Rooney Mara American actress Date of Birth: 17.04.1985 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Pursuing Acting
3. Acting Debut and Early Roles
4. Notable Roles and Breakthroughs
5. Charitable Involvement
6. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Mara was born and raised in Bedford, New York, the daughter of Timothy Christopher Mara, a Vice President of Football Operations for the New York Giants football team. Her great-grandfather, Art Rooney Sr., was the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and another great-grandfather, Tim Mara, co-founded the Giants franchise. After high school, Mara traveled to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia as part of the "Traveling School" program.

Pursuing Acting

Mara's interest in acting sparked after attending a musical theater performance and watching classic films such as "Gone with the Wind," "Rebecca," and "Bringing Up Baby." Inspired by her sister, an established actress, Mara decided to pursue a career in the performing arts. Despite her initial reluctance, she became actively involved in student theater productions and ultimately landed the lead role in a stage adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet."

Acting Debut and Early Roles

Mara made her acting debut in a small role in the 2005 video film "Urban Legends: Bloody Mary." She later landed a role on the popular television series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and went on to appear in guest roles in "Women's Murder Club" and "The Cleaner." Mara also secured roles in the feature films "Dream Boy" and "Friends (With Benefits)" and was cast in the long-running medical drama "ER."

Notable Roles and Breakthroughs

Mara's breakthrough came with her performances in "Dare," "The Winning Season," and "Tanner Hall." In 2010, she starred in "Youth in Revolt" and the remake of the horror classic "A Nightmare on Elm Street." She then gained further recognition in David Fincher's "The Social Network," which chronicled the founding of Facebook.

Mara also landed the coveted role of Lisbeth Salander in Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," the first installment of Sony Pictures' "Millennium Trilogy" adaptations based on Stieg Larsson's novels.

Charitable Involvement

Mara is involved with "Faces of Kibera," a non-profit organization dedicated to helping orphans in the impoverished Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Personal Life

In early 2007, Mara relocated to Los Angeles. She initially lived with her sister but later moved out while maintaining a close relationship.