Acclaimed actress Saoirse Ronan made headlines when the news of her rejecting a great role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe broke. However, what’s even more intriguing is that she was also set to play a role in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, but the role was eventually scrapped.
Before Florence Pugh was cast as the skilled assassin and spy Yelena Belova, it was Saoirse Ronan who was initially offered the role. But since the See How They Run star isn’t a fan of the superhero world, she rejected to play Yelena alongside Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. Ronan was also set to play a notable role in Barbie, but fate had something else in mind.
Saoirse Ronan’s Barbie Role Was Scrapped Before She Rejected Yelena Belova
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest superhero franchises, known for creating compelling and distinctive narratives. Many acclaimed actors have mentioned their desire to secure a role in the MCU, but Saoirse Ronan proved to be an exception in this case.
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The actress was previously offered the role of Yelena Belova and she had a chance to secure a leading role in future projects as well. However, due to her lack of interest in the project (via The Town podcast), The French Dispatch star rejected the role which was mentally helmed by Florence Pugh.
But what if we tell you that Ronan almost appeared in last year’s summer blockbuster Barbie? Well, this is indeed true as the actress herself revealed that she almost played a “weird Barbie” in the film. In an interview with Variety, Saoirse Ronan was asked to open up about her scarped cameo, to which she replied:
“I was definitely going to be a Weird Barbie. I don’t know how to take that. I would have been with Kate McKinnon, so that would have been nice. I had a scene but didn’t ever get to do it, and it wasn’t in the movie.”
While describing her discarded role, the Ammonite star said that she would have been an unusual Barbie who only pays attention to her dog, and ignore others. The outlet also asked her about Timothée Chalamet‘s involvement in Barbie, but Saoirse Ronan knew nothing about his role.
Saoirse Ronan Wanted To Play Scarlet Witch in The MCU
While Matthew Belloni’s The Town podcast revealed that Saoirse Ronan believed that Marvel wasn’t her cup of tea, the actress previously expressed excitement to play Scarlet Witch in the MCU, before Elizabeth Olsen landed the role. The Lady Bird star’s comments while speaking to The Mary Sue in 2013, describe that Ronan had hoped to secure the role:
“I would. Yeah, of course I would. I love Joss and I love those films, and I love his handle on them and how he portrayed these kinds of superheroes.”
Despite being optimistic about the superhero world, Scarlet Witch was given to Olsen who has now become one of the most powerful and popular characters in the entire MCU. However, if the Oscar-nominated star ever wishes to join the Universe, there could be a possibility for her to secure a role.
Barbie is available on Prime Video.
Frequently asked questions
What Barbie role did Saoirse Ronan almost play?
Saoirse Ronan revealed to Variety that she was set to appear in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie as a Weird Barbie, a version who fixates only on her dog and ignores everyone else. She had a scene written and would have shared it with Kate McKinnon, but the part was ultimately cut and never made it into the finished film.
Why did Saoirse Ronan turn down a Marvel role?
Ronan was originally offered the role of Yelena Belova, the assassin later played by Florence Pugh alongside Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. Speaking on The Town podcast, Ronan explained that the superhero genre simply was not her cup of tea, so she passed on the part despite the potential for a recurring future in the franchise.
Did Saoirse Ronan ever want an MCU role?
Yes. Back in 2013, Ronan told The Mary Sue she would have loved to play Scarlet Witch, expressing admiration for Joss Whedon and his handling of superheroes. The role instead went to Elizabeth Olsen, who became one of the MCU’s most powerful characters, though Ronan later concluded Marvel was not the right fit for her.
