Rooney Mara breaks down movie selection process after 'bad experiences'
At the Berlin Film Festival, Rooney Mara opens up about her past ‘bad experience’ that changed the course of her career and how she decides which movies to star in
February 17, 2024
The Social Network famed Rooney Mara learned quite early in her career to look for an essential factor before saying yes to a movie.
The actress appeared at the Berlin Film Festival for the press conference of her new film La Cocina, where she got candid about how she picks her movies, and said, “For me, I really go by the director. I learned that pretty early”.
She continued, “I had some bad experiences as an actor. And then I think it was probably after the first time I worked with David Fincher that I was like, ‘Oh, follow the director.’ So I really make my choices based on the filmmaker and who I want to work with because at the end of the day, it’s all them.”
This led the actress to choose roles directed by del Toro (Nightmare Alley), Spike Jonze (Her) and now Ruizpalacios (La Cocina).
On the subject of how Ruizpalacios convinced her for the movie, she recalled, “He wrote me this beautiful letter. The way he talked about how he wanted to make this film, it was just an experience I really wanted to have.”
For those unaware, La Cocina is a film based on the kitchen staff of a New York restaurant that descends into chaos. The movie features Rooney Mara as a waitress who strikes up a relationship with a backroom cook, Raúl Briones.
The movie covers the experience of an immigrant and tells the story of love, labor and life’s challenges.
