Rooney Mara gets Oscar nod; 10 things to know
Actress, Westchester native is part of a famous family
The Academy Awards nominations were announced today, and as predicted Rooney Mara received a nod for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film "Carol," in which she and Cate Blanchett co-star as two women falling in love in the 1950s.
Mara grew up in Westchester, a member of the NY Giants-owning Mara clan. Here are 10 more things you might not know about this versatile actress who first hit everyone's radar with her role as Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."
Where to eat near movie theaters
Best picture: 'Revenant,' 'Max' lead Oscar charge
10 things you didn't know about Mara
1. Rooney is her middle name. Her first name is Patricia. Rooney is her mother's maiden name
2. She went to Fox Lane High School, along with her sister and fellow actress Kate Mara.
3. The Oscar nominee, (she was nominated for "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" in 2012) will produce and star in “A House In The Sky,” the true story of abducted journalist Amanda Lindhout.
4. She says she wasn’t the most popular girl in school while growing up in Bedford. “People thought I was stuck-up because I didn’t talk to anyone. It was just because I was shy and scared,” she told The Mirror. “I would hear what people thought of me and think, ‘No, I’m actually nice.’”
5. She founded her own charity before starting college. It’s called the Uweza Foundation in Kenya.
6. A hidden passion? She wants to learn ballroom dancing. "I’m a crazy dancer when I’m alone but a little too shy to let it come out in public," she said in a 2013 interview with the Mirror. "But let me tell you, it’s going to come out!"
7. When she was just starting out in acting and nabbed a role in "The Nightmare On Elm Street" reboot, she told the Journal News two of her favorite horror flicks were "The Bad Seed," and "The Others."
8. She went to New York University where she studied psychology and nonprofits.
9. Rooney appeared in a few student films at NYU before trying out for the lead in “Romeo and Juliet” after a friend signed her up to audition. Okay, so yes, she played Juliet.
10. Mara says she's moved by how many men have told her they loved "Carol." She told USAToday in November. "Men you'd look at and think, 'Oh that wouldn't be for them,' " she says.