Hollywood Sisters Kate & Rooney Mara Unveil Unprecedented Joint Film Project

Werner Herzog's return to narrative filmmaking is marked by the drama "Bucking Fastard," which celebrated its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2026. The film features real-life sisters Kate Mara and Rooney Mara as Jean and Joan Holbrooke, respectively, two siblings who have spent their entire lives inextricably intertwined, speaking in unison, sharing dreams, and eventually falling in love with the same man, played by Orlando Bloom. This shared love escalates into obsession, leading to rising tensions, a court appearance, and a media frenzy surrounding their unusual bond.

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the privilege of interviewing the cast, including Kate Mara, Rooney Mara, Orlando Bloom, and Domhnall Gleeson, about their collaboration with Herzog and the unique experience of the Mara sisters performing together for the first time as scene partners. The sisters initially believed they would separate their characters' lines more, but quickly found that lines delivered apart caused "panic," becoming deeply codependent in their performance to the point where speaking on their own felt unnatural. Orlando Bloom noted their synchronized acting was like watching "one being" breathing and thinking together, questioning the immense preparation involved.

The Mara sisters revealed their preparation included working with a voice coach to achieve synchronization, which proved to be more natural than they anticipated. Kate Mara highlighted the "play aspect" of their work, likening it to childhood pretend games. Humorous and sometimes embarrassing exercises, such as sticking out their tongues while rehearsing lines, helped them shed self-consciousness and fully inhabit their roles.

Collaborating with Werner Herzog offered its own set of distinct experiences. Domhnall Gleeson, who plays a character trying to help the sisters, drew inspiration from Herzog's own empathetic yet specific listening style. Bloom described Herzog as an "auteur" whose obsessive creativity inspires a unique level of focus and freedom on set. Herzog is known for his directness, often creating a "special moment" before each take, preferring single takes, and not hesitating to halt a performance with a blunt "Stop it" or "That was very bad" if displeased, rather than a conventional "cut." Despite his intensity, the shoot was remarkably efficient and short, often wrapping early, which surprised the cast and crew.

The Mara sisters relished the "unbridled freedom" of working together, often injecting unscripted laughter and playful interactions into scenes, which made it into the final film. They confirmed that Herzog explicitly required real sisters for the roles, acknowledging the meta-appeal of their real-life relationship enhancing the on-screen dynamic. Orlando Bloom reflected that being on set with Herzog and such a cast was a "gift," describing the film itself as a "poem" due to Herzog's unique vision.

Regarding character development, Rooney Mara shared her practice of creating detailed backstories for her characters, a technique she adopted from working with Guillermo del Toro. While some of these backstories for Jean and Joan were dark and kept private, they informed their performances. The cast also shared humorous childhood inspirations: Kate and Rooney Mara were fascinated by the dark historical drama "Lady Jane" (involving beheading), while Bloom and Gleeson dreamt of being Superman.

Following the wrap of "Bucking Fastard," Kate and Rooney Mara expressed an immediate desire to collaborate again, finding it challenging to contemplate working with other actors after their shared experience. Werner Herzog lauded their performances as "unprecedented in cinema history," a compliment the sisters, while appreciative, humbly attributed to simply "being really weird in front of a camera." As of now, "Bucking Fastard" has yet to announce its official release date.