese have made many great movies together, you can’t deny that his portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street tops that list. 

Brie Larson – Room

The film Room, which is about a mother and her son escaping captivity, is masterfully led by Brie Larson, who plays Ma. Both she and Jacob Tremblay, who played her son Jack, were praised for their performances, and in 2016, the actress won an Oscar for her work. 

Daniel Craig – Knives Out

Now, I know that Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond was still happening in the 2010s. However, an equally important and brilliant role he took on was as detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s first whodunnit Knives Out. Now, after leading the cast of Knives Out, Craig has gone on to reprise his role as the Southern detective on multiple occasions, because he loves it and so do we. 

Ryan Gosling – Drive

If you look over Ryan Gosling’s best movies, on one side you’ll find his brilliant comedic films – like Barbie and The Nice Guys – and on the other side, you’ll find his stoic and dramatic performance, like the one he gives in Drive. Put simply, Drive wouldn’t work without the actor’s lead performance, because the entire film hinges on him and his abilities. 

Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool

After years of working to get it made and some well-timed leaked footage, finally, in 2016, Deadpool came out and we got to see Ryan Reynolds in his element as the Merc with a Mouth. 

Casey Affleck – Manchester By The Sea 

In a film about a man returning home to reckon with his past and grief after losing his brother, Casey Affleck gives an emotional and commanding performance. Not only did he win an Oscar for his work in this drama, but it’s also one of the big defining roles of his career. 

Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

Chris Evans began and ended his tenure as Steve Rogers in the 2010s. While all his outings as the star-spangled man with a plan were excellent, nothing tops his performance as Cap in the political thriller that is the Russo brothers’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is easily one of the best Marvel movies ever made. 

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel 

Under Wes Anderson’s precise direction, Ralph Fiennes occupied the pastel world of the Grand Budapest Hotel with grace and style. His fast-talking M. Gustave went on quite the adventure in this film, and he won over the hearts of audiences with his quick wit, smooth charm and impeccable work ethic. 

Natalie Portman – Black Swan 

Throwing it back to the beginning of the decade, Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan showed us Natalie Portman’s talents in a new light. While she had been on the scene and in big movies for years, this film marked a major milestone in her career as her performance as a tortured ballerina got her an Academy Award. 

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buys Club

Obviously, for a couple of decades before this, Matthew McConaughey was known and beloved for fun movies like Dazed and Confused and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. However, in 2013, Dallas Buyers Club marked a notable shift in his career. Not only did he win an Oscar for this dramatic turn as a man who finds out he has AIDS, but he also went on to star in acclaimed projects like Interstellar and True Detective one year later, cementing himself as a magnificent dramatic actor with serious range. 

Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

Yes, Jennifer Lawrence leading The Hunger Games cast is one of the biggest triumphs of her career. However, amid all of that, she starred in the beloved dramedy Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper, and that’s the film for which she won her Oscar. This magnificent film about two people learning to live and thrive through grief and mental illness, is a thoughtful and funny film that Lawrence steals with her amazing performance. 

Brad Pitt – Moneyball 

Moneyball is the story about the general manager of the Oakland A’s using his business savvy and what little money his team had to assemble a rag-tag team of MLB players. Brad Pitt plays said manager, Billy Beane, and I mean it when I say the movie really wouldn’t work without him. He’s at the center of it, and he carries it to victory just like his character did with the A’s.  

Chadwick Boseman – Black Panther 

We sadly lost Chadwick Boseman way too early, however, his legacy will live on forever. This is in part because of his performance as the King of Wakanda, T’Challa. Black Panther was a historic moment in modern movie history, and his incredible take on the titular hero is a big reason why. 

Margot Robbie – I, Tonya 

Before I, Tonya, Margot Robbie was beloved for her supporting and ensemble roles in films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad. However, one of the movies that helped solidify her as both a leading lady and super producer was I, Tonya. She played Tonya Harding and produced the film under the banner of her company LuckyChap – which went on to make films like Barbie and Promising Young Woman. 

Florence Pugh – Midsommar

Florence Pugh exploded onto the scene with the haunting Ari Aster film Midsommar. The movie is now considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and a big reason why is Pugh’s performance. 

Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird

Talk about a dynamic duo. Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan are a match made in heaven, and that was solidified into fact when the actress played the titular Lady Bird in the director’s breakout film. Not only did fans fall in love with Ronan’s performance as the defiant teenage gal, but she also received wide acclaim and an Oscar nomination for it. Plus, it was the beginning of a glorious partnership between her and Greta Gerwig as they then went on to make Little Women together. 

Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name

These days, when people think of Timothée Chalamet, they likely think of him as Paul Atreides, the leader of the Dune cast. However, before that (and in a different decade) the film that sprung him into the mainstream was Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. The deeply romantic and tender coming-of-age drama was led beautifully by Chalamet, and since then he’s taken on more roles that have helped cement him as one of the top-leading men of his generation. 

Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect

If you were a kid in 2012 (like I was), odds are you learned the “Cups” song. The movie about college acapella was a phenomenon in the early 2010s, and it served as a big breakout leading role for Anna Kendrick. Not only was she funny as Becca, but everyone also became aware that she had the singing voice of an angel.  

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years A Slave

Lupita Nyong’o’s first feature film was 12 Years A Slave. Her performance in the movie by Steve McQueen won her an Oscar in 2012 and solidified her as a top-tier dramatic performer. Since then, she’s gone on to star in massive blockbusters like Black Panther and A Quiet Place: Day One. 

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

There have been many amazing takes on the Joker, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was a totally new one. In Joker, we see the villain’s origin story, and it’s a film that’s unlike any other DC project. The haunting performance ultimately won the actor an Oscar, and he reprised the part again in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

The movie is named after Mad Max, and he’s great, don’t get me wrong, but Furiosa steals the show. Charlize Theron’s performance as the driver in Mad Max: Fury Road is fierce and jaw-dropping, and she’s one of many reasons why George Miller’s movie is considered one of the best action films. 

Michael Cera – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

You can’t have Scott Pilgrim vs. The World without a perfect Scott Pilgrim and that’s who Michael Cera is. He perfectly played the awkward yet heroic protagonist in Edgar Wright’s beloved film, and to this day, it's considered some of his best work.

Matt Damon – The Martian

This Ridley Scott movie is literally about one man who is stuck on Mars. Yes, there are other people in the film trying to save him. However, overall, The Martian is Matt Damon’s movie. He plays the stranded astronaut and scientist, and the heart, charisma, intelligence and even humor he brings to the space drama is unforgettable. 

All around, the 2010s were full of films that are on their way to becoming all-time classics, and it’s in part thanks to the brilliant actors who starred in them. 

The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is one of the most ambitious creative projects in the history of Hollywood. While we normally are focused on the immediate, like the 2026 movie schedule, director Sam Mendes has taken on a challenge so huge that we're talking about, in length, two years out from the release of all four movies. Each movie will focus on an individual member of the band: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

It's kind of crazy that we're talking about a project that is still two years away from release, but we have not one, but four upcoming music biopics about The Beatles, collectively known as The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event. It’s safe to say that the band's legacy has never waned, and they remain as relevant today as they were in the 1960s. However, there has never been an officially approved film about the iconic rock band, until now. And there are four of them.

The films are being shot simultaneously and cover the same period in the band, from their early days in Liverpool until their breakup in 1970 with the same cast appearing in all four. Each film will be seen from the point of view of an individual Beatle. Over the last couple of years or so, we’ve gotten a lot of information, including who will play most of the important people in the story (including all four Beatles), as casting is pretty much fully fleshed out at this point, at least all the major players (save one - who will play Pete Best??).

Oh, and did we mention that all four movies will be released on the same day in 2028? Let's get into it, because I can't wait to see these movies.

What Is The Release Date?

Understandably, the project is going to take some time. In March of 2025, Variety reported the news that all four movies will hit theaters on April 7th, 2028. That certainly feels like a long way off, but The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is a huge undertaking, so it’s hardly a surprise that it will take a while to complete. Production began in November of 2025.

The announcement called it “the first binge-able theatrical experience,” and if you are going to binge it, it's going to be a long day at the movie theater, as all four will be released simultaneously!

Who Are Playing The Beatles And Everyone Else In The Cast?

The cast of The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is absolutely stacked. Columbia Pictures has announced the names of most of the important people in The Beatles' orbit, including, of course, the four actors playing John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Plus producer George Martin, manager Brian Epstein, and the women who will be playing their wives. Here's everyone we know, including photos of the actors playing the Fab Four:

Paul Mescal As Paul McCartney

Though all of the Beatles are among the most famous men of the 100 years, Paul McCartney might just be the most famous. His career has spanned an incredible 65+ years, and even in his 80s, the songwriter shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, McCartney is releasing a new album, his first in six years, at the end of May 2026. In the Mendes Beatles movies, "Macca" will be played by Normal People star Paul Mescal.

Mescal's breakout role came in 2024's Gladiator II, in which he played Lucius Verus Aurelius. That came after he was nominated for an Oscar for 2022's Aftersun. He's also got a lot of award buzz for his performance as William Shakespeare in Hamnet, which was released in December 2025. In January 2026, we even got a sneak peek of Mescal as Macca, as well as a quote from the actor saying he will be doing the singing as Paul.

Harris Dickinson As John Lennon

The role of the late John Lennon will be played by Harris Dickinson. Lennon, who was shot and killed in 1980, did more to shape the Beatles than anyone else, both for better and for worse, and there is no doubt his story will likely be the most anticipated. The King's Man star has been busy lately, working with fellow Beatles movie star Saoirse Ronan in Blitz in 2024, and writing, directing, and starring in Urchin in 2025.

Joseph Quinn As George Harrison

In 2025, Joseph Quinn joined the MCU as Johnny Storm in the well-received Marvel movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He'll be reprising the role in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. Quinn has been tapped to play George Harrison in the Beatles movies. Of all the stories to be told, Harrison's might be the most interesting during his time with the band. Though he was an original member, he often felt apart from the writing team of Lennon and McCartney. It famously led to a fair amount of friction within The Beatles, and watching it play out will likely be a highlight of the four movies.

Barry Keoghan As Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr might not have been the band’s original drummer, but he joined just at the right time. That’s not to take away from his drumming, of course, or his impact on the band. His quirky personality and tasteful drumming were keys to the band’s success. He will be played by Irish actor Barry Keoghan. Keoghan spoke to Collider in March 2026 about the pressure of portraying a Beatle:

Keoghan has quickly become one of the most celebrated actors of the last decade with standout roles in shows like Chernobyl from HBO and Masters Of The Air, which can be seen with an Apple TV subscription, as well as movies like The Banshees of Inisherin, Eternals, Saltburn, and most recently, Crime 101 on the 2026 movie schedule.

Anna Sawai As Yoko Ono

Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated casting announcements would be who would play Yoko Ono. We now know that Anna Sawai will be stepping into the role of John Lennon’s second wife and widow. 2025 has been a big year for Sawai. She won an Emmy in September for her amazing performance in 2024’s Shōgun, which you can watch with a Hulu subscription.

Lennon met Ono in 1966, but they wouldn’t start dating until 1968, before marrying in 1969. She was a near-constant presence with the rock star after their marriage. This is one of the stories I'm most interested in, as I, like others, think that Ono got a bad rap for far too long as the "woman who broke up The Beatles," which isn't remotely true. It looks like Sawai agrees, telling Variety:

Ono is the most famous non-band member in The Beatles story, so this should be a major aspect of John's movie, I would think.

Saoirse Ronan As Linda McCartney

Saoirse Ronan is one of the more celebrated actors of the last two decades, earning four Oscar nominations since 2007. Most recently, she can be seen in 2025’s Bad Apples and 2024’s Blitz on Apple TV.

Ronan will be playing Linda McCartney, née Eastman, who married Paul in 1969. Linda, a professional photographer, met Paul in 1967 while she was on assignment, and they began dating shortly after. They remained married until her death from breast cancer in 1998.

Aimee Lou Wood As Pattie Boyd

One of the biggest breakouts in 2025 came from Season 3 of The White Lotus. Aimee Lou Wood is wonderful as Chelsea in the anthology series, and she is, frankly, perfect for the role of Pattie Boyd Harrison, wife of George Harrison. Most recently, Wood has co-created and is starring in the BBC show Film Club. For the role of Pattie, Wood is very aware of what she needs to do to play such a famous public figure, telling The Standard:

George and Pattie met on the set of Hard Day's Night in 1964, where Pattie played one of the two school girls on the train with The Beatles. Like in the movie, she caught the eye of one particular Beatle, and they married in early 1966. Their relationship was a rocky one, and Biyd famously divorced Harrison in 1977 and married Harrison’s best friend, Eric Clapton. Most of that story happened after the Beatles broke up, so we probably won’t see it in the movies.

Mia McKenna-Bruce As Maureen Starkey

Ringo Starr’s most famous (and current) wife is former Bond girl Barbara Bach, but they didn’t marry until 1980, so she likely won’t be part of the story in these movies. In the time period covered by the movies, Starr was married to Liverpool-native Maureen Starkey, née Cox. They married in 1965 and were together until 1975.

Maureen will be played by Mia McKenna-Bruce. McKenna-Bruce had her breakout in 2022’s How to Have Sex and is set to star in the Netflix show The Seven Dials Mystery, based on the book of the same name by Agatha Christie.

James Norton As Brian Epstein

We've also learned from Deadline that The Beatles' legendary manager Brian Epstein, who died in 1967 at the height of Beatlemania, will be portrayed by James Norton. Norton recently starred in House of Guinness, one of the best shows on Netflix in 2025.

Norton is no stranger to playing record industry legends. The actor played Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in the biopic Bob Marley: One Love in 2024. Norton will also appear in the upcoming Season 3 of House Of The Dragon as Ormond Hightower.

Harry Lloyd As George Martin

Game of Thrones veteran Harry Lloyd, who played the ill-fated Viserys Targaryen in the HBO series, will play famed Beatles producer George Martin. One of the many men sometimes referred to as "the fifth Beatle," Martin was crucial to the band's legendary albums. There's no question he'll play a prominent role in all four films.

The rest of the cast, including some of the Beatles' family members, and other important people in their career, have also been cast:

• Bobby Schofield As Neil Aspinall
• Daniel Hoffman-Gill as Mal Evans
• Adam Pally as Allen Klein
• David Morrissey as Jim McCartney, Paul's father
• Leanne Best as Mimi Smith, John's aunt, who raised him
• Arthur Darvill as Beatles PR man Derek Taylor
• Adam Pally as Allen Klein, the band's manager in their later years
• Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher
• Farhan Akhtar as Ravi Shankar
• Morfydd Clark as Cynthia Lennon, John's first wife
• Harry Lawtey as Stuart Sutcliffe, The Beatles' original bass player

Some of the musicians who worked with The Beatles will hopefully make appearances, like keyboardist Billy Preston. He worked with the band extensively in their final recording sessions and can be seen with a Disney+ subscription in the amazing docuseries The Beatles: Get Back from director Peter Jackson. Eric Clapton, who played the guitar solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and was good friends with George Harrison (and later married Pattie Boyd, after she divorced Harrison), could also pop up.

Of course, we haven't seen an actor attached to the role of the band's drummer before Ringo, Pete Best, either, but as Stu Sutcliffe has been cast, I assume Best will appear too.

There Will Be 4 Movies, One For Each Beatle

Rather than cover The Beatles across one biopic, this project is dedicating four feature films to these musical icons. As an added twist, each movie will focus on a different band member’s point of view, with all of the stories being “interconnected.” So although we’ll see Paul, John, George, and Ringo in all of these movies, each one will see one of the men taking center stage while the others occupy supporting positions.

As such, it’s reasonable to assume that, along with certain events being re-explored in each of these movies from different perspectives, there will also be opportunities to go down narrative paths that only involve the central Beatle, depending on the movie.

The Story Will End With Their 1970 Breakup

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr continued to produce music for their solo careers well after the Beatles dissolved, but it sounds like that won’t be explored in any of these upcoming movies. Per an official press release (via Variety), the Beatles' movies will wrap up with their breakup in 1970.

It’s possible that in the midst of each Beatles’ narrative being covered, there will be post-1970 flash forwards to show where these men ended up in life, but since these movies are specifically centered around the band when they were together, it’s doubtful a lot of screen time will be dedicated to what has happened after the breakup, or a lot about their solo careers.

Sam Mendes Is Directing All Four Movies

With a resume that includes American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Skyfall, Spectre, and 1917, it’s safe to say that Sam Mendes remains one of Hollywood’s most talented directors. Still, the prospect of directing four movies like this back-to-back-to-back-to-back would surely be daunting for any filmmaker. And yet, Mendes has taken it upon himself to helm and produce all four of them, though that’s not surprising since, per the Deadline story, he “conceived this grand vision.”

There Will Be Three Screenwriters

In May 2025, we found out that the four films would be written by three screenwriters. It’s a group of heavyweights, too. Per Variety, Tony Award-winner Jez Butterworth, who worked with Mendes on the James Bond film Spectre, will work alongside Peter Straughan, who just won an Oscar for his script for Conclave, and Jack Thorne, who took home an Emmy for his amazing work on Adolescence, which you can check out with a Netflix subscription.

These Are The First Official Biopics About The Beatles Ever Made

The Beatles are no strangers to cinema. Not only did Paul, John, Ringo, and George star in the movies A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, and Magical Mystery Tour, but they also provided the music (but not their voices) to the animated Yellow Submarine. There have also been several documentaries, and their music has been prominently featured in movies like Across the Universe and Yesterday (with the latter being possible thanks to a deal between Working Title Films and Apple and Sony). They even once tried to get their own Lord of the Rings adaptation off the ground.

However, Sam Mendes’ Beatles movies are the first time that scripted cinematic stories about these men have been approved by Paul and Ringo, as well as the estates of John and George. The full life stories and music rights of all four band members have been granted by those individuals and Apple Corps Ltd., the corporation that manages The Beatles’ music and various other media ventures.

There have been plenty of unauthorized versions of The Beatles on screen, with varying success, but none of those had the full backing of the band members and their surviving families, as these do. That means we’ll get lots of The Beatles’ music in the films, which is great, but it is fair to worry if the films will be too sanitized and leave out some of the more controversial moments of the band’s career, like the death of early band member Stu Sutcliffe, for example.

