Saoirse Ronan says reaction to Graham Norton's viral women's safety clip was 'wild'

Saoirse Ronan has said the reaction to a viral clip of her speaking about women's safety on The Graham Norton Show has been “wild”.

The Irish actress appeared on the BBC One talk show last week alongside actors Paul Mescal, Eddie Redmayne and Denzel Washington.

Redmayne said he was taught how to use a phone as a weapon while training for his role as an assassin in “Day of the Jackal.”

In response, Mescal asked if anyone would realistically have time to get their phone out if they were attacked, before Ronan said: “Girls have to think about that all the time. Am I right, ladies?”

The audience applauded her and the clip has been trending on social media ever since.

On Wednesday, Ronan told Virgin Radio UK's Ryan Tubridy the reaction was “definitely not what I expected and I wasn't necessarily planning on causing a stir”.

Ronan, who stars in the upcoming Oscar-winning film “Blitz,” said the conversation was a reflection of how society treats women's safety.

“I think there's something really telling about the society we're in right now and how open women want to be with the men in their lives,” she said.

The 30-year-old added that the conversation “felt very similar to me being at dinner with a few of my friends, and I will always emphasize that that is actually an experience that we have every day.” 100 %.”

She said it was “amazing” that this moment “opens up a conversation” and “allows more women to just say, well, actually, let's talk about our experiences.”

The “Lady Bird” star went on to say that she recently met a woman who told her, “It's really interesting, after we saw the interview, me and a couple of my friends were with my husband and we said, “You know, that really” reminds me of the fake call.

“And her husband said, ‘What, wrong call? What do you think?'

“And of course you wouldn't understand it if you didn't have to go through something like that. But somehow, over the course of her life as a woman, she has acquired these tools without ever talking about it with other women and understanding that it is a kind of survival tactic.

The fake call involves a person who suspects they are being followed by a potential attacker and pretends to answer a call on their cell phone to protect themselves.

The hope is that the potential attacker will be deterred by the idea that they are on the phone with someone who would raise the alarm.

Ronan was praised for highlighting a woman's face in reality Elle author Olivia Petter says She had raised awareness of the “serious, persistent thoughts that women have almost daily.”

The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde agreed, writing: “Most, if not all, women have been in some version of this conversation, and almost all of us couldn't find the exact words to say in the moment it happened.”

During the original conversation, Redmayne recalled being taught “how to use the back of his phone.” [as a weapon] when someone attacks you.”

Mescal replied: “But who will actually think about it? If someone attacks me, I won’t leave.” [reaches into pocket] – Telephone”.

After Ronan interjected that women have to think about this “all the time,” there was a brief silence before the audience applauded while the men on the couch and Norton nodded in agreement, acknowledging her point.

Ronan sat on Norton's sofa and talked about her new role in Blitz, in which she plays Rita, a mother searching for her son as World War II devastates London.