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Saoirse Ronan has won plaudits after delivering a powerful reminder about violence against women during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.
The American-born Irish actress was the only female guest on that latest episode of the long-running BBC chat show, which also included actors Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Eddie Redmayne.
The conversation was flowing normally when an anecdote by Oscar-winning actor Redmayne, about training for his upcoming miniseries The Day of the Jackal, triggered a cutting reply from Ronan.
Redmayne was explaining that while training for his upcoming miniseries The Day of the Jackal, he received instruction to use a phone to retaliate in the event of an attack.
Unable to contain his laughter at the idea, Mescal, who co-starred with Ronan in last year’s Foe, remarked: “Who is actually going to think about that? If someone actually attacked me, I'm not going to go ‘phone’”.
Saoirse Ronan was a guest on The Graham Norton Show alongside Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Eddie Redmayne PAThe idea also seemed to tickle host Norton, 61, who pretended to use a phone to fend off an attacker, saying: “Can you hold on a second?”
Redmayne said: “That's a very good point.”
After taking in the scene, Ronan finally got her moment to get her own point of view across, saying: “That's what girls have to think about all the time.”
A long silence from the males then followed, which the Little Women star broke by looking out to the live studio audience and asking: “Am I right, ladies?”
The audience responded enthusiastically.
Saoirse Ronan: ‘Am I right, ladies?’PAPeople on the internet were clearly impressed too, hailing the Oscar nominee as a “queen” on social media.
“Saoirse Ronan gagging men we love to see it,” remarked one person on X, formerly Twitter.
“men need a reminder what it’s like being a woman so they can appreciate their privilege,” agreed another.
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Adding: “The silence after she said that speaks volumes.”
A third surmised that the exchange “encapsulates men being ignorant of male privilege in a nutshell.”
“The fact that these guys - nice guys, mind - are just so unaware is almost terrifying,” they added. “Thank goodness for Saoirse though because we all need a bit more attention drawn to this.”
Echoing this sentiment, another put in: “I admire Saoirse Ronan so much - when she mentions how women have to think constantly how to defend ourselves from attack and everyone goes quiet and then cheers. She's so right!”