Given the success of music biopics from recent years like Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, A Complete Unknown, and the most recent Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, making a movie about The Beatles seems like it would be a no-brainer, but releasing four movies about them at once could lead to this becoming the cinematic event of 2028.

CinemaBlend will continue sharing the big updates on how Sam Mendes’ Beatles movies are progressing, so keep your eyes peeled!

Now, the Barbie cast was pretty much perfect as is, but in the months following the movie's release, a lot has come out about who could have been in the ensemble, and they are too good to not be bummed about. Great talents like Dan Levy, Jonathan Groff and Bowen Yang were almost Kens, but for a while now I’ve been the saddest about how Greta Gerwig couldn’t bring her Little Women and Lady Bird leads back for a third round. After Gerwig previously revealed that Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet almost had cameos in Barbie, Ronan has expanded on what almost was. 

Be warned, after learning who Saoirse Ronan almost played in the Barbie movie, you might become Depression Barbie. It’s just that good. Here’s what Ronan shared: 

Ronan revealed the information while speaking to Variety at the Sundance Film Festival, where she premiered her new film, The Outrun -- which will hopefully premiere on the 2024 movie schedule. Back in 2022, the Oscar-nominated actress said she was “gutted” she couldn’t make the movie work due to scheduling, especially after she led Gerwig’s other two directorial efforts, 2017’s Lady Bird and 2019’s Little Women. 

And no offense to Ronan in any way, but she would have been perfect as another Weird Barbie. While the actress has gravitated to a lot of dramatic roles over the years, she’s great at comedic timing, and I think her moment with Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie (as another Weird Barbie) would have been a highlight of the film. When asked more about the specifics of the role, she also said this: 

Yeah… she would have crushed this, and it would have been hilarious to see more worldbuilding regarding the Weird Barbies of Barbieland. Is there an entire side of the world where Weird Barbies are just weird together? Anyway, I did warn you knowing about this might trigger the Depression Barbie in you. 

Along with Saoirse Ronan’s lost role in Barbie, her Little Women cast mate Timothée Chalamet was almost in Barbie as well. While on The Tonight Show, he  said he might have played “one of the rejected Kens,” implying it might have been “a reject French one.” Like Ronan, he had his own scheduling conflicts and couldn’t make the cameo work. Not having two of Gerwig's frequent collaborators in Barbie is truly the biggest bummer.

While Ronan and Chalamet are not in Barbie, you can currently watch it with a Max subscription. Here’s hoping the pair will reunite with Greta Gerwig for her next feature! 

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is still going strong, thanks to both movies and streaming content that's available with a Disney+ subscription. Throughout Phases Four and Five, Florence Pugh has become a fan favorite character as Natasha's sister Yelena, a role she'll reprise in the upcoming Marvel movie Thunderbolts. While Pugh crushed as Yelena, another A-lister turned down the role first. Namely, four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan. 

While joining the MCU is a dream for many, it's a unique gig that comes with tight Marvel security and long production periods. Deadline reporter Justin Kroll recently appeared on the podcast The Town with Matthew Belloni, where he explained why Saoirse Ronan decided not to play Yelena in Black Widow, offering:

There you have it. Per this report, the Little Women actress seemingly isn't keen on joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon. While this might be a bummer for fans of her work, this opened the door for Pugh to absolutely nail it as Yelena, which has already become a years-long gig. 

The say everything happens for a reason, and this casting shake-up certainly feels like it worked out the way it was meant to. Florence Pugh was able to craft a fully formed character in Black Widow, and smart money says she's going to be around the MCU for a while now. And is this report is to be believed, Ronan wouldn't have enjoyed that commitment to Marvel very much.

Following Black Widow's credits scene, Pugh would end up returning as Yelena in Hawkeye, to delightful results. She had amazing chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop, and was able to mourn Natasha's death through her conflict with Clint Barton.

Next up Pugh's Yelena will be back on the big screen as part of the cast of Thunderbolts. The hype for that crossover movie is high, as it will feature a number of antagonists and antiheroes from the MCU timeline. Yelena will reunite with David Harbour's Red Guardian, as well as Black Widow's villain Taskmaster, while also being introduced to Bucky Barnes, Ant-Man 2's Ghost, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier's U.S. Agent. And while Saoirse Ronan definitely has the talent to pull off the role, it's hard to imagine anyone but Pugh in the role at this point. 

If this report is to be believed, we probably shouldn't hold our breaths to see Ronan in the MCU anytime soon. But fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen the shared universe manage to book plenty of other acclaimed talents over the years, so who knows?

Thunderbolts is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 25th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

In Garth Davis’ Foe, a sci-fi drama that takes place on a farm that’s been dried out by climate change, there are two moments when it rains. Since the movie starring Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan is so dry, dusty and desolate, when water falls from the sky it’s noticeable and almost jarring. So, when I got the chance to chat with the movie’s cinematographer, Mátyás Erdély, I had to ask about the rain, and he explained the deeper meaning behind it. 

As the movie unfolds, we watch a couple break apart after they find out one of them has been chosen for a space mission. It’s then revealed at the end of Foe that Mescal’s character Jr. has been at the space station for the majority of the movie, while his wife, Hen (Ronan), has been living with the AI version of him. 

Throughout the film, there are flashbacks of Jr. and Hen’s relationship in the earlier days, and it includes their wedding day. While the Earth is dying, and it hardly ever rains, it did on the day they decided to get married. Serendipitously, it also rained on the day their relationship died after the human Jr. returned to the planet. Thinking about this juxtaposition in the book-to-screen adaption of Iain Reid's novel, Erdély told me this:

Rain can give life, and it can easily take it away, and in Foe’s case, it signifies both. Erdély continued to speak about the two moments of rain, and what they individually represented in the film. He said:

At the end of Foe, Jr.’s return feels like a relief at first, because it means all the trauma caused by Hen’s time with the AI version of him can come to an end. However, we’re quickly reminded that the human version of her husband is a toxic man, who does not want to grow. Therefore, he does not want the rain, and he walks out of it, literally. Meanwhile, Hen is excited about it, she’s curious, and she wants to stay in it and evolve past this farm. Their reactions to the rain the second time show how they’ve changed and grown apart. 

The movie shows both how rain can nourish as well as how chaotic it can be, and the damage it can cause. Thinking about all of this, and what the rain signifies both universally and for this couple, Mátyás Erdély said:

Overall, the rain in Foe helps us understand the state of Jr. and Hen’s marriage, it also signifies the birth and death of their relationship after this traumatizing event in their lives. To unpack this symbolism for yourself, and to see Foe in its entirety, you can watch it in theaters now and it’s expected to be available through a Prime Video subscription after its theatrical run.  

Spoilers for Garth Davis’ Foe are ahead. If you haven’t seen the sci-fi drama, you can check it out now in theaters. 

Many of the best sci-fi movies feature an epic plot twist. Take Arrival and Interstellar for example, both films simultaneously blow your mind, and have you contemplating your humanity. Well, the latest science fiction film to hit the 2023 movie schedule, Foe, features a pretty epic (and unexpected) twist that needs to be broken down. Luckily, after speaking with the film’s cinematographer, Mátyás Erdély, I have a good understanding of what went down in this intimate story about AI, and how they pulled off the big reveal at the end of the film starring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal. 

Before we hop into the nitty gritty of this movie’s ending, first let’s review the basic story. This book-to-screen adaptation based on Iain Reid’s novel of the same name follows a couple, Jr. (Paul Mescal) and Hen (Saoirse Ronan), after Jr. is selected to be part of a group that goes to a space station to see if it's habitable. When a man, Terrance, shows up at their rural farm to discuss this proposition, he also explains how when Jr. leaves, they’ll give Hen an AI version of her husband. However, we’re not made aware of when the switch happens. So, the ending of this sci-fi drama revolves around the audience figuring out that we’ve been watching AI Jr. this whole time. 

What Happened At The End Of Foe? 

The beginning of the end comes when we find out that the Jr. we’ve been watching for the majority of the movie is actually AI. The human version of Hen’s husband returns from his space mission, and it’s determined that the artificial intelligence version of him needs to be laid to rest. 

It’s a jarring experience watching one man witness his AI clone’s demise, and as Jr. calmly watches the proceeding, Hen freaks out.

After AI Jr. is gone, the human Jr. and Hen try to work out their marriage. Throughout the entire movie, it’s made clear that Mescal’s character is very stuck in his ways, and doesn’t want change. However, Hen desires her own agency, is curious about the world, and wants to leave their farm. The two have a conversation about how Ronan's character developed feelings for AI Jr. while human Jr. was gone, and he gets extremely mad, in a scary way.

This leads to Hen giving her husband a letter with nothing written on it – something she told Terrance she would do – and leaving their farm. Then, a green light is shown, which we discover is how AI is activated, and what I took to be an artificial intelligence Hen appears at Jr.’s home. 

In the end, it seems like AI Hen and Jr. live happily in their home, and Mescal’s character is not forced to adapt or change with the times. Meanwhile, human Hen is seen flying away. We don’t know where she’s going, but we know she finally got what she wanted. 

Foe’s ending hinges on the moment we find out that the Jr. we’ve been watching for the majority of the movie is not the human version. It’s a major, and mind-boggling, reveal, and the cinematographer, Mátyás Erdély, broke down how they pulled it off while speaking with CinemaBlend.

How Foe’s Cinematographer Filmed Paul Mescal’s Big Plot Twist 

When I saw Foe, what immediately struck me during the plot twist was how Jr. reacted to seeing a being who looked and talked exactly like him. At that point, AI Jr. is freaking out and begging those around him to not put him down. Meanwhile, human Jr. is very calmly watching his doppelgänger struggle. 

While this shot is mind-boggling to watch, and Mescal's two performances show off his range, it was actually quite simple to shoot as Mátyás Erdély explained to me:

Throughout our interview, Erdély told me that they shot this movie as simply and as practically as they could. This included the massive plot twist where Paul Mescal plays two characters at the same time. It turns out that the harder part of shooting this film, and building to the end, came with how they created the first two-thirds of Foe. 

How Foe's Creative Team Kept The Plot Twist A Secret From The Audience

While shooting the reveal about the two versions of Jr. was fairly easy, keeping this fact a secret proved to be a bit challenging. Mátyás Erdély elaborated on the conversations he had with director Garth Davis about how they would shoot the story since Hen knows about AI Jr. and the audience doesn't. He said:

Ultimately, Davis wanted the movie shot “very straightforward” so they wouldn’t reveal anything to the audience. However, Erdély noted that even though he used his camera to show how life literally was for Hen and Jr., you can sense that something is wrong because of Ronan’s complex performance. She’s in the know the entire time, and her “inner struggle,” as the director of photography put it, is what helps us better understand the bigger picture.

In the end, the audience has to come to terms with the horrors of what’s happening in this movie in real-time. There really isn't much warning; it's just clear that something is off. The plot twist and the AI reveal are unsettling, it’s also the final nail in the coffin of this couple who has been on the ropes for a long time. The plot twist emphasizes their differences, and drives them to make life-changing decisions – for Jr. it’s to stay home, and for Hen it’s to leave.

If you are interested in watching or re-watching Foe, you can do so by checking it out in theaters. Also, it’s an Amazon Studios film, which means it will likely be available through a Prime Video subscription at some point in the near future. 

Typically, the best sci-fi movies are those not just filled with dazzling special effects and alien worlds, but those with a psychological element where characters are forced to make tough decisions and deal with their consequences. Such will be the case with Foe, Garth Davis’ upcoming thriller starring Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan as a married couple whose world is turned upside down when one of them is being sent to space.

One of the more intriguing movies based on books to come out this year, the unique and interesting picture could very well end up being one of the best films of 2023, as well as one of the most interesting sci-fi thrillers in recent memory. Below is a breakdown of everything we know about Foe, from its release date to cast and trailer to what its director has said about it. Let’s take a look… 

What Is The Foe Release Date?

There isn’t that much time to wait, as Foe is set to open in theaters on October 6, 2023. Though Amazon Studios has announced a release date, it hasn’t been disclosed if this will be a limited rollout in select markets for a short period of time or a wide release hitting most cities and towns throughout the United States.

Like other Amazon Studios original films, Foe will land on Prime Video at some point in the near future, but an exact date has not yet been announced for the streaming debut. However, when it does arrive on the service, it will be available for anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription. In the meantime, there are still plenty of great Amazon movies worth checking out while you wait for this sci-fi thriller to show up.

The Foe Cast Includes Paul Mescal, Saoirse Ronan, And Aaron Pierre

The upcoming movie is anchored by three incredibly talented actors. Though more actors will surely be announced as we get closer to the fall release date, right now Foe will see Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan take on the roles of Junior and Henrietta, respectively: a couple in a near-future society on a dying Earth. Aaron Pierre shows up in the movie as a mysterious stranger who appears at the couple’s door with an ambitious and troubling proposition.

At one point in time, LaKeith Stanfield was attached to take on the role of the stranger but was later replaced by Pierre, as Deadline reported back in 2021. Pierre, who made a name for himself on shows like Krypton and The Underground Railroad before finding success on the big screen, is also set to portray Mufasa in the upcoming Disney live-action remake, Mufasa: The Lion King. 

The Foe Trailer Teases A Startling Proposal, Space Travel, And Intense Drama

A little less than two months before Foe was set to make its theatrical debut, Amazon Studios gave the world its first proper look at the movie in the form of two-minute trailer full of intense drama, talk of space travel, and a startling proposal that could change not only the world of the couple at the center of its story, but also the entire planet. Check it out below:

The Foe trailer – which feels like a series of scenes weaved together in such a way that gives you a basic understanding of the film you’re about to watch but not enough to give everything away – does a wonderful job of hyping up the drama and tension. By slowly peeling back the layers of Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan’s characters and their motivations, we become just as interested in what brought them to this point as we are about what the future holds if the stranger’s proposal is accepted.

The Movie Follows A Couple Whose Marriage Is Tested When The Husband Is Sent To Space And A Robot Is Sent In His Place

The basic gist of Foe goes something like this: Junior and Henrietta live a relatively quiet life on a piece of land that has been in Junior’s family for generations. Their idyllic homestead, however, is disturbed upon the arrival of a stranger who shows up with a proposal for Junior to embark upon a years-long mission in outer space, one that means his wife will have to stay back on Earth. If the couple goes through with the plan, a robot will be sent to take Junior’s place at home so that Henrietta won’t be left alone in her uncertainty.

Foe Is Based On Iain Reid’s 2018 Novel Of The Same Name

A little more than five years before making its theatrical debut, Foe started out as Iain Reid’s novel of the same name. Published by Simon & Schuster in August 2018, the book is set in a world that has been turned into a charred wasteland due to the effects of severe climate change, and it explores various themes like solitude, relationships, memory, and alienation with its story about about a couple on the verge of being pulled apart.

If Reid’s name sounds familiar, it could have something to do with the fact that his debut novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, was adapted into Charlie Kaufman’s 2020 Netflix movie of the same name. There were some key differences in that adaptation, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s the case with Foe. 

Director Garth Davis Has Said Foe Asks People To Be ‘Awake’ And ‘Alive’

Garth Davis, who wanted to turn Foe from a book into a movie shortly after reading Iain Reid’s novel, sat down for a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair around the time the movie’s trailer debuted online. During the chat, which covered pretty much everything to do with the upcoming feature, he explains that he views Foe as a wake-up call, both in terms of our relationships with people around us as well as the planet we call home. Said Davis,

Davis, whose other notable works include the 2016 biographical drama Lion starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman (both were nominated for Oscars for their roles) and the TV drama series Top of the Lake, also opened up about how the movie will explore topics like artificial intelligence, massive fires and floods, and how corporations control us.

Now all there is to do is wait until Foe opens in theaters and eventually makes its streaming debut on Prime Video at some point in the near future. While we wait, now would be a good time to take a look at our updated 2023 movie schedule so you don’t miss out on any of the big theatrical (and streaming) release dates.

Even though the cast of the Barbie movie is already stacked, I think many of us were hoping and praying that some of Greta Gerwig’s long-time colleagues and A+ actors would make a cameo in Barbie. It turns out, the Oscar-nominated director did try to get her plas Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan into her film, and she revealed to CinemaBlend why it didn’t work out. However, just knowing that they tried to make it happen makes me happy, and if these two Little Women stars would have ended up in this bright pink movie it would have been epic. 

While speaking with CinemaBlend, we asked Greta Gerwig about the planned cameo for Saoirse Ronan that didn’t work out. Earlier this year the Academy Award-nominated actress, opened up about how she felt “gutted” over not being able to pop into Barbie. Turns out, her friend and frequent collaborator was also bummed about the Lady Bird star not being able to visit Barbie Land. The director said:

Not only did we almost get a Saoirse Ronan cameo, we also almost got a Timothée Chalamet cameo too! To see these two reunited on screen in the Barbie movie of all movies would have been truly legendary. I could totally see Ronan as a Barbie and Chalamet as a Ken, I think they’d fit right into Barbie Land. Even if they were only in the film for a few seconds, it would have been epic.

If these cameos would have worked out, this would have marked the third time in a row the two actors and the director worked together. The terrific trio made their debut with Gerwig’s directorial debut Lady Bird, and then Chalamet and Ronan led the Little Women cast in 2019 as Jo and Laurie. 

Understandably, the two actors couldn’t make it in for the shoot. They’re both mega stars who are very, very busy and sadly they weren’t able to join Margot Robbie and co. for Barbie, although they did try. 

While Gerwig didn’t explain why the actors specifically couldn’t be involved, the two stars have multiple exciting films in the works which explain their busy schedules. 

Chalamet likely couldn’t make it because he was off in the desert shooting Dune: Part Two. I think it's safe to assume that there are no direct flights from Arrakis to Barbie Land. Then, he was probably busy playing Willy Wonka in the chocolatier’s origin film Wonka after that. Both films are set to premiere on the 2023 movie schedule, so I get why he couldn’t go serve any Ken-ergy with the other Kens.

As for Ronan, the Barbie director noted she couldn’t make it because she was producing her first film, which is incredibly exciting. That film is called The Outrun, and she’s the star of it too. Currently, it’s in post-production. 

While it's a bit of a bummer that Greta Gerwig, Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan didn’t get to keep their streak alive, I’m overjoyed they at least tried to work it out. It would have been so epic to see the two actors on screen in Barbie Land, however, that fantasy will have to remain imaginary, for now. Maybe…if there’s a sequel we could get this trio of Little Women alums back together so they can keep their history of collaboration alive, and share their takes on Barbie and Ken.  

