Mara Sisters on Playing One Character in Herzog's Venice Film

At the Venice Film Festival, actors Rooney and Kate Mara spoke about the singular challenge of playing the same character in director Werner Herzog's latest feature. The sisters, who portray a single person in the film, admitted that the premise initially felt intimidating.

Rooney Mara explained that the idea of embodying the same role was daunting at first. However, the pair quickly discovered that their shared lifetime of history and childhood play created an unspoken understanding between them. This deep connection meant they did not have to labor to build their shared portrayal. Once they found their rhythm, the experience became immensely enjoyable, with Rooney noting it was filled with laughter and felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Kate Mara echoed her sister's sentiments, describing the process of speaking in unison as musical. She noted that once they established the rhythm of their dialogue, it felt like an unspoken, natural song. Surprisingly, the synchronization came with far more ease than either of them had anticipated, making the collaborative effort a smooth and memorable part of the project.