Saoirse Ronan

Yeah, he was doing research and came across this incredible photograph of this little black boy on a train station platform on his own. And he had a little cap on and his little suitcase and... And I think I'm assuming a tag around his neck. And Steve was, of course, very intrigued by him and wanted to know what his story was. And so that's where the inspiration for Blitz came from.

And what drew you to the film? I'll say that it's a different kind of World War II film that focuses on those left in London during the bombing attacks.

And what drew you to the film? I'll say that it's a different kind of World War II film that focuses on those left in London during the bombing attacks.

And what drew you to the film? I'll say that it's a different kind of World War II film that focuses on those left in London during the bombing attacks.

Yeah, I mean that's really the reason why I wanted to get involved. I of course wanted to make a film with Steve McQueen and I'm such a huge fan of his and I've wanted to work with him for years. I, of course, knew that it was going to be a sort of fresh take on a World War II British epic, but I didn't know exactly how.

Yeah, I mean that's really the reason why I wanted to get involved. I of course wanted to make a film with Steve McQueen and I'm such a huge fan of his and I've wanted to work with him for years. I, of course, knew that it was going to be a sort of fresh take on a World War II British epic, but I didn't know exactly how.

Yeah, I mean that's really the reason why I wanted to get involved. I of course wanted to make a film with Steve McQueen and I'm such a huge fan of his and I've wanted to work with him for years. I, of course, knew that it was going to be a sort of fresh take on a World War II British epic, but I didn't know exactly how.

And so when he started to explain to me that it would follow a mixed race little boy who he'd found already at that stage, I think Elliot had already been cast in And that it would really focus on the people left behind, essentially, the ones who had to keep society going, which was the women, children and older folk. It just piqued my interest straight away.

And so when he started to explain to me that it would follow a mixed race little boy who he'd found already at that stage, I think Elliot had already been cast in And that it would really focus on the people left behind, essentially, the ones who had to keep society going, which was the women, children and older folk. It just piqued my interest straight away.

And so when he started to explain to me that it would follow a mixed race little boy who he'd found already at that stage, I think Elliot had already been cast in And that it would really focus on the people left behind, essentially, the ones who had to keep society going, which was the women, children and older folk. It just piqued my interest straight away.

And knowing that my sort of role that I would play would be in honouring the mother-child relationship and was just something that I couldn't really pass up. I'm incredibly close to my own mother and we've spent a lot of time together where it was just me and her.

And knowing that my sort of role that I would play would be in honouring the mother-child relationship and was just something that I couldn't really pass up. I'm incredibly close to my own mother and we've spent a lot of time together where it was just me and her.

And knowing that my sort of role that I would play would be in honouring the mother-child relationship and was just something that I couldn't really pass up. I'm incredibly close to my own mother and we've spent a lot of time together where it was just me and her.

So that dynamic is something that I've always wanted to bring to life on screen and getting to do it with this sort of backdrop was just incredibly exciting.

So that dynamic is something that I've always wanted to bring to life on screen and getting to do it with this sort of backdrop was just incredibly exciting.

So that dynamic is something that I've always wanted to bring to life on screen and getting to do it with this sort of backdrop was just incredibly exciting.

You were born in New York City in the Bronx. Your parents had moved to the US from Ireland in the 1980s. Why did they come to New York?

You were born in New York City in the Bronx. Your parents had moved to the US from Ireland in the 1980s. Why did they come to New York?

You were born in New York City in the Bronx. Your parents had moved to the US from Ireland in the 1980s. Why did they come to New York?

It was a rite of passage, really. They left school when they were 15, 16. They needed to get to work. There was more work in the UK and America than there was at home. And I think a couple of their friends had gone over ahead of them, had gotten a bit of work and had something lined up for dad. So he went over and then Mam followed a couple of months later.