Recently, Jenna Ortega went viral, and not for her creepy and kooky dance from Wednesday this time, but for being one of the first people to publicly pronounce Rihanna’s name correctly at the 2023 Golden Globes. This would certainly not be the first time we learned that we have wrongfully assumed (or been confused by) how to pronounce our favorite celebrities’ names. Let’s take a look at some of those who most commonly fall victim to this sort of mistake in Hollywood, starting with the right response to the aforementioned pop star’s question, “What my name?”

Rihanna (ree-ann-uh)

As Jenna Ortega casually dropped in a Golden Globes clip that blew up on TikTok quickly after, fellow nominee Rihanna (for her song, “Lift Me Up,” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), is not pronounced “ree-AH-nuh,” but “ree-ann-uh.” 

Zendaya (zen-day-uh)

Another talented, single-named singer and actor who was nominated (and won) at that year’s Golden Globes for playing Rue on Euphoria is Zendaya, who — in a Snapchat video tweeted by Allure in 2016 — would inform anyone who may have called her “zen-DIE-uh” that it is actually pronounced like it is spelled.

Ariana Grande (ar-ee-ah-nuh gran-dee)

While this actor and pop star does actually pronounce her name the same as everyone else, Wicked cast member Ariana Grande revealed in an interview with Apple Music that she grew up using the pronunciation her grandfather did: “gran-dee.”

Brendan Fraser (bren-dan fray-zer)

Finally getting the recognition he deserves lately for his performance in The Whale is Oscar nominee Brendan Fraser, who is also finally being referred to by the correct pronunciation of his last name (“fray-zer,” which he pointed out to Adam Sandler in a one-on-one for Variety) instead of the way you would pronounce Kelsey Grammer’s title role from Frasier.

Charlize Theron (shar-leese there-uhn)

Academy Award winner (for Monster) and sought-after action star Charlize Theron let the world know in a 2016 interview that there are actually two different ways to say her name: the way she goes by (shar-leese there-uhn) or in the original South African dialect, (“throne,” like what a queen sits on).

Gal Gadot (gal gah-doht) 

Charlize Theron’s fellow Fast and Furious franchise star (and Wonder Woman in several DC movies) Gal Gadot has also had to inform the public (multiple times) that the “T” in the Israeli actor’s last name is not silent and the full name is pronounced much like it is spelled: “gal gah-doht.”

Hasan Minhaj (hah-sahn meen-hahj)

Former Daily Show correspondent and host of Netflix’s Patriot Act, Hasan Minhaj, had to inform Ellen Degeneres that the Indian-American comedian’s name is pronounced “hah-sahn MEEN-HAHJ,” instead of the commonly mistaken, “muh-nahj.”

Domhnall Gleeson (doh-nall glee-sen) 

Versatile Star Wars movies star Domhnall Gleeson left the world dumfounded by how to pronounce his Irish first name until he explained we should say “doh-nall” in a clip from EW’s YouTube channel.

Saoirse Ronan (sur-sha ro-nan)

An Irish actor whose first name is more notoriously mysterious (for both the spelling and pronunciation) is four-time Oscar nominee (for movies like Antonement and Lady Bird) Saoirse Ronan, who has assured us in multiple interviews — and in her SNL monologue — that it is “sur-sha.”

Zoe Saldaña (zo-ee sal-dahn-ya) 

Geek Goddess Zoe Saldaña (known for too many franchises to count) actually admitted to E! News that she initially introduced herself to the world as Zoe “Sal-DAN-uh” when, in reality, the accent mark is not to be ignored.

Raven-Symoné (ray-ven see-mon-ye)

Apparently, the accent mark in Raven-Symoné’s name is not to be ignored either, as the Disney Channel star made clear in a TikTok that it is not “sim-ohn,” but “see-mon-ye.”

Khloé Kardashian (clo-ay kar-dash-ee-yen)

It appears we have also been ignoring the accent mark in Khloé Kardashian’s name, and we have Andy Cohen to thank for letting us — and Jimmy Fallon — know that the social media mogul’s first name is not pronounced with a hard “E.”

Lindsay Lohan (lind-see low-en)

It appears that we have been mistakenly emphasizing the “HAN” in Mean Girls cast member Lindsay Lohan’s last name, as she took to TikTok to explain that it is really a much smoother, “low-en.”

Amanda Seyfried (uh-man-duh sigh-fred) 

Years ago, Lindsay Lohan’s Mean Girls co-star Amanda Seyfried claimed to Hollywood Streams that, despite her own sister going by the commonly mistaken “sigh-freed,” it is “sigh-fred,” which many others did not realize until Brad Pitt correctly announced her name at the 2021 Oscars, where her performance in Mank earned her a nod.

Joe Manganiello (jo manga-nello)

As former True Blood cast member Joe Manganiello demonstrated in an interview with Just Jared, it is much easier to pronounce his last name than many may have assumed: “manga-nello.”

Chrissy Teigen (kris-ee tye-gehn)

Model, actor, TV personality, and wife of John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, does not actually mind that people say her last name as “tee-gehn” instead of the official, Norwegian pronunciation, “tye-gehn,” and even told E! that they can continue calling her the former.

Ya know, I actually can relate to a lot of these celebrities with how often people get my own last name wrong. In fact, I would be willing the bet that the byline for this article had you dumbfounded already. But if there wasn't a stumper or five in this article I'd be very surprised. 

Production on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is well under way. The film received a lot of attention this summer for wacky released pictures showing crazy costumes and fun characters, including Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken. But apparently Saoirse Ronan was supposed to be in the film as well in a unique role. Unfortunately it didn't work out, but the Lady Bird star recently revealed who she was supposed to play in the much anticipated comedy. 

In an interview with People Magazine, the star revealed that she was going to join her Mary Queen of Scots co-star Margot Robbie in the new Barbie film, mostly because where the film was supposed to be shot. Ronan details:

Not only was Ronan going to be a part of the Barbie movie, but she was going to play another version of the titular dolls in the film. This sounds so exciting and it's clear the actress was so disappointed she couldn’t make it happen, saying:

Unfortunately, Ronan couldn’t be a part of the film because of a scheduling conflict. She was filming a biopic called The Outrun about a woman who returns to her childhood farm in Scotland following a stint in rehab for alcoholism. This project sounds incredibly moving and important, so I understand why Ronan had to pass on the role in Barbie. However, I would’ve loved to see her work with Greta Gerwig again. Ronan has worked with Greta Gerwig twice, on Lady Bird and Little Woman, which are both incredible projects. Ronan has always been supportive of the director, and clearly loves working with her.

It does still seem like Ronan wants to be a part of the project, in any capacity. The actress has even reached out to Robbie and Gerwig about the possibility, saying:

I think I speak for everyone saying we would love to see Saoirse Ronan in Barbie, even if it’s just in the background. As for the premise, Ryan Gosling has revealed his Ken is down on his luck and needs Barbie’s help in the film, and Margot Robbie teased that the film is “something totally different” from what one may expect from a Barbie film. Barbie is also being produced by Robbie’s production company LuckyChap Entertainment, which has a great track record with films like Promising Young Woman.

We will have to wait a while before we can see if Saoirse Ronan made it into Barbie as a hypothetical background character. The film won’t be out in theaters until July 21, 2023. In the meantime, you can watch Ronan in See How They Run, which releases in theaters on September 16th. For movies coming to theaters in the near future, check out our 2023 movie schedule. 

Louisa May Alcott’s influential 1868 coming-of-age novel has been subjected to many, many adaptations, including seven theatrical films alone - notably one from 1994 with Winona Ryder and a young Christian Bale. However, the Little Women cast that has made the biggest impression on modern culture most recently comes from Greta Gerwig’s take on the story from 2019, starring Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, British A-lister Emma Watson, and soon-to-be sci-fi action star Timothée Chalamet, to name a few.

Among the central cast from this celebrated tale of four sisters learning to navigate their professional, social, and romantic lives in post-Civil War New York, there are three Academy Award winners and just as many nominees. One of them is Florence Pugh, who actually earned her first Oscar nod for her role, which I doubt will be her last. In fact, I think every major player from Little Women (veterans and up-and-comers alike) are destined to continue leading careers of great achievement.

To better understand how I would come to form such a prediction, let us take a deeper look at their future. The following is a breakdown of what to look forward to from 12 of the most notable cast members from the acclaimed period piece, starting with one actress who has almost made a career out of period pieces.

Saoirse Ronan (Josephine “Jo” March)

Before she played temperamental writer Jo March, Saoirse Ronan was young Briony Tallis in Atonement, Agatha in The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the title character of the early 2000s-set dramedy Lady Bird - her first collaboration with Little Women director Greta Gerwig. The Irish-born, 26-year-old, four-time Oscar nominee has even more period pieces on the horizon, including a forbidden 19th-Century romance with Kate Winslet in Ammonite, Wes Anderson’s love letter to 20th Century journalism in The French Dispatch, and a murder mystery set in 1950s London that is currently untitled.

Emma Watson (Margaret “Meg” March)

British (but Parisian-born) actress Emma Watson made a doozy of a debut at 11 years old as Hermione Granger in the first of eight Harry Potter films before branching out into playing other literary figures, like Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Belle in Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast update, and, Meg March in Little Women, of course. Other than speaking against the controversial opinions of a woman partly responsible for her career (J.K. Rowling) and speaking in favor of other various sociopolitical causes, hopefully we will see the 30-year-old star return to the screen soon enough in two more novel adaptations, While We’re Young with Perks director Stephen Chbosky and Queen of the Tearling, based on Erika Johansen’s fantasy series - both of which have been in development since 2013.

Florence Pugh (Amy March)

It was not until 2014 when English actress Florence Pugh landed her first acting gig (opposite Games of Thrones Maisie Williams) in The Falling, but only two years later, her lead part in Lady Macbeth would set her on a path to stardom defined by roles in the wrestling biopic Fighting with My Family and Ari Aster’s festival of carnage Midsommar in 2019. Following her Oscar nomination for playing Amy March in Little Women, the 24-year-old will finally join the MCU in 2021 as Yelena Belova in Black Widow and the upcoming Hawkeye series for Disney+. Hopefully, that same year, audiences will see her reunite with Outlaw/King co-star Chris Pine in the 1950s-set psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling from director Olivia Wilde.

Eliza Scanlen (Elizabeth “Beth” March)

Making her feature film debut as the youngest March sister, Beth, in Little Women is Eliza Scanlen - previously best known in the States as Amy Adams’ younger sister on the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects and the soap opera Home and Away in her native country, Australia. The 21-year-old recently appeared in another novel adaptation with an all-star ensemble (Netflix’s The Devil All the Time), wrote and directed the award-winning short Mukbang, and filmed M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, Old, which is set for a 2021 release.

Timothée Chalamet (Theodore “Laurie” Laurence)

Oscar nominee and recent Saturday Night Live host Timothée Chalamet has a few Little Women cast reunions on the horizon, namely The French Dispatch with Saoirse Ronan (the Lady Bird co-stars’ third collaboration) and opposite Meryl Streep (as well as a slew of other heavy hitters) in Adam McKay’s apocalyptic satire Don’t Look Up for Netlflix. The 25-year-old’s most highly anticipated role at the moment is the lead in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune, unless you count fans of Call Me By Your Name, who are excited to see him and Armie Hammer reprise their roles in the upcoming sequel titled Find Me.

Chris Cooper (James Laurence)

Playing Timothée Chalamet’s grandfather in Little Women is Academy Award-winner Chris Cooper, who has since played a major role on Season 2 of the Amazon Prime drama Homecoming alongside Janelle Monae, and Steve Carell’s choice to run for mayor of a conservative town in director Jon Stewart’s political satire Irresistible. He will next appear in With/In, an anthology film featuring segments that all take place during the Covid-19 pandemic, and will star opposite Patricia Clarkson and Elizabeth Olsen in Light on Broken Glass, the story of an aging Broadway star reflecting on her younger years.

Meryl Streep (Aunt Josephine March)

There is no need to introduce this three-time Oscar winner, who plays the aunt of the March Sisters, but, surprisingly, was not one of the Little Women cast members to receive a nod from the Academy this year. Next, Meryl Streep will play the President in Don’t Look Up, and is producing a documentary based on the acclaimed one-woman show Sell/Buy/Date, but lately this cinema legend has called the small screen home, appearing in the Netflix original musical The Prom, Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk for HBO Max, and narrating an Earth Day-inspired Apple TV+ animated short.

Laura Dern (Margaret “Marmee” March)

Meryl Streep’s Big Little Lies co-star Laura Dern also did not earn an Oscar nod in 2020 (for playing the March Sisters’ mother, Marmee, in Little Women), but she did for her role as a no-nonsense divorce lawyer in Marriage Story. Speaking of Netflix originals, the actress still voices Sue Murphy for Bill Burr’s 1970s-set animated sitcom F is for Family, which is heading into its fifth and final season, and her reprisal of paleontologist Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World: Dominion is expected to hit theaters in June 2022.

Bob Odenkirk (Robert March)

We might not have seen absurdist comedian Bob Odenkirk in parts like the March Sisters’ minister father in Little Women, if not for his role on Breaking Bad as slick lawyer Saul Goodman, whom he reprised in the prequel series Better Call Saul, which is set to start filming its sixth season in 2021. Also that year, the 58-year-old Emmy-winner will continue to exceed expectations as an average family man turned dangerous vigilante in Nobody, a new thriller from the director of Hardcore Henry, which Odenkirk is also producing.

Tracy Letts (Mr. Dashwood)

Little Women was actually a reunion moment for Mr. Dashwood actor Tracy Letts in many ways, having previously played Saoirse Ronan’s father in Lady Bird, written the original play and screenplay for August: Osage County (which starred his The Post co-star Meryl Streep), and appeared on the Festivus episode of Seinfeld, which Bob Odenkirk also guest-starred on. Additionally, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner wrote the screenplay for the upcoming Amy Adams drama The Woman in the Window (which he also appears in) and will star opposite Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as a couple with ties to a series of disappearances in Deep Water, which is now in post-production.

Jayne Houdyshell (Hannah Mullet)

Another Tony Award winner among the Little Women cast is Jayne Houdyshell, who plays the March family’s Irish maid Hannah Mullet, and will actually star in an A24-distributed film adaptation of the play that earned her a Tony, The Humans, which is in post-production at the moment. Also in post is Red, White and Water, the story of a US soldier coming to grips with a brain trauma and PTSD after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, which the 67-year-old actress will star in opposite Jennifer Lawrence, Samira Wiley, and Brian Tyree Henry, to name a few.

James Norton (John Brooke)

Also known for a background in theater is James Norton, who plays Laurie’s tutor and Meg’s lover, John Brooke, in Little Women. The British actor has since followed that by playing scandalous 1960s era artist Stephen Ward in the BBC miniseries The Trial of Christine Keeler, and a struggling single father in the 2020 drama Nothing Special. Next on his to-do list is the Amanda Seyfried-led period horror flick Things Heard & Seen, an animated adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, HBO’s Victorian sci-fi series The Nevers, and, if the odds fall in his favor, succeeding the role of James Bond from Daniel Craig.

What do you think? Is James Norton a good fit for 007, or would you rather see the role fall in the hands of someone with a more established action background? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the cast of Little Women, as well as even more inside looks into what is next in store for your favorite actors, here on CinemaBlend.

Can we even start awards season without Saoirse Ronan? The four-time Academy Award-nominated actress has become a mainstay in the Oscar conversation, and this year, the actress will play the love interest to Kate Winslet’s 19th century paleontologist Mary Anning in Ammonite. The film will feature an erotic sex scene Winslet and Ronan choreographed themselves for the drama.

Although she’s 26, Saoirse Ronan is already a veteran of Hollywood since starting her career as a child actor. In her adulthood, the actress has previously checked off the sex scene box with the likes of Timotheé Chalamet in Lady Bird. Ronan recently shared her take on filming sex scenes with these words:

Well this is interesting and brings a new perspective to what it may be like to act in a sex scene versus a makeout moment. As Saoirse Ronan told ET, she finds the former to be easier because it’s more about the choreography involved than locking lips. And when you think about it, a kissing scene is very much more real when you see it onscreen than a sex scene would be, so this actually makes sense.

For Ammonite, Saoirse Ronan was comfortable in the hands of Kate Winslet for the period piece that has received positive reviews overall ahead of its Friday release. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg gave the film 3.5 stars out of five in his review, particularly citing their chemistry as a highlight of the movie. Ronan said she felt “very relaxed” with Winslet for the movie, and playing off each other’s ideas for their sex scene looks to have benefitted the film. Check out the trailer for Ammonite below:

Saoirse Ronan explained that the co-stars got really open with each other about what they like to experience in the bedroom and adapted their conversations to their characters for Ammonite’s most passionate scenes. The trailer offers a small peak at the actress’ sexual tension and a couple small moments from the aforementioned scenes. Ammonite is named after an extinct sea creature and will follow the pair as they develop an intense relationship together.

Ammonite is heading to theaters on November 13, ahead of its release on-demand on December 4. We’ll keep a lookout and see how the movie captures audiences into award season. Aside from the romantic drama, Winslet will star in the next Avatar film, and Saorise is set to star in Wes Anderson’s next film The French Dispatch, which is expected to come out sometime in 2021. Check out CinemaBlend’s 2021 release calendar for more exciting releases.

Being two of the best actors currently working in the industry, Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan are infinitely reliable when it comes to delivering excellent performances – and by extension the expectation for what they are able to do as a pair is off the charts. In this respect, Francis Lee’s

Ammonite is certainly a success, as both stars not only do fantastic work but have sparking romantic chemistry. What’s unfortunate is that the movie is unable to provide a worthy story for the turns to hang on, and thus it can’t succeed in being much more than mediocre.

An original film inspired by the life of paleontologist Mary Anning, the period film transports audiences to the English coastal town of Lyme Regis in the 1840s, introducing the great scientific mind (Kate Winslet) as a lonely, cross woman living a life of mostly solitude – running a shop for tourists selling off her various fossil discoveries, and taking care of her elderly mother (Gemma Jones). Her routine is interrupted, however, when a tourist fascinated by the field of paleontology named Roderick Murchison (James McArdle) arrives in town and offers money for the opportunity to watch her work before setting out on his own expedition. With him is his young, sickly wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan), for whom doctors have recommended a trip to the coast, with the hope being that the sea air can cure her melancholia.

