Saoirse Ronan has won plaudits after delivering a powerful reminder about violence against women during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.
The American-born Irish actress was the only female guest on that latest episode of the long-running BBC chat show, which also included actors Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Eddie Redmayne.
The conversation was flowing normally when an anecdote by Oscar-winning actor Redmayne, about training for his upcoming miniseries The Day of the Jackal, triggered a cutting reply from Ronan.
Redmayne was explaining that while training for his upcoming miniseries The Day of the Jackal, he received instruction to use a phone to retaliate in the event of an attack.
Unable to contain his laughter at the idea, Mescal, who co-starred with Ronan in last year’s Foe, remarked: “Who is actually going to think about that? If someone actually attacked me, I'm not going to go ‘phone’”.
The idea also seemed to tickle host Norton, 61, who pretended to use a phone to fend off an attacker, saying: “Can you hold on a second?”
Redmayne said: “That's a very good point.”
After taking in the scene, Ronan finally got her moment to get her own point of view across, saying: “That's what girls have to think about all the time.”
A long silence from the males then followed, which the Little Women star broke by looking out to the live studio audience and asking: “Am I right, ladies?”
The audience responded enthusiastically.
People on the internet were clearly impressed too, hailing the Oscar nominee as a “queen” on social media.
“Saoirse Ronan gagging men we love to see it,” remarked one person on X, formerly Twitter.
“men need a reminder what it’s like being a woman so they can appreciate their privilege,” agreed another.
Adding: “The silence after she said that speaks volumes.”
A third surmised that the exchange “encapsulates men being ignorant of male privilege in a nutshell.”
“The fact that these guys - nice guys, mind - are just so unaware is almost terrifying,” they added. “Thank goodness for Saoirse though because we all need a bit more attention drawn to this.”
Echoing this sentiment, another put in: “I admire Saoirse Ronan so much - when she mentions how women have to think constantly how to defend ourselves from attack and everyone goes quiet and then cheers. She's so right!”
