Saoirse Ronan debuted a quirky short fringe at the Paper Plane screening in Venice on Thursday.The 32-year-old actress looked incredible on the red carpet for the movie, her directorial debut, during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival.For the occasion, Saoirse looked chic in a long-sleeve navy maxi dress that displayed her toned figure.The stunning ensemble featured a racy thigh-high slit which was adorned with a silver zipper. Starring Martha Malone, Clare Dunne, and Tim Creed, the story follows a defiant young girl who stages a silent protest, refusing to return home until the disruptive presence of her father is gone; her mother must decide whether to follow her or let her go.Speaking about her short film, Saoirse said: ‘Paper Plane is a love letter to a younger version of myself, and a younger version of my mother. Saoirse Ronan debuted a quirky short fringe at the Paper Plane screening in Venice on Thursday The actress, 32, looked incredible on the red carpet for her directorial debut short film during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival’I wanted to explore how a young mind tries to make sense of something beyond their control; how love is expressed in times of pain, and how self- preservation takes root when one has spent their life watching someone they love struggle to love themselves and others in a healthy way. ‘The paper plane serves as a symbol of lost childhood and innocence, a need for connection between two people who love each other deeply but can’t find common ground.’It comes just weeks after it was reported that Saoirse is eyeing up a role as a villain in the new James Bond movie.Is the ‘twist’ the casting producer Amy Pascal is promising us the fact that the spy and his nemesis will be played by a real-life husband and wife?Slow Horses star Jack Lowden, 36, is reported to be in the running for 007 – and his wife Saoirse has just told Empire magazine that her dream is to be a Bond villain. ‘I want to go dark,’ she said in interview last month. ‘I said that I wanted to be a Bond villain, and I’m dead serious.’I think it would be really interesting, having a young, female villain. Especially for girls and women, to see someone who can just take all that pent-up anger and direct it somewhere.’Amazon MGM Studios struck a deal with longtime franchise stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson to take full control of Ian Fleming’s iconic spy franchise last year. Saoirse and her husband are speculated to be the next James Bond and his nemesis The studio is said to be casting the next instalment at the moment, with an announcement expected this autumn. Filming could then start at the turn of the year.When asked about the Bond timeline last month, film producer Amy said: ‘I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical.’ She added: ‘Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting.’A mister and missus double act would certainly qualify for stirring and exciting. Other names in the running for Bond are thought to include Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and Tom Holland.The couple are both highly acclaimed actors who first met on the set of the historical drama Mary Queen of Scots in 2018, where they played husband and wife (Mary Stuart and Lord Darnley).They were married in July 2024 and had their first child, whose gender and name have not been shared, last September.Saoirse has previously backed her husband for the 007 role. When she co-hosted a 2024 BBC Radio 2 show with Scottish DJ Edith Bowman, Edith brought up her belief that Lowden would be a great choice for the iconic role, adding that she had been making a similar argument for years.In response, Saoirse said: ‘I’m going to start counting how many times you plug him for Bond on the radio.’When Edith replied she had been doing so for six years, Saoirse responded: ‘Hasn’t happened yet though,’ before adding: ‘There’s time, there’s time’. But another new name has entered the fight for 007 last month. British actor Jack Barton, 31, has been introduced as a potential new leading man and has been named the current favourite. British actor Jack Barton, 31, has been introduced as a potential new leading man, as he was named the current favourite for the iconic part (pictured in SAS: Rogue Heroes) It has been reported by Page Six that screen tests are due to begin in the next few days, with Jack’s name apparently among the shortlist.So far he has notably appeared in teen Netflix drama Heartstopper and the BBC SAS: Rogue Heroes last year, as well as a selection of minor roles.Casting directors are said to be backing Jack for the role, while it is thought that Amazon is keen for a more well-established actor.Debbie McWilliams, who picked previous Bonds Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig for the role, previously said a newcomer should be cast.She told the Independent in June: ‘I don’t want to see any of [the rumoured stars] as Bond because we now know so much about them.’We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives.’We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.’