After being enchanted by a day out with Mary, Roderick makes the request that she allow Charlotte to stay with her while he goes out of the country for a few weeks, and not being in a financial situation that allows her to refuse she agrees. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start, with Mary feeling put out by the imposition of what is ostensibly a babysitting job, and the circumstances are made more challenging by Charlotte taking a brief jaunt into the ocean and falling ill.

As they spend more time together, Mary and Charlotte’s relationship begins to evolve and become something deeper. More than just friends, they become passionate lovers, all the while knowing that their time together is limited by the eventual return of Charlotte’s husband.

Ammonite’s romantic drama doesn’t rise above anything you go in expecting from the film.

While Ammonite operates with a relatively quick pace and is never boring, it’s a bit surprising that the movie clocks in at just under two hours long, as it really isn’t a film where very much happens. What’s described above is the base setup for the plot that takes about half of the total running time, leaving the latter hour to center on the protagonists’ desire for one another and dealing with the consequences of their affair. There are occasional side characters who enter the picture – such as a doctor (Alec Secareanu) who is called on to care for Charlotte, and shows a clear attraction to Mary; and a colleague (Fiona Shaw) with whom Mary clearly has a past – but the sequences are simple, and all work in service of highlighting the lesbian relationship at the heart of the story.

None of this is inherently bad, but it does prevent the film from being exceptionally memorable or captivating, and it also happens to be a touch rote and over familiar. Much like Ammonite’s color palette, there is a preference for the muted and subtle (save for one explicit and passionate sex scene), and while this creates space for the performers to really excel and demonstrate the emotional capacities at the core of their craft, it also restricts the movie’s ability to make a lasting impact. The relationship between Mary and Charlotte will stick out in memory, but all other details will quickly fall away with little time.

Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan deliver great work and have exceptional chemistry.

As intimated, one can recognize the appeal of a movie like this for actors being the inherent challenge of working with the stark emotional contrast of stoicism and lust, and the leads here play it beautifully. It’s interesting to watch both Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan ease into their respective roles, as you have to adjust to them playing atypical parts, but it’s wonderful to watch them take Mary and Charlotte on Ammonite’s journey.

Both actors are recognized for their ability to ratchet up the charisma and charm, but none of that is present for much of the film as both protagonists begin the story as miserable individuals. Because she is a woman, Mary has never received the proper recognition for her phenomenal work, and is left wearing her bitterness on her sleeve; and Charlotte is practically catatonic through the first act as she lives an utterly unfulfilled life. It’s the intensifying connection between the two women that allows them both to see new shades of the world, and Winslet and Ronan play those arcs perfectly while demonstrating realistic and entrancing chemistry.

Fans of romantic dramas, Kate Winslet, and/or Saoirse Ronan will find plenty to appreciate in Ammonite, but there’s not much to rave about beyond that. It works as a showcase of talent, but doesn’t have much of a story to tell.

On the surface, director Francis Lee’s new film Ammonite feels like “Oscar bait.” Not a critique. Simply a realization that the idea of casting Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan in a period lesbian romance drama sends off Awards indicators for people who normally track the race on an annual basis. The movie has been making the rounds at some film festivals, though getting in front of larger audiences has been a challenge in the year 2020. But the actresses are weighing in on the film’s production, and sharing fascinating stories from the production.

There are more indicators that Ammonite is an Oscar play. Set in the 1800s, Kate Winslet plays a paleontologist who falls in love with the subdued, repressed housewife (Saoirse Ronan). There’s a love scene in the movie, and Winslet admits to EW that she specifically made sure the scene was scheduled to film on Ronan’s birthday. Here’s here reasoning for the movie:

That’s a deeply personal and deeply professional move made by one actress who has a lifetime of memories in her film life, knowing that she could bestow a worthy gift to a fellow actor she respects. It’s a beautiful sentiment, and one that we assume Ronan admired from her colleague.

And in an effort to make sure that everyone was as comfortable as possible in what had to be a pivotal scene for the success of Ammonite, Kate Winslet revealed that they had an all-female crew in the room during the love-scene shoot, including a boom-mic operator who was six months pregnant at the time. Winslet continued:

All eyes are on Ammonite, not only because it features two outstanding lead actresses, but because it’s Neon’s Oscar play after they pushed Parasite to a win last year. Can they maintain that momentum? Or will the quiet romance get overwhelmed by the fiery political players storming the marketplace, from Mank and The Trial of the Chicago 7 to Judas and the Black Messiah? The race for Oscar’s attention officially is on.

2020's movie business has got to hell and back again and at this point, we don't really know when it will be back to anything close to normal. If 2020 were a "normal" year, then right about now, as the summer movie season is coming to an end, is when we would start to get our first looks at the films expected to compete for major awards, and while it's unclear exactly how all that is going to work out this year, those movies are still coming. Case in point, Ammonite, a new film that co-stars Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan in a romantic drama that is clearly aiming for awards season.

The first trailer for Ammonite has dropped which gives us Saoirse Ronan as a woman whose husband is hoping a change of scenery and a bit of work will help her deal with depression, and Kate Winslet is a fossil hunter who takes her in. However, what develops between them is much more personal. Check out the trailer below.

Ammonite is an extinct sea creature and thus the title makes reference to the vocation of Kate Winslet's character, Mary Anning. She appears to be well known as a hunter of fossils, which is probably no small feat for a woman in the 1840s, when the movie is set. Saoirse Ronan begins to work for Anning because her husband believes it will help her "melancholia." Though it seems perhaps the reason his wife is so depressed is that she's dealing with the fact that her life is heading down a path other than the one she wants.

Considering the time period this relationship is certainly going to be one with complications. In addition to the gender dynamic, it also seems that the age difference could be a factor, as Saoirse Ronan's character seems to be full of a youthful exuberance regarding her new life. Kate Winslet's character seems to be more pragmatic about it all. Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet have 11 Oscar nominations between them and if you were going to cast a period drama about a forbidden romance between two women, I can't think of two actresses better for the task.

We'll likely start to see several trailers for more movies like Ammonite in the coming weeks and months. While this fall's movie season is sure to be just as unusual as the summer, it does appear that movies will be opening in traditional ways, even if that only happens in limited locations and with social distancing measures in place.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and other organizations have modified their rules this year to allow movies that debuted via digital platforms to be considered for awards. At this point, one assumes that a movie like Ammonite, set to open November 13, will get a theatrical release, but with so much potentially changing between now and November, who knows?

What comes to mind when you think of a Wes Anderson film? If you said pastels, a twinkly musical score and one hell of a cast, then you’re absolutely correct in your beliefs. Should anyone question your Anderson acumen, then you have plenty of evidence to provide to back up your valid hypothesis, especially when the trailer for The French Dispatch features such stars as Timothee Chalamet and Bill Murray in its full cast list.

As luck would have it, we have that cast list provided below, which shows off the pretty extensive lineup that Anderson has assembled for The French Dispatch.

Before we dive into a deeper breakdown of the cast, it’s particularly notable that we have a classic Wes Anderson narrator at large in The French Dispatch. Anjelica Huston, a long time Anderson player, is the omniscient voice that will bring the entire package to live. And here are the players she’ll be commentating on throughout the film:

The Staff Of The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

Bill Murray

One of the many veterans of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company is none other than comedy legend Bill Murray! In their latest collaboration, Murray will be playing the role of Arthur Howitzer Jr, the editor of The French Dispatch that ties the universe together. So basically, Murray is almost playing the exact same role he provides to the world at large.

Owen Wilson

Also rejoining the ranks of Wes Anderson’s frequent flyer club is Owen Wilson, someone who’s been in almost all of the director’s films. Herbsaint Sazerac is Wilson’s new character, a writer on staff at The French Dispatch who can be counted on for witty conversation and bicycle repair prowess, as well as sterling copy.

Jason Schwartzman

How could a Wes Anderson movie not have Jason Schwartzman attached, even in the slightest capacity? Another longtime friend and employee in the Anderson orbit, Schwartzman’s Hermes Jones looks to be the cover artist for The French Dispatch. Here’s hoping his quips are as crazy as his hair.

Elisabeth Moss

Rounding out the staff members of The French Dispatch who are displayed outside of individual vignettes is Elisabeth Moss, a newcomer to the wild and crazy world of Wes Anderson’s work. We don’t know her character's name yet, but it looks like Moss’ dry and wry sensibilities from Mad Men will make this follow-up to her work on The Invisible Man a nice change of comedic pace.

We’ll now move onto the three stories that The French Dispatch tells at the heart of its very last issue in print. With each story is a journalist from the staff at its heart, recalling events from various time periods and moments of turmoil in this film’s thematic structure.

Story 1: The Concrete Masterpiece, By J.K.L. Bernesen

Tilda Swinton

Providing the lecture that details the story within “The Concrete Masterpiece” is The French Dispatch’s journalist J.K.L. Bernesen. Artistically inclined, and ever fashionable, Berensen is brought to life by the impeccable Tilda Swinton. Her track record in the Wes Anderson Repertory Company stretches back to 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, and has endured ever since.

Benicio Del Toro

Another first timer comes to the fold in The French Dispatch, as Moses Rosenthaler, the artist at the heart of “The Concrete Masterpiece” is played by Benicio Del Toro. Just watching his banter with co-star Adrian Brody is enough to convince even the most casual observer that Del Toro clearly belongs in this motley crew of acting talent.

Lea Seydoux

The muse for Rosenthaler’s work, and subject of a painting that’s of particular importance to The French Dispatch, is the alluring and mysterious Simone. Seen as both muse and prison guard, this part is played by Spectre’s Léa Seydoux. No stranger to Wes Anderson’s work, Seydoux previously worked with the director on 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Adrien Brody

Seeking to purchase Moses Rosenthaler’s un-buyable “Simone, Naked, Cell Block J, Hobby Room (oil on sackcloth)” is the persistent art dealer, Julien Cadazio. As previously mentioned, this bickersome character is played by Adrien Brody, best known for his roles in Anderson’s previous films The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Bob Balaban and Henry Winkler

In order to aid his art savvy empire, Julien Cadazio has the help of two ‘business-partner uncles’ at his disposal in The French Dispatch. Playing one of those two uncles is comedic stalwart Bob Balaban, who, much like Tilda Swinton, has been an Anderson disciple since Moonrise Kingdom. The other Cadazio uncle is the big surprise though, as the legendary Henry Winkler is playing him, making his debut in the Wes Anderson three ring circus!

Story 2: Revisions To A Manifesto, By Lucinda Krementz

Frances McDormand

Story 2 of The French Dispatch, Lucinda Krementz’s “Revisions To A Manifesto,” focuses on two crazy kids who happen to be in love during a tumultuous student revolution. The journalist telling this story is played by Frances McDormand, last heard bringing the news to the Wes Anderson created world of Isle of Dogs.

Timothee Chalamet

It was only a matter of time before Timothee Chalamet and Wes Anderson crossed paths. Nature basically dictated it, and it’s only fair that Chalamet be the one to play Zeffirelli, a revolutionary student in The French Dispatch. Looking like a prodigious chess player to boot, this young man could put that knowledge to political usage as well.

Lyna Khoudri

Making her major motion picture debut with The French Dispatch is actor Lyna Khoudri. Playing Juliette, the girlfriend to Timothee Chalamet’s Zeffirelli, their pairing was destined based on their character names. With a motor scooter and a bad attitude, her fire matches that of her fellow activist and boyfriend.

Story 3: The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright

Jeffrey Wright

Our final story in The French Dispatch's catalog of whimsy is entitled "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright." Wright, played by Westworld and No Time To Die actor Jeffrey Wright, is the resident food journalist at the film's titular magazine. Reporting on something called "Police Cuisine," he becomes embroiled in a story that looks like it leads to a hostage standoff, and a lot of symmetrical gunfire.

Liev Schreiber

Part of Roebuck Wright's story looks to be told through his appearance on a TV show of some sort. Cast as the presenter of that show is Isle Of Dogs voice actor Liev Schreiber, making this his second Wes Anderson film. We don't know his character's name yet, but The French Dispatch looks like it's going to make the most of pairing Schreiber with Jeffrey Wright.

Willem Dafoe

While not all of the star studded cast members of The French Dispatch may play larger than life characters, it's nice to see Wes Anderson continue to reward previous collaborators with spots in the lineup. Willem Dafoe is one such fixture in this cast, as his prisoner character doesn't have a name yet, and is only seen briefly in the film's trailer. A sporadic presence in Anderson's universe, Dafoe was most notably present in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou, but also in the casts for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Mathieu Amalric

Cast as "a policeman with a kidnapped son,” Mathieu Amalric won't just be enjoying food alongside Jeffrey Wright's Roebuck Wright. As this third story centers around said kidnapping, Amalric's policeman will undoubtedly be excusing himself from dinner a little earlier than expected. This marks the actor's second Wes Anderson film, as The Grand Budapest Hotel was Mathiew Amalric's appearance in an Anderson picture.

Edward Norton

The voice on the other end of that phone Mathieu Amalric is holding was quite recognizable upon the first viewing of The French Dispatch's trailer. Edward Norton has one of those distinct vocal ranges that automatically pegs him in any film he shows up in, and as the kidnapper behind the insidious plot of "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright," he's even easy to spot in a group of dissidents firing at will upon authorities. And before you ask, yes, Norton is another cast member that's been a part of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company since Moonrise Kingdom.

Saoirse Ronan

Rounding out the cast of characters partaking in the kidnapping of a policeman's son is a rather mysterious woman. So mysterious, we don't know her character's name. However, we do know that she's played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, who was previously spotted in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. With The French Dispatch, Ronan looks to be playing against type, as a figure on the side of evil.

Stephen Park

Last, but not least is Stephen Park's Lieutenant Nescafier, the chef behind the gorgeous meal that "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright" looks to be serving. But Park's character also happens to be listed as solving a kidnapping in The French Dispatch. Which is pretty handy, considering how fast things shift from a table of smiling guests gushing over cuisine to exchanging bullets and phone calls.

The French Dispatch has a huge cast, three stories and a boatload of ambition to potentially become the next, best Wes Anderson film. We'll see if it pays off when the film opens in theaters on July 25. Though should that release date be delayed, due to the ever shifting release calendar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll report such an update as it occurs.

It is impossible to imagine anyone other than Mark Hamill playing Luke Skywalker, or the voice of James Earl Jones not coming through Darth Vader’s helmet, or any one of your favorite Star Wars characters played by different actors. However, there exists an alternate reality in which the beloved sci-fi franchise is performed by an entirely different cast.

No, Harrison Ford was not George Lucas’ first choice to play Han Solo, Disney almost hired a young Oscar-nominee to play Rey, and DJ from Star Wars: The Last Jedi was not the first character from a galaxy far, far away that Benicio del Toro was considered for. Your interest may already be piqued now, but just you wait - very strange, these stories get.

The following is a list of eight celebrities who came close to filling the shoes of a Star Wars character. Be prepared: these are not the actors you're looking for.

Leonardo DiCaprio Could Have Played Anakin Skywalker

Whether you are a hater or a defender of Hayden Christensen’s portrayal of a pre-Vader Anakin Skywalker, you may have a whole new perspective on the Star Wars prequels once you learn that Leonardo DiCaprio was among George Lucas’ initial choices to succeed the role from Jake Lloyd in Attack of the Clones. According to an interview with The Short List, the actor claims that he did have a meeting with Lucas about the but felt that he was not “ready to take that dive.” Could the future Oscar-winner have delivered Anakin’s “I hate sand” speech to rousing perfection? Ehh.

Saoirse Ronan Could Have Played Rey

These days, Saoirse Ronan is an indie film queen, but there was a time when she almost became the face of Disney’s Star Wars trilogy. The then 19-year-old confirmed to Empire in 2013 that she did read for the role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in an audition that apparently included wielding a pretend lightsaber, but the part of the lonely junker-turned-Jedi would go onto British actress Daisy Ridley. While it is a relief that Ronan was able to save 2017 and 2019 for Oscar-nominated roles in director Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird and Little Women, I think I could get used to the idea of Rey with an Irish accent.

Benicio del Toro Could Have Played Darth Maul

Ray Park has the pleasure of having played one of the most iconic villains the Star Wars saga in two films and even voicing him in the most recent season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but there was a time when his most famous character to date could have been the infamous Toad in Bryan Singer’s X-Men. Future Academy-Award winner Benicio del Toro had already been cast as Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, but dropped out when he learned that George Lucas had cut out much of his dialogue before eventually returning to the franchise as the talkative code breaker, DJ, in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. I would say that everything worked out for the best because I cannot imagine Darth Maul with a stutter would have had the same effect.

Tupac Shakur Could Have Played Mace Windu

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the top reasons why some people still watch the Star Wars prequels, but, apparently, George Lucas’ first choice to play Jedi Master Mace Windu was Tupac Shakur. According to an interview with 2-Pac Forum, former Death Row Records engineer Rick Clifford claimed that the late rapper told him he was reading for the part in what would be 1999’s The Phantom Menace which, despite his murder in 1996 (roughly a year before the film began shooting), sounds impossible to make up. Coincidentally, Shakur’s Juice co-star, Jackson, would go on to play Windu, and help him acquire the only purple lightsaber in the saga’s history, but one can only imagine how getting a Star Wars role would have affected his all-too brief acting career.

Christopher Walken Could Have Played Han Solo

There is a Saturday Night Live sketch in which Christopher Walken (played by Kevin Spacey) auditions to play Han Solo, poking fun at how silly the pilot of the Millennium Falcon would be if played by the famously kooky actor instead of Harrison Ford. Well, as it turns out, the joke is really on us because the Oscar-winner was, apparently, one of George Lucas' top choices to play the scruffy Nerf Herder in 1977's Star Wars. However, as fate intended, Walken turned down the role for Woody Allen's Annie Hall, but had he accepted, we might be living in a world in which there are more bad Han Solo impersonations than Chewbacca impersonations.

Jodie Foster Could Have Played Princess Leia

Carrie Fisher was one of those actresses whom, whenever you saw her, you could not help but see her defining character: Leia Organa. That fate could have befell Jodie Foster, who declined an offer to play the Alderaanian princess in 1977’s Star Wars due to scheduling conflicts with her role as a teenage prostitute in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Had the future Academy Award-winner taken the role, the then 15-year-old’s fan appeal would have increased a hundredfold, but probably not for the same reason that many male, pubescent moviegoers in late ‘70s admired Fisher.

