Rooney Mara and her sister, Kate, are popular actresses. They are also football royalty. Their mother is Kathleen McNulty Rooney, whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers. And, their father is Timothy Christopher Mara, whose family owns a majority interest in the New York Giants.
Their great-grandfather on their father’s side is Timothy Mara, founder of the Giants. Their great-grandfather on their mother’s side is Art Rooney, Sr., founder of the Steelers. Both of their great-grandfathers are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Rooney Mara
Rooney Mara was born Patricia Rooney Mara on April 17, 1985. She is in a relationship with actor, Joaquin Phoenix. They have a son, who is named River, in honor of Phoneix’s deceased brother, River Phoenix.
Rooney has played starring roles in hit films including The Social Network, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Carol, and Women Talking. For her role in Carol, she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
She has been cast as legendary star Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming biopic about the leading lady from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Kate Mara
41-year-old Kate is Rooney’s elder sister.
Kate has starred in numerous popular movies, including Brokeback Mountain, We Are Marshall, The Martian, Fantastic Four, My Days of Mercy, and Chappaquiddick. She has also starred in numerous television series, including 24, Entourage, House of Cards, and American Horror Story.
Her favorite all-time Giants player is Lawrence Taylor, and her favorite Steelers player is Hines Ward.
Kate is a fan of both the Giants and the Steelers, but her loyalty ultimately lies with the G-Men, as she confided to the New York Post:
“I grew up in New York and spent almost every Sunday at Giants Stadium, so my love of the team runs deep. I love the Steelers but at the end of the day, if they’re playing the Giants, I bleed blue.”
Mara Family Ownership of the New York Giants
Global lifestyle media brand PopSugar reports:
“The Mara family has maintained ownership over the New York Giants since Kate and Rooney’s great-grandfather Tim Mara took control of the newly formed team in 1925. However, a 1991 family feud led to half the family selling their shares, per The Wall Street Journal. Still, [Rooney’s and Kate’s father,] [Timothy] Christopher[,] is the senior player personnel executive for the Giants, and his brother, John Mara, is CEO.”
Their father, who goes by Chris, evaluates both college and professional players.
Rooney Family Ownership of the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Rooney family has owned a majority interest in the Steelers for nearly a century — since 1933. The family patriarch, Art Rooney, Sr., started the team at that time by paying the NFL a $2,500 franchise fee.
Before founding the Steelers, Art Rooney, Sr. was an accomplished athlete. He was a champion boxer and a minor league baseball player.
The current owner of the team is 71-year-old attorney Art Rooney II. He is the grandson of Art Rooney, Sr. His daughter Kathleen, is the mother of Rooney and Kate.
Kathleen grew up rooting for the Steelers. She and her husband, Chris, have a friendly rivalry when the Giants and Steelers compete against one another.
People Magazine reports:
“According to a 2006 Rooney-Mara profile written by the New York Post, Chris and Kathleen met at the Kennel Club in Palm Beach, Florida, in the mid-1970s.
“Chris had just started school at Boston College, and Kathleen was still in high school. The pair didn’t become romantically involved until Kathleen also became a Boston College student.”
Kathleen, who is 59 years old, has worked as a real estate agent. In addition to being a fan of the Steelers, she is an ardent fan of her daughters and their acting careers.
More must-reads: