Actor Saoirse Ronan expressed regret about going public with her audition for Star Wars, while director JJ Abrams praises English actors and more open auditions announced in Chicago

Irish actor Saoirse Ronan has admitted she lost out on a role in JJ Abrams' upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, and may have done so after publicly revealing her audition.

The star of Atonement, Hanna and Wes Anderson's upcoming The Grand Budapest Hotel told The Playlist she now regretted talking about the process. "I don't have Star Wars," she said. "I don't have the role." In a tone the site described as "defeated", she added: "I just shouldn't have said anything. I just auditioned for it, like everyone else did.

"To pretend that you have a lightsaber in a scene is always very exciting. It would be great. But it's something that everyone's gone up for."

Ronan is one of a number of actors linked to roles in Abrams' film, the first in a new trilogy planned by Disney after the studio bought all rights to the long-running space opera for $4.05bn (£2.5bn) in October last year. Rumours also suggest the involvement of (variously) Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sullivan Stapleton, Liam McIntyre and even Simon Pegg. Series veterans Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo), have all been tipped to return, but Disney has not yet confirmed any casting details.

Whoever does end up appearing in Star Wars: Episode VII, there is likely to be a fiercely British slant to the film, which shoots in London in early 2014. Open auditions for two leading roles began in Bristol this weekend, and are due to transfer to Manchester, London, Glasgow and Dublin. Abrams said on Newsnight on Friday that the series would not be quite the same without Albion's involvement.

"It wouldn't be Star Wars if there wasn't some fantastic actors who happen to be British," he told author Neil Gaiman. "But I think we're doing our job and looking everywhere for the best possible actors for the roles."

"Nothing is more important," added Abrams of the casting process. "There are things that are as important, but nothing is more important than casting a movie great and I have been incredibly lucky to be involved in projects that we've had wonderful casts and wonderful casting directors to make it happen.

"The last thing you want to do, when you're collaborating on something, is work with people where you have to do their job for them and kind-of give them notes every way. You want people who inspire you and elevate it."

The Chicago Tribune revealed on Friday that separate auditions for Episode VII are due to begin this Thursday in the US city. As well as Episode VII and its two sequels, Disney also plans a series of standalone "origins movies" for characters from the original triptych of films which debuted between 1977 and 1983. Taken together, they will usher in an era in which a new Star Wars movie arrives every year from 2015.

More on the Star Wars auditions

• Sam Wolfson tries his chances

• Video from the Bristol audition queue

• Gary Kurtz's advice

• Tips from Stuart Heritage

• Auditions to be held in the UK