Saoirse Ronan Revealed the Fellow Child Star She Had a 'Healthy Competition' With Growing Up

Back in 2007, Saoirse Ronan made history when she was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in Atonement at just 13 years old. Since then, Ronan’s continued to make a name for herself in the industry, starring in movies like Lady Bird, Little Women, and, most recently, Blitz. But, as a new interview of hers suggests, getting roles wasn’t as easy as it seemed in the beginning.

In a new interview with Elle, Ronan talked about being pitted against fellow child star Dakota Fanning when she was growing up. “For a while, it was me and Dakota Fanning,” she said. “And I would love for Dakota and [me] to work together.”

As it turns out, Fanning, who’s the same age as Ronan and got her big break in 2001 as Lucy in I Am Sam, was one of the reasons Ronan was interested in becoming an actress. “She’s one of the reasons why I got into acting in the first place, because when I was really young, she was working from such an early age, and I used to watch her stuff,” Ronan admitted. “So to feel like, ‘Oh, there’s space for all of us now,’ where there’s still healthy competition, I think it’s great.”

Indeed, knowing how Ronan and Fanning are two powerhouses in the industry, having them together onscreen would be quite a dynamic duo.

Prior to Ronan’s confession, Fanning opened up about the struggles of being a child star in an interview with The Cut in October.

“In interviews at a young age, I remember journalists asking me, ‘How are you avoiding becoming a tabloid girl?’ People would ask super-inappropriate questions,” Fanning reflected. “I was in an interview as a child and somebody asked, ‘How could you possibly have any friends?’ It’s like, Huh?”

“I have a lot of compassion for people who have been made into examples. If society and the media hadn’t played their part, who knows? I don’t think that it’s necessarily connected a hundred percent to being in this business; there are other factors, too,” she added, talking about the people who helped her stay grounded. “I wasn’t working with people who treated me that way — I was being respected as an actor and as equal as you can be for that age.”

Looks like Fanning and Ronan would have a lot in common if they ever worked together in the future. From healthy enemies to co-stars?

Before you go, click here to see celebrity co-stars who became best friends.