'I think the sort of the gumption and bravery it takes to just go for it is kind of brilliant.'

Given her meteoric rise to screen success, you'll be forgiven for thinking actress Saoirse Ronan is describing hersel. She is, in fact, talking of her character Lady Bird in the Oscar-nominated film of the same name, directed by actress, writer and debut filmmaker Greta Gerwig.

Since her first Academy Award nomination for Atonement aged just 13, the Irish star has undeniably made a series of incredibly savvy and mature career choices; intertwining blockbuster successes (Brooklyn and The Lovely Bones), with a brave stint on Broadway as Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, as well as a surprising cameo in Ed Sheeran's music video for his hit song 'Galway Girl'.

Lady Bird sees the 23-year-old star play a Sacramento teenager with a DGAF attitude (and badly-dyed red hair), bumbling through turbulent relationships with her friends, boyfriends and a stubborn mother during her senior year of high school.

'She doesn't really have any shame in who she is,' the star explains to ELLE UK.

Saoirse Ronan | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

'Even if she hasn't figured out who she really wants to be, what she wants to say in the future or what she wants to do, she's not afraid of just going for it and figuring it out along the way.

'Most people wish they could be a bit more like that - just to see something and go, "I'm going to pursue that and go for it".'

We sat down with the Golden Globes winner to find out why she felt liberated going make-up free in her new film, how she plans to change Hollywood, and the responsibility she faces in paving the way for younger actors.

You didn't wear make-up for a lot of the film. How did it feel to embrace your acne and why should audiences see that realness?

It's important because that's what happens to people's skin, especially when they're teenagers - they're really stressed out and their hormones are bouncing off the walls. There have been portrayals of teenagers in the past where they've got perfect skin and maybe one spot for 'the zit' scene.

I'd been working a lot - doing a lot of press and a play - and my skin got really bad for the first time ever. I think it happens to a lot of girls in their twenties and it seemed like it would've been a missed opportunity if we didn't see this as a way to make [Lady Bird] as authentic and relatable as possible.

You recently said working with Greta [Gerwig] helped you understand the inequalities that women face in film. How did it make you reflect on the way you're treated in the industry?

It made me strive for more when it came to what I wanted to do within this world. And then by asking the questions of 'What do I believe I could do?' and 'Do I think I could make my own stuff?', I was then faced with the idea of a woman's perception of success, how we handle authority and how others deal with our authority. It's something that's unbalanced and quite warped.

Saoirse Ronan | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

More than anything, it's made me see women and how we are in the workplace in a different light, what needs to change and what I can do to make a change, and that's really just continue making the films I want to make.

Following #MeToo and the Time's Up initiative, how do you view the film industry?

It's made us all aware of the fact it's our responsibility, more than ever, to pave the way for younger people on the way up – guys and girls.

Young people in particular can be very easily taken advantage of. I've seen that – not necessarily in a sexual way – but in this environment, it can be very easy for young people to be led astray.

Saoirse Ronan | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

It's important we're protected and, like any community, we should support each other. It's great it's finally happening. I do fundamentally believe the film community is great and there's a lot of great work being made.

You star alongside Timothée Chalamet in 'Lady Bird' who's also in a coming-of-age drama, 'Call Me By Your Name'. Did you feel an amount of responsibility in having to bring audience's teenager experiences to life?

I wasn't necessarily thinking about everyone in the world that was going to see this because [Lady Bird is] such an usual girl to me. It makes sense now, but I didn't initially think after reading her on the page that everyone would get her.

Saoirse Ronan | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

I did feel a responsibility to Greta because she wrote and directed it and there are similarities between Lady Bird's world and her own at that age. I wanted to honour that.

Lady Bird is in selected cinemas now and nationwide 23 February.

Headshot of Katie O'Malley
Katie O'Malley
Site Director

Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.