Orson Welles Could Have Played Darth Vader

James Earl Jones’ unmistakable voice is one of the key factors of Darth Vader’s commanding presence in Star Wars, but, according to an interview with the actor on BBC Radio, he almost did not get the role had George Lucas not deemed Orson Welles’ voice “too recognizable.” Yes, radio star and writer, director, and star of Citizen Kane was initially considered to voice the villain, which I still cannot even begin to imagine having the same impression. However, Welles’ would eventually go on able to voice a villainous character: Unicron in the 1986 animated The Transformers: The Movie.

Michael Jackson Could Have Played Jar Jar Binks

If you ever needed a reason to stop spewing hate at Ahmed Best, who played the infamously reviled Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, this bewildering piece of trivia should do the trick. Best revealed in an interview with Vice that Michael Jackson, hoped that George Lucas would cast him as the Gungan, but his request to play the role in full makeup and prosthetics (a la his zombified appearance in “Thriller”) instead of CGI lost him the part. The King of Pop’s star power might have been enough to silence Jar Jar haters for a while, at least, but, as Best adds in the interview, it is possible that Jackson would have ended up being bigger than the film itself, which might not have made Lucas very happy.

If you ask me, I would say that I am overall happy with the casting we have in the Star Wars films, but I still definitely want to see a cut of The Phantom Menace with Michael Jackson in full Jar Jar makeup. Be sure to check back for more updates from the world of Star Wars and other news in casting what-ifs here on CinemaBlend.

Saoirse Ronan is one of the most critically acclaimed young actresses of the last decade or so, and she is only 25 years old. In 2020, Saoirse Ronan earned her fourth Oscar nomination for her role as Jo March in Little Women. Three of those Oscar nominations have been for Best Actress in a Lead Role. Ronan is only the second youngest actress to receive two nominations by 21, and three by 24. With so many accolades at such a young age, it’s clear that Saoirse Ronan has a major career in movies ahead.

Ronan began acting in 2003. Her first acting gig was on an Irish medical drama called The Clinic. However, it wasn’t until 2007’s Atonement that Hollywood and the British Academy started to take notice of this star in the making. She earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Role in Atonement, and her career just escalated since then.

Saoirse Ronan easily balances appearing in indie movies, big blockbusters, and passion projects. No matter what type of project Ronan decides to undertake, she excels with her exquisite execution. If you’re new to the brilliantly acted world of Saoirse Ronan, here are a few of her projects to check out.

Little Women

Little Women follows the March sisters Amy, Meg, Jo, and Beth as they deal with the Civil War and becoming young women. Greta Gerwig directed the latest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic. Saoirse Ronan takes on the role of Jo March, the aspiring novelist who wants to make her own way in the world, without the confinement of marriage. Little Women’s cast includes Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and rising star Florence Pugh.

Saoirse Ronan gives Jo all the spunk, determination, and vulnerability that makes her such a beloved literary figure. Many have played Jo on the big screen prior to Ronan, but this is one of the best screen versions of Jo because of Ronan’s ability to communicate the barriers still faced by women. Little Women is currently still playing in theaters. It’ll be part of many theater’s Oscar Best Picture showcase on Feb 8. Little Women will likely be available to purchase digitally in March 2020.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is a romantic historical drama about an Irish woman, Ellis (Saoirse Ronan), who moves to Brooklyn for work. While there, she falls in love with her life in America and a New Yorker named Tony (Emory Cohen). This makes Ellis torn between her homeland and her new life in New York. It’s based on Colm Tobin’s novel of the same name.

Saoirse Ronan was born in New York City, but her family moved back to Dublin when she was three, giving her both Irish and American roots. She spoke to Indiewire about relating to her character Ellis’ journey in Brooklyn. Saoirse Ronan often gives her whole heart to roles, but she likely gave even more of it in this relatable role. Brooklyn is a quiet movie with great performances by the entire cast, and especially Ronan. The film earned Ronan her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2016. Brooklyn is available to buy or rent on most VOD services. Rent or purchase it HERE.

Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” Music Video

“Galway Girl” is a song about falling in love with a girl from Galway, Ireland. The entire video acts as a tribute to the spirit of Ireland with Ed Sheeran and Saoirse Ronan pub-crawling through different bars on Grafton Street.

Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” music video takes his perspective, so viewers see everything through his eyes. The video mainly focuses on Sheeran watching Ronan’s character and the spirit she brings to the night. It’s a fun video that shows Ronan in a much more playful role than most of her movie roles. Watch Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” music video HERE.

Lady Bird

Lady Bird is Greta Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan, and Timothee Chalamet’s first film collaboration. Lady Bird follows the turbulent relationship between Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) and her mother Marion McPherson (Laurie Metcalf). Their similarities often put their relationship in a constant combative state. Lady Bird earned both actresses Academy Award nominations for Best Lead and Supporting Actress.

Ronan nails the self-involved but sympathetic teen role in Lady Bird. Both Christine and Marion make you gasp at some of their behavior and words, but you also understand their individual struggles and why it fractures this relationship. Lady Bird also shows how despite the fighting, these two characters really love each other. Saoirse Ronan and Metcalf give splendid performances. Lady Bird is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Stream it HERE.

Hanna

Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, and Saoirse Ronan star in Hanna, a movie about a young girl whose father trained her to become an assassin. Hanna is an action adventure movie that Joe Wright directed. In 2019, Amazon Prime Video released a series based on the movie that goes more into the origin of Hanna and her father.

Saoirse Ronan took martial arts classes to do her own stunts. She was a committed actress even as a teen. Along with making Hanna a complete badass, she gave the character some humanity that kept the character from being a soulless killing machine. Hanna is available to stream with a Cinemax subscription. Stream it HERE.

Loving Vincent

Loving Vincent is a completely hand drawn animation about the life and death of Vincent Van Gogh. The drawings of Loving Vincent mimic the famed painter’s actual post-impressionist style. The film is a fictionalized account of Van Gogh’s death told through the journey of Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth). He’s trying to deliver Vincent Van Gogh’s last letter to his brother. Armand’s journey makes him explore if Van Gogh’s death was murder or suicide.

Saoirse Ronan plays Marguerite Gachet, the daughter of Van Gogh’s doctor, Paul Gachet (Jerome Flynn). Marguerite and Van Gogh develop a friendship that makes Dr. Gachet worry about her being a distraction for Van Gogh and his art. Loving Vincent is a gorgeous animation that showcases the uncertainty of Van Gogh’s life and death. Even as an animated version of herself, Ronan gives the character depth. Loving Vincent is available on Hulu. Stream it HERE.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson directed and wrote The Grand Budapest Hotel. It revolves around the adventures of M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero (Tony Revolori). The Grand Budapest Hotel has an all-star cast that includes Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Owen Wilson.

Saoirse Ronan plays Zero’s love interest Agatha in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The pair have a fun dynamic. Ronan also portrays Agatha as someone who is both clever and kind. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a unique, playful movie with beautiful cinematography. It’s available to buy or rent on most major streaming platforms like Amazon Prime.

How I Live Now

How I Live Now is set in an alternative universe where World War III is currently happening. An American named Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) goes to live with her English relatives. She starts to fall in love with her cousin, Edmond (George MacKay), but then their lives are thrown even further for a loop when a nuclear bomb hits. Daisy, Edmond, and her two younger cousins must try to survive in this new dangerous world.

How I Live Now is a bleak movie, but it captivates you from start to finish. This is mainly due to Saoirse Ronan’s lead role. She takes you through Daisy’s journey as a misfit teen to the only hope of survival for her and her cousins. How I Live Now includes a cast of some of the current biggest young stars. Besides Ronan and George MacKay, Tom Holland plays one of Daisy’s young cousins. How I Live Now is available to stream free on Tubi. Stream it HERE.

The Lovely Bones

Peter Jackson directed The Lovely Bones, a film adaptation of Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel of the same name. Saoirse Ronan stars alongside Stanley Tucci, Rachael Weisz, and Mark Wahlberg. Susie Salmon (Ronan) is murdered and her family falls apart. The Lovely Bones is told from Susie’s perspective as she lives in limbo watching her family and friends deal with the aftermath of her death.

Saoirse Ronan expertly breaks your heart in The Lovely Bones. The film is a look at what happens when a life is taken too soon, and the scars that can’t heal. The Lovely Bones really highlights the amazing acting potential that Saoirse Ronan had at such a young age. The movie is available to stream on Hulu. Stream it HERE.

Atonement

Saoirse Ronan plays the child version of Briony in Atonement. Briony is an aspiring writer who witnesses a crime and then accuses the wrong man of it. This tears her sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and the man she loves, Robbie (James McAvoy), apart.

Atonement showcases how the lives of adults can be a confusing and scary place for a child. It also shows how one lie can destroy a life. Saoirse Ronan gives Briony youthful spirit with a touch of determination and cluelessness when it comes to being an adult. There are three different actresses playing Briony in Atonement, but Ronan definitely stands out the most for her unforgettable performance in the film. Atonement is available to stream with a Starz subscription. Stream it HERE.

Hozier’s “Chery Wine” Music Video

“Cherry Wine” is a song about a toxic relationship. It’s told from the perspective of someone who is dealing with an abusive significant other. Saoirse Ronan stars in the “Cherry Wine” video, and she plays a character abused by her male lover. The entire song and video is about domestic abuse.

Saoirse Ronan doesn’t utter one word in “Cherry Wine,” but she makes all her emotions come across in her facial expressions. Hozier and Ronan show how the intoxicating nature of love can keep people in a cycle of abuse. The song is beautiful and powerful, and the video matches it. Watch Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” HERE.

Watch the Academy Awards this Sunday to see if Saoirse Ronan takes home her first Academy Award. Later this year, Ronan will reunite with Wes Anderson in The French Dispatch. She’ll also star opposite Kate Winslet in Ammonite sometime in 2020. Based on solely on Ronan’s acting prowess, we’ll guess that she may earn another Oscar nomination for her performance in one of those films.

This year's Awards Season has been an interesting one, with its fair amount of snubs and victories. And with the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and SAG Awards all in the rear view, there's just one more big ceremony coming: The Academy Awards. The Oscars are the biggest night in movies, and we're just days away from finding out who the lucky winners are. Greta Gerwig's Little Women is nominated for a whopping six Oscars, although she was noticeably snubbed from the Best Director category. But her work obviously made the movie what it was, and it turns out that she had her A-list cast of actors play games on the movie's set.

Greta Gerwig wasn't nominated for an Oscar for Best Director, but she did get a Best Screenplay nod, and Little Women is up for Best Picture. She directed the cast of actors at two different ages, as the movie's nonlinear storytelling pivoted between the past and present. The Lady Bird director recently explained why she tried to keep the cast active with actor games on the set, saying:

Well, that's an interesting perspective on the process. It looks like Greta Gerwig encourages her actors to work from the outside in, physical activity and games helping to quiet the mind and allow for more natural performances. What's more, it keeps the group engaged during long hours.

Film shooting is notoriously grueling, and there is plenty of waiting around. When not shooting there is plenty of work being done by the crew, ensuring that lighting, sound, and camera are all in the best place to capture the action. This results in actors getting plenty of downtime. Cue Greta Gerwig's acting games.

In Greta Gerwig's same conversation with People, she went on to explain that it's not an exact science, and the artists she's collaborating with are just trying their best. As she put it,

Having seen Little Women, I have to imagine that these games really helped give scenes life-- especially the group scenes with all four March sisters. Those sequences are delightfully chaotic, with plenty of overlapping conversations and reactions happening at once. Keeping the cast on their toes with games seems like a great way to ensure that each take had the same energy.

It should be interesting to see how Little Women ultimately performs at the Academy Awards. Both Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh are nominated for their roles, while the movie is also competing in Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, Original Score, and Sound Design. Could Pugh end up pulling an upset and winning Best Support Actress over co-star Laura Dern? Only time will tell.

Little Women is still in theaters now, having recently passed the $100 million mark at the box office. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

We are now just a couple of days away from this year’s Academy Awards, and heated conversations and debates continue to be had about many of the categories – and Best Actress is no exception. The competition for the esteemed prize this year is seriously impressive, with all of the stars up for the prize delivering performances worthy of the nominations received. At this point it’s not terribly easy to pick an absolute frontrunner for the award, but the folks here at CinemaBlend have thoughts on the matter.

In the weeks since the Oscar nominations were announced, we’ve been polling members of our staff about the eight major categories, and have calculated rankings for our favorites in each one. Only those who had seen all of the movies up for a particular prize could vote, and nominees were ranked from one (the favorite) to five (the least favorite). We’ve averaged all of the rankings, and these are the results we came up with for Best Actress:

#5. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Average Rank: 3.8333333

In CinemaBlend’s survey, the Best Actress category turned out to be the most competitive of all those that we polled for, as evidenced by Cynthia Erivo’s performance in Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet earning the highest average rank of anyone who ended up in the #5 slot. It’s a real testament to the work done by the performer, as Erivo really does do some magnificent work portraying an American icon.

History and stories of Harriet Tubman’s incredible bravery helping to free slaves through the Underground Railroad in the mid-19th century have essentially deified the woman in the minds of everyone who learns about her, but Cynthia Erivo’s turn in the biopic adds an important level of humanity to the hero that is really remarkable. This is the first time that the actress has been nominated for an Academy Award (she only made her big screen debut in 2018), and it definitely won’t be the last.

#4. Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Average Rank: 3.5

Charlize Theron is a remarkable chameleon capable of mind-bending transformation. It was 17 years ago that she shocked and horrified audiences with her turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Patty Jenkins’ Monster – a performance that resulted in her winning her first Oscar – and she has continued to do remarkable work since. Most recently we saw her simply become anchor Megyn Kelly in Jay Roach’s Bombshell, and it was no surprise weeks ago when it was revealed she had earned her third Academy Award nomination.

In the story of the sexual harassment scandal that rocked the world of Fox News a few years back, Kelly finds herself trapped between trying to protect her career and her family, and feeling the need to speak out about rampant misconduct, and it’s a line that Charlize Theron walks with grace and intensity. The work may not be CinemaBlend’s top pick for the Best Actress prize, but it’s work worth celebrating all the same.

#3. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Average Rank: 3

With Little Women having been adapted many times in the last century, the role of Jo March has been played by some remarkably talented actresses, including Katharine Hepburn, June Allyson, and Winona Ryder (who actually earned an Academy Award nomination of her own for her turn in the 1994 version), but Saoirse Ronan’s work in the Greta Gerwig adaptation still must certainly be considered one of the greatest. The Irish actress captures every ounce of the character’s bold and determined attitude, and delivers a performance that ensures readers for years will think of her face while reading Louisa May Alcott’s novel.

Though she is only 25 years old, this marks the fourth time that Saoirse Ronan has been up for an Academy Award, and while she hasn’t won just yet, it’s surely only a matter of time. This might not be her year, and she isn’t CinemaBlend’s top choice for the Best Actress prize, but there’s still plenty of love felt about Little Women and Ronan’s work in it.

#2. Renee Zellweger, Judy

Average Rank: 2.3333333

It was about 16 years ago that Renee Zellweger last earned recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, her turn in 2003’s Cold Mountain earning her the award for Best Supporting Actress, and few would be surprised if she returns to the Oscar stage this year to accept yet another trophy for her performance in Rupert Goold's Judy. After all, the work been screaming for Oscar attention ever since it made its debut in front of audiences last fall, because Zellweger really is phenomenal in the movie.

Judy Garland was an immensely complicated person who lived a life filled with both success and hardship, and Judy is a beautiful tribute to her – with Renee Zellweger doing a remarkable job capturing the legend’s essence. It’s really a heartbreaking story, following Garland as she does her final set of performances before her death in 1969, but it’s also lovely and emotional, with the star hitting every note perfectly.

#1. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Average Rank: 2.3333333

As you can tell from the numbers, we actually had a statistical tie in this category, but having received more #1 votes than Renee Zellweger (three versus two), we are calling Scarlett Johansson our top choice to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards. We also loved her in Jojo Rabbit, declaring her our second pick to win in the Best Supporting Actress category, but we really want her to hit the stage on Sunday holding a trophy for her work in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story.

Starring opposite Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson is at her most emotionally engaging and empathetic in the story of a divorce unraveling a family. It’s clear that Nicole doesn’t want to hurt Charlie, but she has also felt stifled in their relationship, and needs the freedom to express herself. It’s a special turn from the actress, and most definitely deserving of acting’s highest honor.

Who do you think should win Best Actress at the 2020 Oscars on Sunday? Rank the nominees in the comments section, answer our poll below, and stay tuned as CinemaBlend continues to break down the eight main categories before the big show.

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Director Greta Gerwig has made a serious name for herself as a filmmaker over the past few years. Following her acclaimed directorial debut in Lady Bird, Gerwig turned her focus onto a literary classic. Little Women arrived in theaters just in time for the holidays, with Gerwig assembling an outstanding cast and taking a non-linear approach to the March girls' story. The movie was recently nominated for a whopping six Oscar nominations, but it also quietly broke a major box office milestone in the process.

The Holidays brought plenty of exciting movies to the public, including Little Women, Bombshell, Knives Out, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. These type of titles brought plenty of moviegoers to theaters, willing to shell out money and gift cards in order to witness the hype, and gear up for Awards Season. Little Women was no exception, and it recently passed a whopping $100 million in worldwide gross. It looks like Jo and her sisters have once again captured the hearts of audiences, resulting in box office victory.

At the point of writing, Little Women has made $107 million according to Box Office Mojo. It's a major win for the latest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel, and further proves how Greta Gerwig is able to craft a movie that speaks to moviegoers, gets critical recognition, and also make money. Now the question is, what might she have up her sleeve for a third movie?

News of Little Women's box office milestone comes in the wake of the 2020 Academy Award nominations. While the movie got a ton of noms including Best Picture, Greta Gerwig was snubbed in the Best Director category. This has been a major point of contention among both fans and the cast of Little Women themselves. What's more, Gerwig was similarly snubbed at this year's Golden Globes, arriving at the ceremony before anyone else.

The cast of Little Women have spoken up about Greta Gerwig's Oscar. It's strange seeing how many nominations the movie got, because they wouldn't have been possible without the film's director. Both Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh (who got her first Oscar nom) spoke out about their disappointment. But Gerwig has remained classy about the subject, posting a thank you to the film academy for honoring Little Women.

