Rooney Mara by David Sims for NY Times Style Fall 2013

Patricia Rooney Mara (born April 17, 1985) is an American film and television actress. Mara made her acting debut in 2005 and has gone on to star in films including A Nightmare on Elm Street, the remake of the 1984 horror film, and The Social Network. Mara rose to prominence starring as Lisbeth Salander, the title character in the 2011 version of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first American film based on Stieg Larsson’s Millennium book series. For her performance in the film, she received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. In 2013, she starred in the film Side Effects and will appear in the upcoming sci-fi romance film Her.

Mara is also known for her charity work. She oversees the charity Uweza Foundation, which supports empowerment programs for children and families in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the largest slums in Africa.