'Keira is just like a big SISTER to me' SAOIRSE, 14, ON HER LIFE AS HOLLYWOOD STAR.

Byline: BY SARAH BARDON

SCHOOLGIRL superstar Saoirse Ronan told yesterday how on-screen big sister Keira Knightley took her under her wing in real life.

The young Irish actress narrowly missed out on an Oscar for her role in Atonement in which she co-starred with Knightley.

And Saoirse explained: "We got on really well - we don't get on in the movie but she kind of became like my big sister on set.

"I only work with adults and, every time I go on to a new set, I always pick someone who is going to be like my big brother or sister."

And the 14-year-old, whose new movie City Of Ember premiered on Belfast last Thursday, told how movie legend Bill Murray was "nice" and James McAvoy was "not ugly".

She said: "Bill is brilliant, he is such a nice guy. He is so lovely - a lot of people ask me, what's Bill really like and he is just so lovely."

When asked if her Atonement co-star McEvoy was as dreamy in real life, she said: "I'm not really into that kind of thing - I don't really look at people's looks, I suppose he's not ugly."

Saoirse's next movie is Bones and Susan Sarandon plays her grandmother. She said: "I don't know how she can play my Granny, she's so glamorous and so beautiful.

"She doesn't look like my Granny."

Saoirse's feet are firmly on the ground - despite working with some of acting's biggest names such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer.

She joked: "I haven't become a diva just yet - I don't demand anything crazy like a bag of M&Ms with only purple ones in it."

And Saoirse told RTE's Ryan Tubridy she coped "surprisingly OK" with losing out on the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

She said: "It's so brilliant just to be at the Oscars, I was there in the front row and Jack Nicholson got up to present an award and it was just weird to be so close to him.

"I just really enjoyed being there - so, when they announced the winner, I was OK."

The Ardattin, Co Carlow, girl said she loves her job. She said: "It is hard work, don't get me wrong but I am really enjoying it. It is nice to go home after a while and have a normal life - but I really miss work and I can't wait to go back."

I'm not a diva just yet..I don't demand M&Ms with only purple ones in the bag

CAPTION(S):

GROUNDED Saoirse is unfazed by Hollywood stars; CLOSE Saoirse with Keira in hit film Atonement; CO-STARS Bill Murray and James McAvoy