Over the last few days with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival coming to an end Scannain was out and about taking to the actors and directors on the red carpet. Last Saturday saw the Irish premiere of Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut Lost River. One of the stars of the film, and a national treasure, Saoirse Ronan attended the premiere and spoke with us.
So Saoirse the cast in Lost River is very intimate. What was it like working with Ian (deCaestecker), Matt (Smith), Eva (Mendes), and Christina (Hendricks)?
It was amazing, I love all of them. They’re my friends. The really nice thing about this was that we see each other al the time because all the guys except for Matt live in LA. He’s even come over so we can all hang out together. It’s always nice to meet pals that go beyond the experience of the film, because most times what bonds you is that little bubble. When you can go passed that it’s really special, so yes we had a great time.
Ryan(Gosling) talked about it in an interview that there is a sense of absence in the story, so what was it like working in Detroit, where there is a lot of decay?
There is yes, it was magical and honestly it’s one of my favourite locations I’ve ever worked at because I don’t know if you’ll watch the film today or not, but you should because it’s very good.
I will, haha.
Well you should at some point, haha. It’s interesting, we have so many Detroit locals that are in the film that literally would see a camera crew and would walk up to you and be like,” Hey I’m an actress I’ll be in your movie”, and they’d be involved in the scene and you couldn’t get that anywhere and we just had to think on our feet and incorporate them into the scenes. That was a really great exercise in itself. Detroit is like it’s own character, it’s this crumpling fairytale town.
What would you say to people going to Lost River about Rat, your character, and her journey?
She’s someone who’s very sure of who she is. She’s not arrogant, she’s not in your face, but she’s someone who knows who she is and won’t change for anyone. She’s grown up with her grandmother and that was a very sad house to live in, so her imagination becomes her saviour and so when Ian’s character comes along and he’s kind of looking for answers to why they’re stuck here and why they can’t get out she incorporates this magical element that saves them.
Finally, you were in Muppets Most Wanted a few years back, how was it getting to be in a Muppets film?
So good, so great. I was only there for the day, they gave me my tutu, had a bit of a bop and didn’t even have to say anything, but it was amazing. You’d go through the warehouse where they had all the Muppets and they called it a “Dead Muppet” if they’re not being used and they’d cover their face if they don’t have, actually I don’t want to say that. That doesn’t have any….
Life in it.
That doesn’t have any life in it, exactly. It was amazing, it’s like your childhood coming to life before you.