Jan 10, 2008 - Writer/producer/director Peter Jackson’s bringing the bestseller The Lovely Bones to the big screen with Saoirse Ronan in the lead role of Susie Salmon. Ronan’s breakthrough role came in the critically acclaimed dramatic period piece Atonement. The talented young Irish actress earned a Golden Globe nomination for her supporting role in that film, and has been keeping busy with other projects including Death Defying Acts and City of Ember.
Ronan took time out of her busy schedule to do a little pre-Golden Globes press in Hollywood in support of Atonement. In addition to discussing that film, Ronan was, of course, peppered with questions about The Lovely Bones. Based on Alice Sebold’s novel and adapted for the screen by Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, The Lovely Bones follows the story of murder victim Susie Salmon as she looks down on her family and friends from Heaven. Ronan hadn’t yet worked on the set of Heaven (which has been built in New Zealand), but she admitted it was something she’s really looking forward to.
“It's unbelievable,” said Ronan. “Peter's going to do it in such a way that it's really beautiful. It's seen through a child's eye, kind of like Atonement I suppose, and kind of Susie's imagination makes Heaven. It's really beautiful. I don't want to give too much away, but it's really gorgeous.”
As of the Los Angeles press day for Atonement, Ronan had nearly completed all her scenes from the story that take place on earth. “We did the stuff leading up to her murder, and we haven't done any of the underground stuff yet with Mr. Harvey and stuff,” explained Ronan. “We've actually done some stuff in the house and it was great to do stuff on earth and do some bits in heaven, like in the house we did some stuff which is in heaven. It's hard to explain, but you'll know what I mean when it comes out.”
Ronan wasn’t present while the other actors were doing their scenes inside the house following her character’s disappearance. She’s in those scenes as a ghost observing her family, but she didn’t have to be physically present on the set. “They did their scenes and then another day I did my scene, and it's like I can hear voices but I can't see anyone. There's nobody there. So it's kind of like I'm in this different realm, but yet there's still a small connection. I can still hear them but I can't see them or touch them.”
Thus far in her career the 13-year-old actress has tackled some very intense characters, however Ronan wants audiences to know The Lovely Bones isn’t just a drama. “I know a lot of people must think that The Lovely Bones is a pretty dramatic film and it's going to be really deep and dark and everything, but I promise you it's not,” explained Ronan. “It's really humorous and funny and bright and happy. Then this awful thing happens and it kind of makes everyone really sad, obviously, but they have to get on with things. It's like the journey that Susie takes to learn to let go and realize that she can't be with her family anymore, and the same for her family. They have to let go and they know that they can't be with Susie. But it's a really funny, lighthearted thing. There's some really dramatic scenes in it as well, which is great with The Lovely Bones because you kind of get the best of both worlds. You get to do funny scenes and dramatic scenes. You get to cry, you get to laugh, so it's great.”
