I literally just got out of seeing Peter Weir's The Way Back, which featured Saoirse Ronan(Atonement) as an escapee from a Russian gulag trying to make the treacherous journey back home. She's quickly growing into one of my favorite actresses, developing into what I think will be the next Cate Blanchett in that she'll be able to play everything spot on. Her next flick, the espionage thriller Hannah(which features Blanchett) is at the top of my list of must-see movies this year. If today's news turns out to be true, Ronan will have a chance to work with Blanchett again in the very near future in a much bigger production.
Ros Hubbard, casting director for The Hobbit, confirmed that Ronan had joined the film in an interview with The Irish Film and Television Network. She'd been rumored to have a role for awhile, but no confirmation ever came, which means somebody's really good at keeping secrets. Or she hasn't actually signed as of yet, which is possible since she sorta denied any involvement just last week. Then again a lot can change in a few days.
No word on who she'll be playing, but I'm guessing we'll find that out soon enough. Count on it being an elf, though.
