Saoirse Ronan moves into Oscar contention after New York Film Critics win

By Mark O’Brien

IRISH actress Saoirse Ronan looks set for an Oscar nomination after picking up the Best Actress award at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Monday night for her role in Brooklyn.

Ms Ronan was presented with the award by Liam Neeson at the Tao Downtown in New York and proceeded to charm the crowd with a self-effacing speech that made reference to her Bronx origins.

“I am from the Bronx, as I’m sure you can tell,” she said to laughs from the crowd, before adding:

Saoirse from the block, as they call me.

Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep and Dame Helen Mirren have all gone on to pick up Oscars in the past ten years after winning the Critics Circle award and if Ronan can repeat her win at the Golden Globes on Sunday then she is sure to be in with a great chance of at least a nomination for an Academy Award.

The nominations for the Oscars will be announced on 14 January with the awards taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on 28 February.

Brooklyn was released in Ireland late last year and tells the story of a young Irish woman who emigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s.

The screenplay was written by acclaimed author Nick Hornby and is based on the novel by Colm Tóibín.

The film also stars Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters.