Actress Saoirse Ronan has joined the cast of Peter Jackson's upcoming two-part adventure The Hobbit. Casting director Ros Hubbard mentioned Saoirse Ronan, along with previously-announced actors Aidan Turner and James Nesbitt, all of whom are of Irish descent. Here's what she had to say about this casting trio:

"Yes, there was quite a lot of influence there! We had been wanting to to put Aidan Turner into film for a long time because he had done an awful lot of TV and we told him when we finally met him "We are going to concentrate in getting you into the movies." I didn't think it would be as big as this. But how great for him.

And Jimmy,is thrilled to bits, his whole family have gone out, it is just wonderful. And working with Peter Jackson is like working with a family. So they'll have a great time. Saoirse's family will go too, everyone is very close and very loving on those sorts of jobs. It's not like typical studio movies at all."

It isn't known what role Saoirse Ronan will play in The Hobbit, but the project will reunite the actress with her director of The Lovely Bones, Peter Jackson.

We reported earlier today that The Hobbit production will be delayed slightly due to Peter Jackson's surgery for a perforated ulcer. Filming had previously been slated to begin in February, although it isn't known when production would start.