Biographies: Rooney Mara - Actor

Biographies

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Rooney Mara is an American actress known for her roles in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (2010), "The Social Network" (2010), "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" (2011) and "Side Effects" (2013). Born Patricia Rooney Mara in Bedford, New York, on April 17, 1985, Mara was raised in a family of football royalty. Her father is NFL New York Giants executive Timothy Christopher Mara. She's the granddaughter of Art Rooney, Sr., the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise. She graduated from New York University in 2010, where she studied social policy and psychology, and also nurtured an interest in the performing arts by appearing in a number of student films. After a string of television roles, Mara won parts in "Youth in Revolt" (2009), "Tanner Hall" (2009), and her first lead role in the remake "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which she followed with "The Social Network" and a starring role in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." The latter was a massively successful first installment of a trilogy based on the best-selling mystery books. It was nominated for five Oscars, including Mara's first Academy nomination, for best actress. Passionate about non-profit organizations, she created Faces of Kibera, a charity organization that provides food, medical care and housing to orphans in devastatingly poor district in Nairobi, Kenya.

• 4 April 2013
• Ines Farag