Reference: Little Women Cast Responds To Greta Gerwig’s ‘Disappointing’ Oscar Snub For Directing

Awards and nominations are good, but the film industry is ultimately a business-- one that is focused on making money. Both of the project Greta Gerwig helmed have performed at the box office, solidifying her as a bankable director. This should help her get access to more exciting gigs, despite any awards snubs that might occur. She's currently attached to direct Margot Robbie in the Barbie movie, but that project is still in development.

Little Women is in theaters now, and is clearly continuing to make money. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

With the Golden Globes in the rear view, we're know deep into Awards Season. Plenty of other ceremonies and nominations have also been occurring, but the top prize in the film world is the Academy Awards. This morning the nominations for the 2020 Oscars were announced, and the internet has been ablaze in response. Ever Academy Award nomination list has its set of snubs, and Little Women director Greta Gerwig was one. Because despite the new adaptation getting a Best Picture nod and a slew of other major nominations, Gerwig wasn't on the list for Best Director-- no woman was. And now the cast of Little Women have broken their silence on the subject.

Prior to the Academy Award nominations, Greta Gerwig was similarly snubbed at the Golden Globes. It's a strange trend in how these ceremonies have gone, as Little Women is being recognized, but Gerwig is not. While she was indeed nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gerwig is didn't make the list for Best Director. Saoirse Ronan has worked with the filmmaker twice and made a statement about the snub, saying:

That's certainly making her thoughts known. Saoirse Ronan is referencing Greta Gerwig's movies Little Women and Lady Bird, both of which she starred in. She filmmaker has quickly become a major name in the film world, but she's nonetheless been snubbed by the Film Academy in the Best Director category. So while Little Women has a whopping six Oscar nominations, there's still something that doesn't feel quite right. But Ronan is hoping Gerwig's next movie will fare better.

Related: The Biggest Snubs From The 2020 Oscar Nominations

Saoirse Ronan isn't the only Little Women cast member who made a statement about Greta Gerwig's Oscar snub. Florence Pugh also made a few statements about the subject. While this morning was an exciting one that marked Pugh's first ever Academy Award nomination, she also addressed the subject to Deadline, saying:

As for Greta Gerwig herself, she's thus far handled the various snubs with plenty of class. She joked about being early to the Golden Globes while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! She's also written a statement in response to Little Women's Oscar nominations, thanking the Academy. You can check it out below.

That's a great way to handle any possible disappointment that Greta Gerwig may be feeling about the Best Director category. Despite her Oscar snub, Little Women as a film has been universally acclaimed, and was certainly recognized by the Film Academy. As such, the filmmaker took the time to express gratitude for nominated, and thanking the collaborators who made the hit movie possible.

Little Women is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Many actresses have given incredible performances as Josephine March, the protagonist of Little Women. But now that Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the beloved classic has hit theaters, the consensus seems to be that Saoirse Ronan was simply born to play the role. And it turns out that the actress knew she was meant to play Jo March -- and she found the perfect way to prove it.

Greta Gerwig has proven herself on the indie circuit, but Little Women was her first major studio film. She recently told Variety that she was “hell bent” on making Little Women, even though she felt a lot of pressure to get it right. And even though she admits to feeling terrified, she said both she and Saoirse Ronan were able to channel their inner Jo March in their quest to get the film made.

Greta Gerwig previously directed Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird -- and she remembers the actress being overwhelmed by the responsibility of carrying that film. But both she and Saoirse Ronan have made it clear that when it came to Jo March, she knew was ready for the challenge. In an interview with Variety, she discussed feeling confident in her ability to bring the beloved Little Women character to life:

The actress has also spoken about why she was so keen to play Jo March in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation. In a conversation with NPR, Saoirse Ronan said:

If Little Women’s performance at the box office is anything to go on, Saoirse Ronan is definitely right about that. The film shattered expectations for its opening weekend, and has a lot of word of mouth momentum behind it. Plus, the film is a huge hit with critics, who are raving about Saoirse Ronan’s performance as Jo March.

Keep up with everything that is still playing or premiering soon on the big screen with our 2020 movie release date schedule.

Major spoilers ahead for Greta Gerwig's Little Women.

Louisa M. Alcott's Little Women is a beloved American novel that has been passed down across generations. And as such, it's also been adapted for the stage and screen a variety of times. The most recent comes to us from Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig, who assembled a stellar cast to bring Little Women to life again. Gerwig goes with a non-linear approach for the movie, and also makes a big change to the ending. And now she's explained to CinemaBlend exactly why she made that change.

The new (Golden Globe nominated) Little Women movie makes a big change to protagonist Jo's ending. Because rather than marrying Mr. Bhaer, she remains single and runs her school. This in stark juxtaposition to the novel's ending, which sees her wed and have kids. CinemaBlend's Hannah Saulic had the chance to speak with Greta Gerwig and the cast of Little Women about this change, and you can check out her conversation with both Gerwig and star Saoirse Ronan below.

That certainly gives new context to the movie's conclusion. In addition to making a new narrative choice, it seems Greta Gerwig was aiming to craft an ending for Little Women that would properly honor both its lead character, and author. Because Louisa May Alcott didn't want Jo March to get married, with it being at the behest of her publisher at the time. The year was 1869, and it was a cleaner ending to see her end up happy and settled with a man.

The new Little Women handles this change to the story expertly, with Greta Gerwig crafting a compelling final scene between Jo and her publisher. Saoirse Ronan's character argues with the man who would go on to print and distribute Little Women, as they negotiate the terms of their partnership. Along with ownership and publishing rights, they also spar over the ending. Eventually she concedes to the book's ending, while she's shown being fulfilled and unmarried alongside her family and school.

Little Women was written at least semi-autobiographically, with Louisa May Alcott basing the characters off of her own experience. Jo is based off the writer herself, who struggled wit personal and professional issues while growing up. Louis May Alcott never married, while she gave Jo a more traditional ending in her beloved novel.

Related: Little Women 2019: 12 Big Differences Between The Book And The Movie

Greta Gerwig clearly has history with Little Women, with she and Saoirse Ronan both explaining how jarring the novel's ending was prom an audience perspective. Since Louisa May Alcott originally didn't want Jo to get married and have kids, Gerwig took this chance to give the author her original wish. And in the process, satisfy any Little Women fans who weren't happy about the protagonist's traditional ending.

Considering how many times Little Women has been adapted as a movie, Greta Gerwig is breaking new ground, and the moviegoers who traveled to theaters to see her version. Combined with the movie's non-linear storytelling, and Gerwig certainly put her own twist on the iconic novel. We'll just have to see how it performs this Awards Season.

Little Women is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

While it hasn't released in theaters yet. Little Women was expected to be a major awards contender this year in a number of categories, including Greta Gerwig, in the Best Director field. However, the 2020 Golden Globe nominations were announced earlier this week and Greta Gerwig's name was left off the list of nominees.

While she may not be getting recognized by the Golden Globes, the cast of Little Women is standing behind their director. Earlier this week Eliza Scanlan, Florence Pugh and Saoirse Ronan were all on Today in support of the film's upcoming release, and Ronan, who scored the movie's biggest nomination in the Best Actress category, said that Greta Gerwig was the "mastermind" behind the film and responsible for everything about it...

It's difficult to argue that a director doesn't have a big part in any actor's success. The director is intrinsic in defining a performance, and if that performance is recognized, the director should be as well.

While the lack of nomination for Greta Gerwig is certainly somewhat shocking, the five nominated directors are, once again, all male, it seems that Gerwig's snub may have been part of a larger snub for Little Women as a whole. Beyond Saoirse Ronan's Best Actress nomination, the only other place Little Women received any recognition at all was in the best Original Score category.

It could simply be that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association isn't as enamored with the movie as general critics, who almost universally are in love with the movie. It could also be that not enough of them have even seen it. While not often talked about, that's always a concern.

The Golden Globes certainly aren't a perfect barometer for the Oscars or other awards, but there is a general connection between them. Perhaps Little Women will get the recognition that people are expecting somewhere else. Of course, if people aren't talking about Little Women much because it fails to receive early nominations, that only increases the odds that other groups voting on awards will tend to forget about it.

This is the second time in recent years Greta Gerwig has failed to secure a Golden Globe nomination for her directing. She was snubbed back in 2017 for Lady Bird, though she was nominated for the film's screenplay. Gerwig did receive the Oscar nomination in the directing category back then, so perhaps history will repeat itself.

Saoirse Ronan says she's proud to represent Little Women at the Golden Globes next year. If she happens to give an acceptance speech, we can be sure Greta Gerwig will get her due at the Golden Globes.

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Oftentimes, one of the key factors that come with a great movie is excellent casting. There's a reason why Robert Altman said in 1977, "When casting's done, 90 percent of my creative work is done." For as much as editing, directing, producing, lighting, and a number of other factors play a hand in making a movie work, it's typically because the right people were cast in the right part that a film truly sings. Indeed, one of the main reasons why Star Wars is such an iconic franchise and has remained a cultural phenomenon is because George Lucas and his team cast the film almost flawlessly, though the story, the themes, the futuristic settings, the special effects and everything else obviously contributed to the success as well.

But what if the original Star Wars movie were made today? Obviously, that's not hard to imagine. We have even more Star Wars movies, shows, products and copious merchandise than ever before thanks to Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. But if you'll indulge us for a minute, who would play these memorable, beloved roles from a galaxy far, far away nowadays in a re-telling? Who might be cast in the parts that cemented Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and the late, great Carrie Fisher into pop culture history? Who might play the parts that all we know so well?

With that in mind, let's speculate who might've been cast in the very first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, if they were made today.

Tom Holland As Luke Skywalker

Though he became a lot more mature and grounded in the recent films, Mark Hamill's winning performance as Luke Skywalker was the right mix of sincerity and innocence. He was the ingenu through which we could see this mystique fantasy space world personified through a warm lens, a young man with dream-filled eyes and a burning desire to see the galaxy beyond his humble quarters. The replacement actor would need to have a similar sense of sweet, earnest integrity, and such doe-eyed innocence can be seen through Tom Holland's likable Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

His guileless heroics, matched only by his boyish charms, make him a natural fit for Luke Skywalker. Tom Holland's demonstrated a charming emotional agility which would pay off handsomely in here, while also showing an introspective intelligence representing the depths of his persona. Trade Uncle Ben for Uncle Owen, and you're set. Plus, Peter Parker has already been to space, so it's not a big leap.

Runners-Up: Logan Lerman, Zac Efron, Daniel Radcliffe

Saoirse Ronan As Princess Leia

Known for her sharp wit, daring personality and fierce attitude, it's no wonder that Princess Leia Organa became one of the most beloved feminist icons in pop culture history. The character is determined and strong-willed, and she's always quick with a retort and to stand up to anyone who tries to belittle her. The star working today who can capture that same spark, filled with smart and resolve, is Saoirse Ronan. The exceptional young talent has proven herself in multiple roles that are layered and dynamic, showing her piercing wit with a fine sense of dramatic vulnerability. She would be a wonderful fit for Princess Leia. There's no doubt that the bright and talented actress knows what she's doing.

Runners-Up: Shailene Woodley, Billie Lourd, Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy, Elle Fanning

Richard Madden As Han Solo

Celebrated for his rogue charm and charismatic stride, Han Solo is a bad boy with a heart of gold (and a quick trigger finger). It's the role that turned Harrison Ford into one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, and for good reason. The character oozes captivating mystique and appeal. He certainly toes the line between good and bad, but ultimately follows his conscious and tries to do the right thing, even when it might cost him everything.

It's safe to say this part would be the hardest to recast by modern standards. It's hard to imagine anyone besides Harrison Ford in the role, even when we had Alden Ehrenreich in the role a year prior! Nevertheless, when it comes to capturing Ford's radiant on-screen presence, one actor who comes to mind is Richard Madden. He can play dashing and dangerous in equal measure, and he would have what it takes to play the scoundrel.

Runners-Up: Joe Keery, Ryan Gosling

Laurence Fishburne As Obi-Wan Kenobi

As the gentle, guiding mentor who serves as the father figure for Luke Skywalker to realize his known destiny, Obi-Wan Kenobi plays a pivotal role in the ongoing legacy of Star Wars. Once played by thespian Alec Guinness, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a thoughtful, looming presence throughout the series. You need a wise sage to play the part justly. Sure enough, Laurence Fishburne is a well-accredited actor who has excelled at playing roles where he guides the protagonist into their appointed prophecy. Notably, The Matrix showed he could provide the guiding force needed to make this series work.

Runners-Up: Bryan Cranston, Russell Crowe

Simon Pegg As C-3PO

As the prissy robot who often serves as the bumbling comedic relief in the original trilogy, C-3PO is the clumsy and fearful, but persistent droid who was one of the first characters we saw in this fantastic universe — and ultimately one of the most iconic and recognizable in its still-growing legacy. Anthony Daniels certainly made the role his own, and his voice talents matched with his mime capabilities allowed the character to come alive. When it comes to candidates for taking over the part, Simon Pegg is a well proven comedic talent who has the wide voice range and firm, as well as fine persistence to prove himself to be a noble fit for the supporting part. No need to reconsider.

Runners-Up: Tom Kenny, Hank Azaria, Bill Hader

Morgan Freeman As Darth Vader

An imposing and intimidating dark ruler, Darth Vader is one of the most instantly recognizable villains in cinematic history. A lot of that comes down to the signature look and smooth voice provided by James Earl Jones. The actor's pipes are among the best in history, and it's hard to find someone who can fit in those lofty shoes. With that, we can only turn to one of the other most famous voices in cinematic history: Morgan Freeman. While James Earl Jones is still alive and could theoretically still provide his voice to the part, much like he did with The Lion King (2019) earlier this summer, getting another actor involved would be a little easier. Therefore, when you need someone with a striking baritone voice, you turn to Morgan Freeman.

Runners-Up: Ralph Ineson, Ving Rhames, Tobin Bell

Khary Payton As Lando Calrissian

As one of the smoothest, coolest players in the galaxy, Lando Calrissian is an immensely charismatic character who developed a sizable fanbase upon being introduced in The Empire Strikes Back. Thankfully, Billy Dee Williams will be reprising the role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker later this year, but when it comes to the possibility of casting someone else in this part, it's worth mentioning a slight out-of-the-box choice. Specifically, Khary Payton from The Walking Dead. The actor has the smile, the charm and the mustache-growing capabilities to pull off the part. While it's hard not to say Donald Glover, since he played the part quite well in Solo: A Star Wars Story, it's easy to see Payton providing the goods in the role.

Runners-Up: Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Michael Ealy

Naturally, it is a bit of a losing battle to try to figure out who could play the part by modern standards. It's a difficult endeavor doing the mental gymnastics of trying to figure out whether or not any of these actors would be who they are today if it were not for the impact of Star Wars' success, and in turn speculating on whether there would be any major butterfly effect-esque changes to their careers should Star Wars not be what we know Star Wars to be today. It is hard to know if the movie and, subsequently, the characters we love today, would be anywhere near what we know if it weren't for the brilliant ensemble.

In any case, this is simply a fun way to imagine what the cast of Star Wars might be like if it were made today. And you most certainly have your own thoughts on who should and shouldn't be in these iconic roles. If you have your own personal picks, be sure to sound them off in the comments below and explain why you landed on them.

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You can return to a galaxy far, far away when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20, or do so even earlier when The Mandalorian premieres on Disney+ November 12. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest news on what the Star Wars franchise has in store. Don't forget you can also plan our your trips to the theater for the near future with our 2019 release schedule and 2020 release schedule.

There's been a lot happening on the Little Women front in recent months. The BBC released a TV version of the beloved Louisa May Alcott book back in 2017, and it aired on PBS in the U.S. more recently. That won't be the end of Little Women in pop culture, however. A modern retelling of the classic starring Lea Thompson is hitting theaters in time for the book's 150th anniversary this year. Now, a classic version of the movie has also been commissioned by Columbia Pictures, and the new movie looks as if it will star some A-List talent. In addition to Florence Pugh, Meryl Streep, Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet are in talks to star in the upcoming movie. Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig is likely to also sign on as the director of the new project, as well.

Currently, talks are still ongoing regarding who will join the project, and the potential casting announcement doesn't list anyone for specific roles. However, you'd have to think that Meryl Streep would be signing on to play Marmee, as she's a little young to be playing the Aunt March character. Timothee Chalamet would have to be signed on as Laurie given the availability of characters and their ages, as well. (One could hardly see him as a Professor Bhaer.)

While Variety broke the news, other outlets are mentioning Emma Stone would play Meg, which would make sense given Emma Stone's age compared to the other two young women who are involved. It's also being noted that Florence Pugh would play Amy and Saoirse Ronan would play Jo, meaning sweet, ill Beth has yet to be cast. So far, the ages of those being cast are a little bit older than I would expect. Each of the girls are teenagers at the start of the book and grow into adulthood through the end. For example, Meg is 16 and Jo is 15 at the start of the book. That's always going to be little tricky to achieve on the big screen, but Emma Stone is already nearing 30 and Saoirse Ronan is currently 24. Hollywood ages down older actors and actresses quite frequently, but I'll be interested to see if and how the story is different with older actresses in the major roles.

Obviously, talks are still ongoing, but we'll let you know as soon as the final versions of the casts come together. Little Women doesn't currently have a release date, but the last time the novel was brought to life on the big screen was back in 1994. That film starred Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Christian Bale and Susan Sarandon, and was the prominent way people came to know about the famous Louisa May Alcott story for a whole generation of fans. Remakes are nothing new, and this new version should bring the story to life for a whole new generation of fans. We just need to wait and see who will be playing Beth and, of course, Friedrich Bhaer, first.

For now, if you'd like to see the most recent version of Little Women, the made-for-TV version starred Angela Lansbury, Michael Gambon, Maya Hawke, Kathryn Newton, Willa Fitzgerald, Annes Elwy and Emily Watson. You can catch it on Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital in the States thanks to a Masterpiece release, here.

NBC's iconic Saturday Night Live is heading into Season 43 for the 2017-2018 television season, and while the show will be very different this year without any major elections to cover and some notable cast departures, you can bet that those behind the long-running, Emmy-nominated sketch series are working hard to guarantee that there's a solid parade of celebrity guest hosts and musical acts scheduled to perform on the program every week.

