Saoirse Ronan jokes she may have spoken too soon about wanting to play a Bond villain

“I’ve eaten my words after saying that now,” Ronan said. Ronan first expressed interest in playing a Bond villain in 2024, saying she would prefer a female antagonist with her own agenda rather than a character whose main purpose was to fall in love with Bond.

She reiterated that ambition in an August 24 interview with Empire, saying she was “dead serious” about wanting to play the bad guy. Ronan also explained that she was particularly interested in portraying a young female villain who could channel “pent-up anger” into something more dramatic.

The timing has since become more complicated because Lowden, 36, is among the actors whose names have been linked to the next James Bond role. Amazon MGM Studios has not announced who will play 007 or the film’s villain.

Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the next Bond film, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay. Other actors reportedly linked to the role include Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harris Dickinson.

Despite the speculation surrounding her husband, Ronan declined to discuss whether Lowden has actually landed the role. She did, however, say she would be enthusiastic about working with him again. “We met through work and we’ve produced stuff together, and we’re very much a part of one another’s work life as well as personal life,” she.

“So it just feels like when the right thing comes along, it would be the obvious choice for us to do it together.”The next James Bond film is currently planned for a 2028 theatrical release. Ronan’s latest film, Bad Apples, was released in the U.S. and U.K. on September 18, 2026.