Rooney Mara

Rooney Mara is an American actress and activist who rose to international fame with her transformative performance as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). Born into one of the most prominent families in American sports — the Mara family owns the New York Giants and her maternal family, the Rooneys, own the Pittsburgh Steelers — she chose to forge her own path in the entertainment industry rather than follow the family’s sporting legacy.

Mara made her film debut in 2005 and gained early attention with a small role in Fincher’s The Social Network (2010). However, it was her complete physical and emotional transformation into the role of Lisbeth Salander that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and announced her as a formidable screen presence. She underwent dramatic changes for the role, including piercing her ears, eyebrow, nose, and lip, and cutting and dyeing her naturally brown hair.

She earned her second Oscar nomination for her role in Todd Haynes’ Carol (2015), playing a young photographer who falls in love with an older woman played by Cate Blanchett. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where Mara won the Best Actress award. Her filmography also includes acclaimed works such as Her (2013), A Ghost Story (2017), Lion (2016), and Mary Magdalene (2018).

Beyond acting, Mara is a committed vegan and animal rights activist. She co-founded the vegan fashion line Hiraeth in 2018 and has been involved in humanitarian work in various countries. Her relationship with actor Joaquin Phoenix, whom she began dating after meeting on the set of Her, has made them one of Hollywood’s most private and socially conscious couples. They have a son together, named River after Phoenix’s late brother.