While we don't yet know about all the surprises that will await us in Season 43 of SNL (what fun would that be, anyway?), we can probably bet on a few new cast members to fill in for Sasheer Zamata, Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan, who all left the late-night staple after Season 42. And, with many interesting developments in politics happening on an almost daily basis, we're likely guaranteed continued impressions of those in our top offices as the new season gets underway. We've even already heard that the team at SNL and Alec Baldwin, who has been lauded for his Donald Trump impression, are (wisely) not planning to give that popular part of the show up any time soon. Baldwin has noted that, even though he's got several projects in the pipeline, he is game to be around for as many Trump sessions on Saturday Night Live as possible this season.

While we wait for word on new not-ready-for-primetime players and when we can expect Alec Baldwin to hit the SNL stage again, the show is (finally) starting to let us in on who will be hosting and performing on each live episode. Be sure to check this guide regularly to see when your favorites will be appearing on the show, as we'll update it when SNL releases new information. Read on to see who you can watch this season!

Upcoming Episodes

May 5 - Donald Glover With Musical Guest Childish Gambino

Alright, technically SNL is pulling double duty on this one, because when actor/writer/comedian Donald Glover hosts the show on May 5, he will also appear as musical guest under his hip hop moniker Childish Gambino. Glover has become a force to be reckoned with in the years since his star-making turn on the comedy Community. He created and writes, produces, directs and stars in his hit FX show Atlanta, and will be seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story when it opens on May 25. As a rapper/singer, he's released three studio albums, with the most recent, Awaken, My Love!, scoring several Grammy nominations.

May 12 - Amy Schumer With Musical Guest Kacey Musgraves

Comedian and actress Amy Schumer will return for her second hosting stint on SNL on the May 12 show. The Trainwreck and Snatched star will hit the stage a few weeks after her new film, I Feel Pretty, opens in theaters. Country singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves will appear as musical guest in support of her third studio album, Golden Hour.

May 19 - Tina Fey With Musical Guest Nicki Minaj

Wrapping up Season 43 of Saturday Night Live will be frequent host and former head writer/cast member Tina Fey. The 30 Rock and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot star launched the Mean Girls musical on Broadway in October 2017. Rapper Nicki Minaj is set to tear up the stage in support of her upcoming fourth studio album that same night.

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September 30 - Ryan Gosling With Musical Guest Jay-Z

The Season 43 opener will see actor Ryan Gosling host for the second time. Gosling, also known as the guy every dude's girlfriend is not-so-secretly in love with, was most recently seen in the Oscar winning film La La Land, for which he was nominated for Best Actor. His next movie is the highly anticipated sequel Blade Runner 2049, with Harrison Ford and Jared Leto, which opens on October 6. Jay-Z, who's performed three times previously, will be along to promote his recently released 4:44 album.

October 7 - Gal Gadot With Musical Guest Sam Smith

The first Saturday in October will see Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, host SNL for the first time. She is, of course, coming off a major summer when her solo outing as the hero wowed audiences and critics alike. Her appearance on the show comes a little over a month before the November 17 debut of Justice League, in which Gadot also stars. The night's musical guest, Sam Smith, will be taking the stage in his second stint on the show. The Grammy winner has been working on his second album, and just released a new single, "Too Good at Goodbyes," earlier this month.

October 14 - Kumail Nanjiani With Musical Guest Pink

Also making his SNL debut during Season 43 is Kumail Nanjiani, who stars on the HBO comedy Silicon Valley. He recently gained even more praise for writing and starring in the film The Big Sick, which came out earlier this year. Singer/songwriter Pink, also the winner of multiple Grammy Awards, is due to release her seventh album, "Beautiful Trauma," on October 13.

November 4 - Larry David With Musical Guest Miley Cyrus

SNL will launch its November episodes with Larry David hosting the show for only the second time, with his first stint being back in February 2016. David, who is best known for helping to create Seinfeld and guide the show to the heights of comedy over many of its nine seasons, as well as for creating and starring in his (recently revived) HBO hit Curb Your Enthusiasm, appeared on Saturday Night Live several times during the election cycle to play candidate Bernie Sanders. Miley Cyrus, who hosted in 2011 and then took on both hosting and musical guest duties in 2013 and 2015, will return to perform and promote her most recent album, "Younger Now."

November 11 - Tiffany Haddish With Musical Guest Taylor Swift

The breakout star of the summer hit film Girls Trip, comedian Tiffany Haddish will get her first go 'round as an SNL host when she steps on stage for the November 11 episode. Haddish is also known for her work in Real Husbands of Hollywood, The Carmichael Show and in the film Keanu, and has several new projects currently in development. Taylor Swift will appear to perform songs from her new CD, "Reputation," and has been on the show several times before, including a 2009 stint where she served as both host and musical guest.

November 18 - Chance the Rapper With Musical Guest Eminem

Also marking his first stint as host in November will be Chance the Rapper, who's made several appearances as musical guest over the past few years. His third mixtape, "Coloring Book," was released in May 2016 and won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album. It is also the first streaming-only album to get a Grammy nomination and win. Chance was also nominated for an Emmy this year for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for "Last Christmas," which was written for and performed on SNL. Eminem will perform on the show to promote his new album, "Revival," which debuts on November 17.

December 2 - Saoirse Ronan With Musical Guest U2

SNL's December kicks off with two-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan hosting the comedy. Ronan, who received nominations in 2008 and 2016, is once again getting Oscar buzz for her role in Lady Bird, which was released in early November. U2, which has won a whopping 22 Grammy Awards, will perform on the show to promote their soon-to-be-released CD, Songs of Experience.

December 9 - James Franco With Musical Guest SZA

Jack of all trades James Franco takes on SNL hosting duties for the night of December 9. He's currently starring in the HBO drama The Deuce and can be seen on the big screen in The Disaster Artist. R&B singer SZA will make her debut on Saturday Night Live that evening. The five-time Grammy nominee will perform to promote her debut studio album, Ctrl.

December 16 - Kevin Hart With Musical Guest Foo Fighters

Making his third appearance as host, actor/comedian Kevin Hart will hit the SNL stage on December 16. His film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will be released on December 20 and he has five projects coming up soon. Seven-time musical guests Foo Fighters will rock the show once again, this time in support of their new CD, Concrete and Gold.

January 13 - Sam Rockwell With Musical Guest Halsey

Actor Sam Rockwell is primed to host SNL for the first time when the show returns from its holiday break on January 13. Rockwell is currently gaining much praise for his role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, having been nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, which is also getting Oscar buzz. Singer Halsey will be hitting the SNL musical stage for the first time to promote her most recent CD, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.

January 20 - Jessica Chastain With Musical Guest Troye Sivan

Molly's Game star Jessica Chastain takes on hosting duties for the first time when she hits the SNL stage on January 20. The actress, who received Oscar nominations for her work in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty, has become a force to be reckoned with on screen. Since 2010, she's gotten a remarkable 110 nominations for her roles in films like Miss Sloane, A Most Violent Year and Take Shelter. Troye Sivan will perform on the show for the first time to promote his debut studio album, Blue Neighbourhood.

January 27 - Will Ferrell With Musical Guest Chris Stapleton

Funny man Will Ferrell hits his old stomping grounds again when he returns to host Saturday Night Live for the fourth time. After making a name for himself with impressions of personalities like James Lipton, George W. Bush and Alex Trebek, Ferrell, of course, went on to take his wacky characters to the big screen in films like Anchorman and Talladega Nights. Grammy-winning country artist Chris Stapleton will make his second appearance on the show to promote his third solo album, From A Room: Volume 2.

February 3 - Natalie Portman With Musical Guest Dua Lipa

Hosting for her second time as the comedy moves into February is Oscar winner Natalie Portman. After being most recently seen in Jackie and Song to Song, Portman's next big screen effort, the sci-fi thriller Annihilation, debuts on February 23. Singer Dua Lipa makes her first appearance as musical guest to promote her self-titled debut album, which features the hit single, New Rules.

March 3 - Charles Barkely With Musical Guest Migos

March will bring NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley back to SNL for his fourth hosting gig. The Emmy winner can be seen as an analyst for TNT's Inside the NBA and NCAA March Madness coverage on CBS. Hip hop trio Migos will head to the show for their first stint as musical guest, and will perform in support of their new album Culture II, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

March 10 - Sterling K. Brown With Musical Guest James Bay

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown will make his hosting debut on March 10. The Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy winner can currently be seen on the big screen in Black Panther, and will be back in theaters later this year in The Predator. Singer/songwriter and three time Grammy nominee James Bay will hit the stage for the first time to support his upcoming sophomore album that night.

March 17 - Bill Hader With Musical Guest Arcade Fire

Emmy winner and Saturday Night Live vet Bill Hader returns to the show for his second hosting gig on March 17. Hader's HBO hitman comedy Barry, which he is the creator/executive producer/director and star of, will premiere on March 25. Arcade Fire will join the show for their fourth appearance as musical guest during the broadcast. Their single, "Everything Now," from the album of the same name, recently became their first to hit No. 1 on any Billboard chart.

April 7 - Chadwick Boseman With Musical Guest Cardi B

SNL decided not to let Season 43 pass by without a visit from everyone's favorite Black Panther, as Chadwick Boseman will hit the stage for his first hosting gig on April 7. Known around the world for his part in the massive hit Black Panther, Boseman will next be seen on the big screen in Avengers: Infinity War when it opens on April 27. Cardi B will appear as the musical guest to promote her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy.

April 14 - John Mulaney With Musical Guest Jack White

Comedian and former SNL writer John Mulaney will make his first appearance as host on the April 14 episode. Mulaney is best known for helping write all those insane Stefon sketches with Bill Hader and he sometimes popped up on the Weekend Update segment of the show during his time there. Jack White will perform to promote his third solo studio album Boarding House Reach.

Remember, be sure to bookmark this guide so you can stay up to date on all the hosts and musical guests Saturday Night Live has to offer in Season 43. For an in depth look at what else you can watch this fall, take a look at our fall premiere schedule and Netflix premiere schedule, as well.

Not everyone has a personal story to tell about George Clooney, particularly one involving their mom. But, of course, not everyone is Saoirse Ronan, the 23-year-old actress who is celebrating her third Academy Award nomination, this time for her leading work in Lady Bird. During her recent visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the young Irish actress discussed the first time she attended an Oscars ceremony at 13-years-old, and how she left with quite a story to tell about Clooney. As it turns out, things got really awkward really quickly between Clooney and Ronan's mom when the actor accidentally stepped on the mom's dress during the prestigious evening. Apparently, there was a tense communication issue, which made the whole encounter even stranger. Here's how Ronan herself described the embarrassing celebrity situation with Jimmy Kimmel.

As Saoirse Ronan recounted in her Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance, the actress -- a teenager at the time -- was being celebrated for her stunning supporting work in Atonement. She flew in from New Zealand during a break in production on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, and the actress she knew nobody there. During an interview with someone on the red carpet, where she talked about the movie and the experience of making it, Saoirse Ronan's mom found herself in a tussle in the background with George Clooney, who was also nominated that evening for his lead performance in Michael Clayton.

From there, Saoirse Ronan claims things got more "aggressive," as the mom tugged on the dress, trying to get George Clooney to notice, but to no avail. He never turned around, and eventually, Clooney just walked away. Eventually, Ronan's mom was freed, but she returned to her daughter with a story.

Even with this experience, Saoirse Ronan's mom wasn't afraid to return to the Oscars again when her daughter was nominated for her Brooklyn performance in 2016. And with that ceremony came another story, albeit not one with any celebrity interactions. Rather, Ronan and her mom were networking outside the theater next to the bar, and people around them were cueing up to enter the auditorium. The Ronans, however, thought they still had loads of time before the main event. Instead of going inside, they were standing around, trying to acquire drinks. But then, Ronan and her mom heard the beginning of the opening ceremony, and when they went to enter the theater, they realized the doors were locked shut. So in that case, they almost missed any celebrity interactions as they were left outside during the big Oscar festivities. You learn from experiences, though. You listen to Ronan's full comments in the clip below.

Perhaps the third time will be the charm for Saoirse Ronan? We'll find this Sunday night when the 90th Oscar ceremony commences, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The Lady Bird actress is considered in close contention for the Best Actress prize with Frances McDormand for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, though you never know what will happen on Oscar night. Remember last year? In any case, no matter what, Ronan will walk away with a story to tell. That's for certain, especially if she brings her mom back again as her plus one. Given the film being celebrated, it's only fitting.

Everyone has at least a couple of awkward yet interesting stories about their senior year of high school. It's one of those common bonds that gets people talking when they first enter college, and can ultimately lead to even deeper dissection in the later years of a person's life. But in the moment, when those stories are being written, they feel like the deepest, most important experiences we'll ever face in our entire lives. It's that sort of thinking that Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird is centered in, and it's as authentic and affecting as any of those stories could ever be.

On the precipice of adulthood, Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) does what any teenager would do: she lives by her emotions, is constantly searching for the cool people to be friends with, and tends to fall in love rather quickly. All the while, she picks fights with her mother (Laurie Metcalf), as her lifetime in California has her yearning to go to a sophisticated college on the East Coast. A story told throughout her senior year of high school, Lady Bird is all about trying to fly, and the mistakes we make during each attempt.

Ever since her debut in Atonement, Saoirse Ronan has been on a role when it comes to the leads she's scored in films like Lady Bird. In fact, all throughout writer/director Greta Gerwig's film, I was reminded that Ronan is an ace when it comes to portraying this particularly sensitive time in a young woman's life. She continues to captivate the screen with her acting skills, making both "Lady Bird's" sympathetic and more childish moments come to life without turning them into caricatures. While we can take issue with some of her actions and statements to those she knows and loves, we can never write off her character as a typical screen brat. It's a delicate line to walk with such a story, and Saoirse Ronan makes it look damned easy.

Making her directorial debut, Gerwig's work on Lady Bird is as confident as it is proficient. Her strength shows within every frame of the film, as her claim that the film is semi-autobiographical can be seen in the honesty that's present in each moment's framing. This is a very visually low-key film, but that works towards capturing the reality of the various moments that Lady Bird herself experiences. With a career that spans a little over a decade, you can tell that not only has Greta Gerwig found her voice as a writer, but that she's been extremely attentive to the directors she's worked with in the past. The result is a new directing talent that the indie (and mainstream) world will have to look forward to competing with in the future.

As wonderful as Lady Bird is, there is a bit of a problem with the narrative flow of the film. The sum-total of Lady Bird's senior year feels more like a series of loosely connected vignettes, rather than a fully connected story. It's an interesting choice when it come to the film's story, as it really makes your enjoyment of the film depend on how you personally identify with it. As such, the overarching story feels a bit thin, especially because we don't get nearly enough time with Laurie Metcalf and Tracy Letts as Saoirse Ronan's on-screen parents. Lady Bird is still very much a movie, but some more focus in the narrative would have driven home the points it had to make about the adolescent experience.

Lady Bird is an enjoyable film, with a honest heart about it. Saoirse Ronan, as always, is a captivating and intriguing lead, and she anchors a stellar cast in a film that deftly danced between emotional beats and genuine comedy. While the narrative is less structured than a typical film's story, it's still a nostalgic look back on those days when being a kid wasn't an option, but being an adult was still a little bit in the distance. It's a bonding experience for best friends, as well as mothers and daughters, can truly enjoy.

The race for the Best Picture Oscar this year is an interesting one to be sure. It includes perhaps the most beloved filmmaker currently working (Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies), a heavy, issue-driven drama (Spotlight), post-apocalyptic mayhem (Mad Max: Fury Road), and a financial dramedy from the guy who made Anchorman (The Big Short), among others. One film that doesn’t appear to be given much of a shot to walk away with the trophy is Brooklyn, which is a shame because it deserves some love. Maybe it won’t win, but here’s why it should.

Brooklyn isn’t the showiest film in the list of best Oscar nominees. We’re talking about a subtle, understated picture that’s quietly moving and full of meticulous period detail that fully immerses the viewer in the world of 1950s New York City.

Based on the novel of the same name by Colm Toibin, and adapted by Nick Hornby (About a Boy),  the story follows Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish woman who, with no prospects at home, is sent to America, to the eponymous New York borough, for a better life. This isn’t a story that you’ve never seen rendered on screen; overall, this tale of immigration takes a familiar arc as Eilis travels to America, is home sick, attempts to adjust, and, gradually, finds a way not only cope, but grow and thrive and make a home. What truly sets Brooklyn apart is a slow of stunning performances at the center of the movie, they sell the story and characters and invest you in the action on screen.

Everything in Brooklyn, obviously revolves around Saoirse Ronan, and her Eilis is simply one of the most nuanced, fully rendered characters of the year. At the beginning of the film, she is quiet and mousey and shy, browbeaten by her evil witch of a boss in a small Irish grocery, a passive character subject to the whims of those around her, and with little to no self-determination. Over the course of the film, through the press of necessity, she evolves, taking charge of her own life like never before, in delicate, elusive ways. You scarcely see the change, until she returns to Ireland and you realize that she is an entirely different person than she was when she left. What Saoirse Ronan delivers is easily the best performance in a young, but already remarkably accomplished career, and she may very well be deserving of her own Oscar.

While Saoirse Ronan is the star around which the rest of the galaxy of Brooklyn revolves, the unsung MVP is Emory Cohen, playing Tony Fiorello, the Brooklyn Dodgers-obsessed son of Italian immigrants, and Eilis’ love interest. Goofy and sweet, he could easily have fallen into a one-note, nice-guy role, but he brings a charm and great depth and emotion to what could have otherwise been a flat supporting turn.

When Eilis returns to Ireland, where she encounters a new potential love interest (Domhnall Gleeson, excellent as always), finds career prospects, and sees a life at home, near family, that wasn’t there before. Tony provides something that pulls her back, that makes her decision less simple and cut and dried. Without what he brings to the character, the key choice at the center of Brooklyn wouldn’t carry the weight it does.

Even outside of the core actors, of Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, and Domhnall Gleeson, who form a trans-Atlantic love triangle, the cast of Brooklyn is strong across the board. Jim Broadbent infuses his priest character with a tender humanity, despite only having a few scenes; Julie Walters, as the woman who runs Eilis’ boarding house in Brooklyn, is sharp and biting, but also funny and warm; Arrow’s Emily Bett Rickards, Eve Macklin, and Nora-Jane Noone play fellow boarders who are ditzy, catty, gossip mongers, but who also have a sweetness, giving texture and personality to otherwise throwaway characters. Then there’s Brid Brennan, as the malevolent store owner, and Eilis’ boss in Ireland, who will make you hate her in just two scenes—actually it will only take one. Tony’s family provides a good-natured bit of comic relief and lightness, especially the young James DiGiacomo as the youngest son who’s way too smart for his own good.

