Kate Mara

Kate Rooney Mara is an American actress known for her work across television and film. She gained widespread recognition for her role as reporter Zoe Barnes in the political drama series House of Cards, as well as her performances in television productions such as 24, American Horror Story: Murder House, Pose, and A Teacher. Her film career includes roles in notable features such as Brokeback Mountain, We Are Marshall, Shooter, Transsiberian, Fantastic Four, and The Martian.

Mara was born on February 27, 1983, in Bedford, New York. She was raised in a family deeply connected to professional football, being a great-granddaughter of New York Giants founder Tim Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. Her father worked as an NFL scout and vice president for the Giants, while her mother's side of the family has held ownership in the Steelers since 1933. She is the second of four siblings, including her younger sister, actress Patricia "Rooney" Mara. She began acting at nine years old in a school musical and participated in community theater and school plays.

Mara made her professional stage debut in 2003 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in John Guare's Landscape of the Body. She later starred in the play The Alice Complex in New York City and Los Angeles. She made her feature film debut in Sydney Pollack's Random Hearts (1999) and appeared in early films such as Joe the King and Tadpole. Her early television career included guest and recurring roles on series such as Nip/Tuck, Cold Case, Boston Public, CSI: Miami, Jack & Bobby, and Entourage.

In 2006, Mara played computer analyst Shari Rothenberg in the series 24. She played Hayden McClaine in American Horror Story: Murder House in 2011. Her major television breakthrough arrived in 2013 when she was cast as Zoe Barnes in House of Cards, earning a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. She later played Patty Bowes in Pose (2018) and headlined the miniseries A Teacher (2020), which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination as an executive producer.

In film, Mara received broader notice for playing the daughter of Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain (2005). She subsequently appeared in We Are Marshall (2006), the action thriller Shooter (2007), and Brad Anderson's Transsiberian (2008). She played Kay Matheson in the period drama Stone of Destiny (2008) and appeared in films such as Happythankyoumoreplease and 127 Hours in 2010, followed by roles in Ironclad, Deadfall, and Transcendence.

Mara portrayed Sue Storm in the 2015 film Fantastic Four and played astronaut Beth Johanssen in Ridley Scott's sci-fi film The Martian that same year. Her later projects include Captive, Morgan, Megan Leavey, My Days of Mercy—which she also co-produced—Chappaquiddick, and Friendship. Mara married actor Jamie Bell in 2017, and they have a daughter born in 2019 and a son born in 2022. She maintains a vegan diet and has appeared in campaign media for the Humane Society of the United States.