Rooney Mara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rooney Mara
Mara in 2024
Born	Patricia Rooney Mara (1985-04-17) April 17, 1985 (age 40) Bedford, New York, U.S.
Other names	Tricia Mara
Education	New York University (BA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2005–present
Spouse(s)	Joaquin Phoenix ​ (m. 2024)​
Children	2
Relatives	Kate Mara (sister) Patrick Brown (cousin)
Family	Rooney Mara
Awards	Full list

Rooney Mara Phoenix (born Patricia Rooney Mara on April 17, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in a variety of films and has been nominated for major awards, including two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

Mara was born into the Rooney and Mara families, who are famous for founding the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants football teams. She started her acting career in television and small movies. She first became well-known for her role in the movie The Social Network (2010).

Her big break came when she starred as the computer hacker Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). This role earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Mara continued to star in popular films like the thriller Side Effects (2013), the romance Her (2013), and the drama Carol (2015). For Carol, she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. She has also appeared in films like Lion (2016), A Ghost Story (2017), and Nightmare Alley (2021).

Besides acting, Mara is known for her charity work. She helps run the Uweza Foundation, which supports children and families in Nairobi, Kenya. She also started a vegan clothing brand called Hiraeth Collective.

Early Life and Family

Rooney Mara was born on April 17, 1985, in Bedford, New York. Her family has a famous history in American football. Her mother's family started the Pittsburgh Steelers, and her father's family started the New York Giants. Her father, Timothy Christopher Mara, works for the New York Giants. Her mother, Kathleen McNulty, is a part-time real estate agent. Rooney is the third of four children. Her older sister, Kate Mara, is also an actress.

Her family has Irish, German, French-Canadian, and Italian roots. Many of her relatives are involved with the two football teams. For example, her uncle, John Mara, is a co-owner of the Giants. Her granduncle, Dan Rooney, was the chairman of the Steelers and the former United States Ambassador to Ireland.

After high school, Mara traveled to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. She then went to college, first at George Washington University and later at New York University. She studied psychology and social policy and graduated in 2010.

Mara was inspired to become an actress by watching classic movies with her mother and seeing her older sister Kate's career. At first, she was hesitant to start acting because she was afraid of failing. Her first role was as Juliet in a high school play of Romeo and Juliet. She started auditioning for professional roles when she was nineteen.

Acting Career

2005–2009: Starting Out

Mara at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

Mara began her career with small parts in TV shows and movies. She was an extra in some of her sister Kate's films. Her first professional role was in a 2006 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She also appeared in shows like Women's Murder Club and The Cleaner.

Her first lead role was in the 2009 film Tanner Hall. After this film, she decided to use her middle name, Rooney, as her professional name. She told a magazine, "I never really liked my first name... And Rooney is more memorable."

She also had roles in the comedy Youth in Revolt and the independent films Dare and The Winning Season. In 2009, Filmmaker magazine named her one of its "25 New Faces of Independent Film."

Mara also starred in the remake of the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street as the main character, Nancy Holbrook. She later said she did not enjoy making the movie and it made her wonder if she wanted to be an actress.

2010–2016: Breakthrough Success

Mara at the French premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2012

In 2010, Mara played a key role in The Social Network, a movie about the founding of Facebook. This role brought her more attention.

Her career took a huge leap forward when she was cast as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The director, David Fincher, chose her after a long audition process. To play the part of the skilled computer hacker, Mara changed her appearance completely. She cut her hair short, dyed it black, and got several real and fake piercings. She also learned to skateboard and kickbox for the role.

The film was a success, and critics loved her performance. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award.

After this, Mara starred in several more films. In 2013, she appeared in the thriller Side Effects and the romantic drama Ain't Them Bodies Saints. She also played the ex-wife of the main character in the science fiction film Her, starring alongside Joaquin Phoenix.

Mara attending the premiere of Carol with director Todd Haynes and Cate Blanchett at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival

In 2015, Mara starred with Cate Blanchett in the movie Carol. Her performance was highly praised, and she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She also received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and other major awards.

That same year, she played Tiger Lily in the fantasy film Pan. This casting caused some controversy, as some people felt a Native American actress should have played the role. Mara later said she regretted taking the part.

In 2016, she was the voice of The Sisters in the animated movie Kubo and the Two Strings. She also starred in the dramas Lion and The Secret Scripture. Lion was very successful and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

2017–Present: Recent Films

In 2017, Mara appeared in three films: The Discovery, A Ghost Story, and Song to Song. The following year, she starred with Joaquin Phoenix in two more movies, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene, where she played the title role.

After a short break, Mara returned to the screen in the 2021 thriller Nightmare Alley, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film was praised by critics and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

In 2022, she starred in Women Talking, a drama about a group of women making a difficult decision. In 2024, she appeared in the film La cocina.

Charity and Other Work

Mara is dedicated to helping others. She started a charity called Faces of Kibera to help orphans in Kibera, a large slum in Nairobi, Kenya. The charity later joined with the Uweza Foundation, which runs programs to help children and families in the area. "Uweza" is a Swahili word that means opportunity, ability, and power. Mara is the president of the foundation's board of directors.

In 2018, Mara launched a vegan clothing and accessories line called Hiraeth Collective. The brand creates items without using any animal products.

Personal Life

Mara has been in a relationship with actor Joaquin Phoenix since 2016. They have worked together on several films, including Her and Mary Magdalene. The couple got engaged in 2019 and married in September 2024.

They have two children. Their son was born in August 2020, and their daughter was born in June 2024. Mara is a vegan, which means she does not eat or use any animal products.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2005	Urban Legends: Bloody Mary	Classroom Girl #1	As Patricia Mara
2008	Dream Boy	Evelyn
2009	Dare	Courtney
	Winning Season, TheThe Winning Season	Wendy Webber
	Friends (With Benefits)	Tara
	Youth in Revolt	Taggarty
	Tanner Hall	Fernanda
2010	Nightmare on Elm Street, AA Nightmare on Elm Street	Nancy Holbrook
	Social Network, TheThe Social Network	Erica Albright
2011	Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, TheThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Lisbeth Salander
2013	Ain't Them Bodies Saints	Ruth Guthrie
	Side Effects	Emily Taylor
	Her	Catherine Klausen
2014	Trash	Sister Olivia
2015	Carol	Therese Belivet
	Pan	Tiger Lily
2016	Kubo and the Two Strings	Karasu / Washi	Voice roles
	Una	Una Spencer
	Lion	Lucy
	Secret Scripture, TheThe Secret Scripture	Roseanne "Rose" McNulty
2017	Discovery, TheThe Discovery	Isla
	Ghost Story, AA Ghost Story	M
	Song to Song	Faye
2018	Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot	Annu
	Mary Magdalene	Mary Magdalene
	Dominion	Narrator	Documentary
2021	Nightmare Alley	Molly Cahill
2022	Women Talking	Ona Friesen
2024	La Cocina	Julia
TBA	Bucking Fastard	Joan Holbrooke	Post-production

Television

Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Rooney Mara para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
• List of animal rights advocates
• List of vegans