There are a number of reasons to watch Brooklyn and why it could walk away with the Best Picture Oscar on Sunday. Will it? That remains to be seen, but at least the performances should give it a legitimate chance. Regardless of how many, if any, trophies it takes home, Brooklyn is a movie that you need to take the time to see and that will continue to hold up over the years.

Movies are made to be seen. That much is obvious. Sometimes, though, directors and actors have to wait an excruciatingly long time to show their movie to a willing audience – when can be incredibly painful when you know the movie you are sitting on is great.

John Crowley’s immigrant song, Brooklyn, played to raves at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Fox Searchlight bought the beautiful love story for $9 million, and started prepping it for a prestigious Awards run. Then? Nothing. Radio silence. So when I sat down with Brooklyn star Saoirse Ronan ahead of the film’s screening at the Savannah Film Festival, I asked her how hard it is to sit on a movie when a festival audience has let you know that it’s good. She told me:

My hunch is that Ronan will continue to talk about Brooklyn for the foreseeable future. Crowley has crafted a tender, bittersweet but universal story of change and adaptation, of living and loving. And Saoirse Ronan leads a heartwarming cast in a film that I think will touch a number of older Academy members, enough to help the movie contend in the major categories.

Here’s where I think the Oscar contenders sit on October 26:

While I still believe in the Steve Jobs Oscar train – which will pick up and carry everyone from Michael Fassbender to director Danny Boyle – the meager box office results on the film’s "wide" weekend give me slight pause. Universal says it isn’t pushing any sort of panic button, and that Jobs is the type of movie that is built for the long haul – not the smash-and-grab of an opening-weekend headline. I agree… and yet, still. Pause. But Boyle’s on this chart, and I’m not moving him any time soon.

Last season, Best Actor was a ridiculously competitive category, with just as many worthy candidates left on the outside of the category looking in as there was five eventual nominees. This year looks equally impressive, though there are a number of films yet to drop. Is this the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins? Or could Matt Damon’s The Martian performance prove to be the spoiler?

There have been a few interesting developments in the Best Actress race, which we’ll continue to track. Cate Blanchett may end up competing against herself (we call that "Pulling a Soderbergh") if her performances in Carol and Truth continue to get recognition. And buzz has reached a deafening level for Brie Larson in Room, allowing me to move her into the Frontrunner category. (We gave the movie a perfect 5-star grade.) As for the rest of the category? Take a look.

More audience members will start to see Spotlight in the coming weeks, as Tom McCarthy’s gripping and airtight journalism drama opens in an increased number of theaters. Hopefully, from there, you all can help me figure out which of the male performers gives the better performance. I was blown away by the quiet fortitude Liev Schreiber brings to his role as the Boston Globe’s new publisher. But he’s equaled by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery… really, everyone is awesome. So, who makes the cut? We’ll see, in the next few weeks.

Right now, this is the only category with an actual lock for a nomination. Once Alicia Vikander announced she’d run in Supporting, the category became hers for her stirring turn as a supportive (but confused) wife in Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl. But who will compete against her? The field is snapping into place, and here are my best guesses.

At present, there isn't a lot of information pertaining to the characters and story of the Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, largely owing to the fact that the book on which the feature is set to be based is a reference guide. However, the latest casting update does offer a potentially sizable clue about the eventual nature of the relationship between lead character Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and one of the other leads.

It's odd to have to say spoiler alert here, given how little we know about Newt Scamander from the single-page bio that's included in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, but because this information did come from the book and references something from his future, it feels only fair to say, potential book spoilers ahead!

Is Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them in the process of trying to cast Newt Scamander's eventual wife? We've known that there would be four lead characters set to be featured in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, in addition to Eddie Redmayne's character Newt Scamander. Today, The Wrap dropped a list of names of actors being eyed for the two female leads, along with the names of their characters, Queenie and Tina. Tina is the older sister, and Queenie is the younger of the two. And if previous reports are accurate, they're American. On the surface, that's not a lot of information to go on, however, we do know from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that Newt eventually lives to retire and settle down with his wife Porpentina (and their pet Kneazles).

Is it possible that Tina is actually Porpentina, Newt's eventual wife?

It's entirely possible that the name similarity is a coincidence, and maybe we're just eager to mine any clues we can from what little information has been given about this project. But from what we know about J.K. Rowling's past work, names matter. Rowling not only wrote all seven Harry Potter books (as well as bonus books Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch Through the Ages), but she also penned the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. If Porpentina and Tina aren't actually the same character, perhaps there's some other connection yet to be revealed between this character and Newt's future wife.

Whether or not Tina is actually the referenced Porpentina from Newt Scamander's textbook remains to be revealed. But from what The Wrap reports, there are a number of actors being looked at for both Queenie and Tina.

Queenie could be played by the lovely and talented Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning, Lili Simmons or Alison Sudol.

All four are reported to be up for that part. Fanning and Ronan have a Stephenie Meyer connection, as Fanning played the role of Jane in the Twilight films, while Ronan starred as the lead character(s) in The Host. As for Lili Simmons, you may have seen her in Banshee or Hawaii Five-0, while Alison Sudol's latest credits include Dig and Transparent.

From the names being eyed for the role of Queenie's older sister, it seems like they're looking at some strikingly beautiful to play the role of Tina. Kate Upton, Katherine Waterston and Elizabeth Debicki are said to be in the running for the part. Upton may be better known for her modeling, but she does have a few acting credits to her name, including that of the other (other) woman in The Other Woman. Katherine Waterston was recently seen in Inherent Vice, and has a part in the upcoming Steve Jobs. Elizabeth Debicki's recent credits include The Great Gatsby, as Jordan Baker, and the upcoming The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The Wrap notes that casting is still in the early stages so there may be other actors being eyed for this role.

This gives us some information to mull over about the two lead females. It's also been reported that there are two lead male roles, in addition to Eddie Redmayne's character. It'll be interesting to see what information is revealed about them -- and their potential connection to the two sisters -- once additional casting updates circulate.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is expected to arrive in theaters November 18, 2016.

Who are the actual stars of the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot? We may finally know soon, and for real this time. Variety reports that Fox is ready to start testing actors for two key roles in the film, "Mr Fantastic" Reed Richards and "Invisible Girl" Sue Storm. Miles Teller, who has been rumored for the role for months, is indeed on the short list, alongside Game of Thrones' Kit Harrington and Jack O'Connell, star of the upcoming Unbroken. For Sue Storm the studio is reportedly eyeing Saoirse Ronan, Kate Mara and Margot Robbie.

Michael B. Jordan, who's at the center of the longest-running rumor about the movie's cast, is apparently still the only person director Josh Trank and the studio want for the Human Torch, but nothing is set yet. Variety has no word on who might play The Thing, a.k.a. Ben Grimm or whoever the villain of the film winds up being. We heard back in June that production on the film was supposed to begin in September, but that clearly didn't happen, and just last week X-Men: Days of Future Past screenwriter Simon Kinberg was brought in to tweak the script. There's work to be done, but also a March 16, 2015 release date to get to-- so casting, whoever it winds up being, ought to happen fast.

All six of these rumored names, seven if you include Jordan, are solid up-and-comers, and many of them are being eyed for other high-profile parts-- Ronan turned down The Avengers 2 and has auditioned for Star Wars: Episode VII, Robbie could be Jane to Alexander Skarsgard's Tarzan, Mara was eyed to be Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, etc. Any time these kinds of casting stories emerge, especially for superhero films, there's a sense of repetition, of the same 15 or 20 big names going in for parts (until, like Chris Evans, they become so big that they're no longer part of the derby). But it's telling that Teller and Jordan are still involved, and we might be able to suss out some Star Wars scoops if Ronan turns down a part-- maybe because she'll be busy in a galaxy far, far away.

Feel free to share your The Thing casting ideas and any other suggestions for the project in the comments. Hey, they've taken this long to cast the movie, they may as well get our help in getting it right.

What do you picture in your mind when you read about the plethora of actors allegedly going in for auditions on J.J. Abrams cloaked-in-secret Star Wars: Episode VII? Does it involve actors miming an escape from a Sarlacc pit or acting as if they’re standing aboard a ship that’s being attacked? Surely Abrams & Co. aren’t letting actors run around with lightsabers, are they? They are! Well, they’re at least pretending to, according to Empire and Saorise Ronan, the Host actress who was rumored to have recently read for a role in the film. Not only has she confirmed the audition, but also mentioned that the tryout involved acting as if she was handling one of the most famous weapons in sci-fi history.

So what does this mean? Nothing, really, since for all we know, Ronan was just auditioning for a role in a fake commercial that Abrams is going to have someone watch for a split second in the background of a cantina in the middle of the movie. But it’s nice knowing nothing at this point, because speculation can and does run rampant. But it’s how she brings It up that gives us an interesting clue.

“Even if I don’t get it,” she said during The Empire Film Podcast, “I had so much fun auditioning, pretending to take out a lightsaber – out of a bag, kind of inspect it and not know what it is. That was…that was great. A lightsaber! Star Wars!”

Besides envying her jubilation to pretend to hold a lightsaber as a means of trying to get a job, what one pays attention to is saying that she inspected it without knowing what it is. So we can probably rule her out the idea that her would-be character is a Jedi Knight. Perhaps this means she wouldn’t be a daughter of any of the original films’ character, as we'd assume any child of Luke, Leia or Han would grow up knowing the legends of the Jedi. But, still, it has to be an important part.

Confirming that she auditioned for the movie, Ronan said on the Podcast, “I mean, everyone did. Everyone has auditioned for it. So many people I know have gone in for the part I’ve gone in for, and guys who’ve gone in for a particular part, so I’d imagine J.J. is probably just scanning the Earth to find the people that he needs.”

It’s interesting that this role is being considered so carefully. I’m sure they all will be, but when the casting rumors themselves are the things we hear about, confirmation that one or two roles are being singled out is worth noting.

You know what would be a better hint? The blade color of the lightsaber she was pretending to inspect.

While you wait for the next Star Wars tidbit, you can listen to the whole podcast below.

Tracking Star Wars casting rumors has become a full-time job. Saoirse Ronan just confirmed to Sky News that she auditioned for a role. The original cast continues to be coy with regard to their possible involvement in Episode VII. And then there’s Jonny Mathers, who believes he was born to play Chewbacca.

Or, at least, that’s what the British Star Wars fan realized as he answered a casting call for an unspecified Walt Disney/LucasFilm/Bad Robot production that has to be Star Wars: Episode VII. BBC News has the story and interview with Mathers, who – oh, have we mentioned yet – is 7-foot, 3-inches tall and therefore believes that he’s equipped to play Chewbacca … if that’s who J.J. Abrams and the producers on the next Star Wars movie want some actor to play.

No kidding. So Mathers answered an open casting call that the BBC says was looking for a “male, 7 ft to 7.3 ft tall with a slim/thin build and upright posture. Not too worked out or too 'thick set' especially in the shoulders. Broad facial features would be a bonus.” We’re all jumping to the Chewbacca conclusion because Peter Mayhew, who played Han Solo’s co-pilot in the original Star Wars trilogy, happened to be the same height as Mathers. I love this behind-the-scenes clip for A New Hope that has Mayhew speaking Chewbacca’s lines in British, which we know will be replaced by the hero’s signature roar in post-production:

But we might be falling into a trap by making slightly misguided assumption. The Star Wars universe is vast, and just because a character in Abrams’ new movie might be tall doesn’t mean it HAS to be Chewbacca. Then again, the rumor mill continues to spit out theories that Harrison Ford will return to his classic role of Han Solo, and so it would make sense for Chewy to be part of the next trilogy. In fact, Mayhew talks about exactly that in this interview with Flicks and the City. Fast forward to the one-minute mark:

We’ll hopefully find out what Abrams has planned for episodes 8, 9 and 10 … eventually. Right? I mean, details have to surface soon if Abrams actually wants to get a sequel in theaters by 2015, as planned. Stay tuned.

Virtually none of the rumors about Star Wars: Episode VII have been confirmed, but a few have been repeated so many times they're starting to feel more true, like buzz that the original cast will return or that a teenage girl will be among the main new characters. It's that second rumor that seems most interesting on the heels of a new rumor from Latino Review, where they say Saoirse Ronan read for an unspecific part in Star Wars: Episode VII.

As you know if you follow these kinds of casting rumors, particularly the Star Wars ones, "read for" can mean almost nothing-- dozens if not hundreds of people may read for a certain role before the production settles on their cast, and Ronan is probably far less likely to snag this role than she was Scarlet Witch in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, a role she was actually offered before passing on it. Ronan is just one of many, many names that have been circling around the Star Wars universe in recent weeks, from Alex Pettyfer to Ewan McGregor to Benedict Cumberbatch.

Speaking of Cumberbatch… the Latino Review guys say to pay no attention to the vehement denials from his people that he's set for a role in Star Wars: Episode VII. We'll let their own vehement promises speak for themselves:

To be fair, Cumberbatch and J.J. Abrams kind of brought this on themselves-- spend a year lying about the super-powered space villain who will be in your next Star Trek movie, and you're basically asking the Internet to assume you're lying in every other situation.

For everything we know so far about Star Wars Episode VII, both rumored and factual, you can click here.

After putting out films like 2011’s historical drama The Eagle and 2006’s The Last King of Scotland, as well as a documentary about reggae demigod Bob Marley, director Kevin MacDonald continues his atypical film career with the near-future war drama How I Live Now, which Magnolia Pictures has at last unleashed the above trailer for (via ComingSoon, a year after the film’s first image was released. And go figure, it’s nothing like I expected it to be.

Saoirse Ronan continues her strong 2013 by playing her second character named Daisy – the first was in Geoffrey Fletcher’s Violet and Daisy – an American teenager who is sent to the British countryside to stay with relatives. Though it takes her a while to get comfortable with the setting change, she soon begins a romantic relationship with Edmund (George MacKay), who may or may not be her cousin. But before everyone can live weirdly and happily ever after, a third world war has to happen. The country gets attacked and soon turns into a frightening police state, leaving Daisy, her family and Edmund to try and survive in the war-torn landscape.

The film is adapted from Meg Rosoff’s 2004 novel, which won several children’s literature awards, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if How I Live Now ended up looking like a Hunger Games clone, both in its aesthetic and in its tone. But while it doesn't resemble that film at all, I can’t even really peg the movie’s genre form the trailer, which flips from a light romantic drama to a post-nuclear survival thriller without so much as a blink. The music also flips from indie alternative to a melancholic score back to a brighter song at the end, which makes me hopeful that it won’t be as dark and depressing as it has the potential to be.

I’m rather tired of post-apocalyptic teen-driven dramas, and I enjoy Ronan when she’s in a role where she gets to have a little fun, which wasn’t the case with the sci-fi thriller The Host or the vampire thriller Byzantium. So if How I Live Now whittles its focus down and makes this a strong character film, I’ll be very interested in the final result. As it stands now, one trailer in, my interest is piqued but mostly because of the strong source material and the fact that its incestuous angle isn’t a focal point for MacDonald to cling to.

Oddly enough, How I Live Now is bypassing the festival route and is set for a U.K. release on October 4. Unfortunately, no U.S. date has been set yet, but we expect Magnolia will be addressing this soon. Or at least before the next nuclear war.

Here’s how you know Marvel has tapped into a major vein of fanatical film interest: The Avengers 2 doesn’t begin filming for six more months (and it doesn’t screen until 2015!) but we’re passionately poring over every little detail mapping out the sequel’s direction and possible surprises.

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, two new characters joining the ranks of Joss Whedon’s next superhero film, have been revealed. Now SuperHeroHype has extended details about an ongoing casting search for actors to fill the roles, and descriptions of the types of talents they’d like to lure to the sure-to-be-massive effort.

Here are the major elements you need to know about how siblings Pietro and Wanda will be portrayed in The Avengers 2, as Whedon has penned it at the moment. First, they won’t be mutants. Secondly, there won’t be any mention of their father from the comics … who, if you weren’t aware, is Magneto. And they will be younger than expected.

The site says that the production is looking for actors in their 20s, preferably of British descent. When it comes to Pietro, they especially are hoping to find an actor who can convey “euro” and “edgy.” And the actress they’ve suggested as the prototype for Scarlet Witch? The Host star Saoirse Ronan.

The site doesn’t say that Ronan is the leading contender for the role, just that she’s the type of actress Marvel appears to be looking for at the moment. Again, this is very different from the portrayals of the characters in the comics (look at the image at the top of the page), but it fits into the youth movement Marvel wants with its heroes. (Meaning “See you later, 48-year-old Robert Downey Jr. and hello 29-year-old Chris Hemsworth!”)

Tell us, Marvel fans, what do you think of these changes? Personally, I’m OK with changing the characters’ backstories to make them British over Eastern European, and dropping their mutant heritage. But are these dealbreakers for you guys? Let us know!

Despite Twilight author Stephenie Meyer splattered all over posters for the release of The Host and despite a good cast featuring an interesting performance from Hanna actress Saoirse Ronan, the movie didn’t do so hot at the box office, barely making its $40 million budget back worldwide. I’ve already written about the reasons I feel this movie was likely doomed from its inception, but if you want to experience the film for yourself, you’ll be able to do so when The Host hits Blu-ray and DVD on July 9.

The Host is set in the future on Earth, in a world that is now inhabited by an alien species who uses humanity as—you guessed it—hosts. Directed by Andrew Niccol, the film tales the tale of a brave young alien who is dealing with the voice of a young woman inside of her. Together they may find a way to change their fates and, potentially, to change the destinies of their races, while also dealing with the pressures and pains of young romance. What would a sci fi movie be without young love to supplement it?

While Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s release of The Host will come with a few bonus features, if you are willing to give the film the shot or did enjoy it, this isn’t really the sort of film where all of the bells and whistles or even the HD picture is necessary. Having noted that, Universal is also putting together an early digital release that will be available to buyers beginning on June 25. If you are interested in a hard copy of the film, you can check out the full list of extras, below, or pre-order the set over at Amazon.

The Host Blu-ray and DVD Extras

• Deleted Scenes
• “Bringing The Host To Life” Interview and behind-the-scenes segment
• “Seeker PSA” feature commentary