Saoirse Ronan Says Her Mom Protected Her in Hollywood Growing Up: “I Was Never a Victim”

Saoirse Ronan started acting on TV in 2003, when she was just nine years old.

The Irish actress, now 24, has since gone on to earn Oscar nominations for her roles in Atonement, Brooklyn and Lady Bird. And Ronan credits her mom Monica for making sure she stayed safe as she grew up in Hollywood.

“I don’t know what would have happened if she [her mother] hadn’t been around,” Ronan tells Harper’s Bazaar UK in the magazine’s February cover story. “I’m sure I would have been exposed to that quite a bit, but she just protected me from all that.”

Bravo

Referencing the #MeToo movement, Ronan explains that she never expected anyone in show business to take advantage of her.

“I wasn’t unaware that there were people in the industry who abused their power, or who were seedy or untrustworthy,” the Mary Queen of Scots star says. “But because of her I was never a victim and I’m very, very thankful.”

Despite having her mom’s guidance, Ronan shares, “I didn’t leave home at 19 all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I hadn’t been wrapped in cotton wool, but I had been protected.”

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The Golden Globe winner (who sweetly shouted out her “mum” in her acceptance speech last year) has already had a successful acting career at a young age, but Ronan admits she originally felt inclined to direct, rather than get in front of the camera.

“I’ve always wanted to do it,” she continues to the monthly. “I was more drawn to that as a kid than I was to acting. I love working with actors, but I always learn the most from the directors. It’s their vision you’re bringing to life, you have to adapt to their way of working. I like having to stretch myself to fit in with their requirements.”

Mary Queen of Scots is in theaters now.

This article originally appeared on People. For more stories like this, visit people.com.

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