While Saoirse Ronan has played many compelling characters throughout her career, even she will admit losing the Luna Lovegood role in the Harry Potter franchise has “stayed” with her for a long time. 

Though Ronan has already established herself as one of the greatest actors in this generation — with an impressive list of interesting roles she has portrayed over the years — she did not get the Luna Lovegood part in Harry Potter over a decade ago. 

Evanna Lynch ultimately ended up playing the odd Ravenclaw in four Harry Potter movies, such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Half-Blood Prince (2009), Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010), and Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). 

What did Saoirse Ronan say about losing the Luna Lovegood role in Harry Potter?

“There’s things that you’ll pass on and then they come out, and you think, ‘Oh God, that was a misstep on my part,’ but I think the one that stayed with me over the years . . . I didn’t say no to it, I just didn’t get the part,” the actress told Jimmy Kimmel. 

She continued, “I had gone up for Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter years ago because it was like the Irish character, so they got everyone Irish in like half of Ireland to come and audition. And I knew I wasn’t going to get it because I was too young, but I got to read out a scene that was gonna be in Harry Potter and it was the coolest thing ever.”

You can watch the full interview down below: 

Ronan might not have landed the Luna Lovegood role, but her career took off at the age of 12 thanks to her portrayal of Briony Tallis in the romantic war drama Atonement. After the 2007 feature, for which she received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress, Ronan went on to appear in various acclaimed films like The Lovely Bones, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Lady Bird, and Little Women. 

Her other acting credits include Hanna, Violet & Daisy, Brooklyn, Mary Queen of Scots, Ammonite, See How They Run, Foe, and The Outrun, among others.