Who is Rooney Mara?

I am not that interested in David Fincher’s adaptation of The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo. But that didn’t stop me from Googling who Rooney Mara is after hearing that she has been cast as Lisbeth Salander. I had not heard of the 24 year old American actress until now and this is a huge career break for Mara.

Here is what my brief Google search taught me.

1. Mara is appearing in David Fincher’s upcoming movie The Social Network. I guess Fincher saw something he liked.

2. Her sister is actress Kate Mara. You might recognize her from Brokeback Mountain; she had a supporting role as Heath Ledger’s daughter.

3. Her uncle is John Mara, co-owner the New York Giants. Her great-grandfather is Art Rooney Sr., founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. The only television show or movie that I have seen that features Rooney Mara is E.R.. I remember the two episodes she appeared in but I don’t remember Mara. Maybe that is because this happened:

5. I found exactly one solo interview with Mara on YouTube. She comes across as wonderfully awkward. Here it is:

So I guess Fincher did exactly what he wanted to do. He cast an unknown in a role that depends completely on casting. Mara, without a doubt, is going to be compared to Noomi Rapace who originated the role.