Best Actress: Rooney Mara

Among the Best Actress hopefuls is Rooney Mara, nominated for her role in The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. We sent Dragon Tattoo director David Fincher to feret out Mara’s secrets for our December/January 2012 issue—it seems that the only thing that frightened Ms. Mara about playing Lisbeth Salander was the prospect of riding a motorcycle:

“When Laray called me before the first screen tests for Dragon Tattoo, I understand that [David Fincher] had e-mailed her saying, “You know, I’m really interested in Rooney, but I want you to tell her these things”-and I was given a laundry list of things I would have to do if I got the part. You know, “You’re going to have to be a smoker. You’re going to have to get raped. You’re going to have to be naked-a lot.” Then she was like, “You’re going to have to ride a motorcycle.” And that was the only thing on the list where I said, “I can’t do that.” “

Click here to read the full interview.