Mara Sisters Speak in Unison in Herzog's Venice Premiere 'Bucking Fastard'

VENICE — Real-life sisters Rooney and Kate Mara take on the roles of fictional twins who speak in perfect unison in Werner Herzog's latest feature, "Bucking Fastard," which premiered Thursday at the Venice Film Festival.

The 83-year-old German director said the idea had its roots in an encounter with actual twins who spoke together some 45 years ago. That notion lingered for decades until a suggestion reframed it: the characters didn't have to be twins — they could be the Mara sisters. The shift unlocked the story, and Herzog wrote the script in just five days.

The plot is entirely fictional, following sisters Jean and Joan Holbrooke on a literal and spiritual journey as they seek their place in the world. Orlando Bloom co-stars as the man who becomes the object of both sisters' affections.

Rooney Mara admitted the premise was initially intimidating. "At first it was very daunting, the idea that we were going to be playing the same person," she said. But the sisters found their shared history was an asset. "Having a lifetime together and all this history and a childhood of playing together, there was just this unspoken world between us." She added that the shoot was joyful: "I've never laughed so much, we had so much fun."

Kate Mara likened the experience of speaking in unison to music. "It was very musical," she said. "It happened quite naturally." The sisters picked it up so quickly that Herzog cut a planned two-week rehearsal down to five days, telling them he would meet them in Ireland "in front of my camera."

Herzog also expressed enthusiasm for working with Bloom, noting the actor's departure from his earlier heartthrob image. "The heartthrob for the teenies," Herzog said. "And now you are the bucking fastard." Bloom praised the director's approach, saying Herzog "creates a sacred space for magic to happen," and called the Venice premiere "the pinnacle of any actor's career."

Herzog dedicated the film to the late filmmaker David Lynch, wishing he could have been the first to see it. "We had a deep, deep understanding of each other's work, although we were quite different," Herzog said. "I wish we could turn the wheel of time back and invite him tonight."

The film does not yet have a U.S. release date.