A native of Ireland, Saoirse (pronounced "sir-sha") Ronan was born April 12, 1994, and often joined her thespian father, Paul, on movie sets. In 2003, she began her acting career in earnest with the Irish television series "The Clinic" and "Proof" before transitioning into Hollywood fare, making her film debut in I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007).

But it was Ronan's gripping portrayal of a self-important teen in Atonement (2007, opposite Keira Knightley) that propelled the young actress into the international spotlight with a wealth of critical acclaim plus Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

The buzz surrounding Ronan's performance in Atonement helped her secure a coveted role in the 2009 big-screen adaptation of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, in which Ronan will star with Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon.