Saoirse Ronan reflects on failed Harry Potter audition

Saoirse Ronan has reflected on losing out on playing a character in the Harry Potter film series.

The 30-year-old Lady Bird actress had auditioned to play Luna Lovegood in the smash film series - but lost out on the role to Evanna Lynch.

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, the Irish star admitted she is haunted by this failure, saying, "There's things that you'll pass on and then they come out and you think, 'Oh, God, that was a misstep on my part.'

"But I think the one that stayed with me over the years was - I didn't say no to it, I just didn't get the part. I lost, again. It's a running theme for me. But I had gone up for Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter years ago."

Explaining that an army of teens auditioned for the part, Ronan reasoned, "It was like the Irish character, so they got everyone Irish in, like, half of Ireland come and audition."

She went on to suggest she didn't get the role, "because I was too young, but I got to read out a scene that was gonna be in Harry Potter, and it was the coolest thing ever."

Lynch, 33, played the character in four Harry Potter films between 2007 and 2011 - and was 15 at the time of her first appearance in the franchise.