Kate Mara

She’s also starring as the late Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick, a film about Ted Kennedy and the young woman who died in a 1969 car accident involving the senator. Other upcoming films starring the actress include Mercy, opposite Ellen Page, and The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards, based on the novel by Robert Boswell.

Mara is a strong actress, someone who trusts in her own ability to infuse a calm degree of grace into every scene. Even when the movie around her threatens to cheat towards easy sentiment and sweeping histrionics, Mara keeps things grounded in a resolutely human place, taking everything as it comes and looking for any hints of the love that might see her through. When she searches for bombs during an (extremely tense) scene at an Iraqi checkpoint, Mara is scared, but not too scared. When she learns that women aren’t allowed to join on official military missions, she’s barely pissed, and certainly not righteous. And when a landmine detonates neat she and Rex, she’s very brave — they both are! — but not G.I. Jane. Her performance feels real, and so her character’s relationship with the dog feels real as well.

Megan’s family situation is challenging and she’s an only child. You are one of four siblings, including sister and fellow actress Rooney. What’s special about the bond between sisters?

It’s hard to put that into words. [Rooney] and I have a unique scenario where we share the same passions. One being acting and another, animals. So we’re similar in many ways and we’re experiencing a lot of the same things, which makes the bond that much more special.

The two of you have appeared on the red carpet together before. Does that make the experience any less nerve-wracking?

I always prefer doing a red carpet with somebody, if it’s a friend or your sister or your co-star. You can breathe a little better, for sure!