Six Degrees of Saoirse-ation

Saoirse Ronan got an Oscar nomination when she was 13 years old for Joe Wright’s Atonement (2007) — an honor that arrived one year after the actress made her film debut in the less seen I Could Never Be Your Woman. Following her early successes, Ronan has chalked up a total of four Oscar nominations along with five BAFTA nominations and a Golden Globe. But more essential than her awards bona fides or prestige-film credits is Ronan’s other feat: She is connected to just about every other famous Irish actor working right now. Sure, Ireland isn’t that big a country. But if you look at the Irish acting scene, you’ll see a close-knit web with Ronan at the center, cementing her status as the most prominent Kevin Bacon–style Irish celebrity of our time.

The Derry Girls and Bridgerton star hasn’t directly worked with Ronan, but both share a link to Gerwig, who directed Coughlan in last year’s Barbie.

Co-starred with Kristen Wiig in Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Might there be room for Ronan in a Barb & Star sequel? Barb & Star & Sersh has a good ring to it.

Co-starred with Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin and with Barry Keoghan in The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Australian auteur Peter Weir’s last movie prior to retirement was 2010’s The Way Back, a survival epic starring Farrell and Ronan as Russian and Polish refugees making a dangerous trek across the Gobi Desert.

Steve McQueen directed Fassbender in Hunger

Co-starred with Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin; Domhnall Gleeson is his son

Gleeson made up one point of the love triangle that propelled Ronan’s character in Brooklyn, her second Oscar-nominated role and first Best Actress nomination.

Jack Reynor and Hewson co-star as brother- and sister-in-law-to-be in Netflix’s pulpy The Perfect Couple, though the two had already worked together on Apple TV+’s Flora and Son.

Co-starred with Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Ronan’s husband

Lowden starred alongside last year’s Best Actor winner and Irish notable Murphy and Sabrina Carpenter beau Keoghan in Dunkirk. While Keoghan and Murphy were relegated to the boat scenes, Lowden’s role had him mostly stick to the skies — but these guys must have overlapped on a red carpet or three during the film’s rollout.

Ronan stars in McQueen’s World War II epic, Blitz.

Co-starred with Andrew Scott in All of Us Strangers

Mescal and Ronan two starred in the steamy sci-fi Foe (2023), though perhaps more notably, they were seen living it up at Glastonbury this year.

Co-starred with Florence Pugh in Oppenheimer

Steve McQueen directed Negga in 12 Years a Slave (her scenes did not make the final cut)

Co-starred with Ronan in Little Women and with Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

Co-starred with Florence Pugh in Midsommar

Reynor and Eve Hewson co-star as brother- and sister-in-law-to-be in Netflix’s pulpy The Perfect Couple, though the two had already worked together on Apple TV+’s Flora and Son.

Shaw and Ronan co-starred in Ammonite. Remember Ammonite? Both of these actors may prefer you don’t.

Co-starred with Paul Mescal in All of Us Strangers

Scott and Ronan co-stars? No. Fellow Glastonbury partyers? Yes.

In an infamous video for W magazine, Ronan said her favorite sex scene in cinema was Will Forte and Wiig in the MacGruber movie.