Saoirse Ronan responds to viral backlash to her women's safety comment

Saoirse Ronan is standing by her decision to speak about women's safety on The Graham Norton Show … a moment that went viral after she left her fellow guests speechless.

The Irish-American actress addressed the headline-grabbing talk show moment during her appearance on “Today” on Thursday, saying she understands why Men were so taken aback by this remark – and why it was so well received by women.

As Saoirse put it…her swing wasn't planned, it was something “natural that came up on the show in October…” Eddie Redmayne explained how he learned to use a cell phone as a self-defense weapon for his new miniseries.

While other “Graham Norton” guests Denzel Washington And Paul Mescal Saoirse joked about how awkward it is to use a phone as a defense strategy, saying, “Girls have to think about that all the time.”

During her “Today” appearance, Saoirse admitted that it's not “something men need to think about” … but stressed that it's on the hearts of many women, especially after the murder of … Sarah Everard in London.

She added…”[Sarah] She followed all the rules and did everything she was supposed to do to protect herself, and she still ended up dying. And I think that really opened up that conversation for everyone at home. And since then, I’ve really expressed that experience in my personal life.”

Saoirse said her viral moment was something women have “needed” for a long time as it allows for honest conversations about women's safety.