How Kate and Rooney Mara got in-sync for unique roles in ‘Bucking Fastard’

TORONTO — Kate and Rooney Mara walked the red carpet together at the Toronto International Film Festival, mirroring the in-sync characters in the buzzy “Bucking Fastard,” which premiered on Monday.

From renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog, the film follows sisters who speak in unison, dress alike and, eventually, fall in love with the same man.

Rooney Mara said playing sisters felt natural to the real-life siblings, but Kate Mara said they still did simple things to prepare for the unique roles such as wearing the same clothes to set, and eating the same food at the same time.

“But we would have been eating the same thing anyway,” Rooney Mara said, interjecting.

“Because we like the same foods,” Kate Mara added.

“It was really fun to be able to find all of the ways in which we’re similar as people. It was such a fun experiment and something that was really vital to the story and to playing these sisters,” said Kate Mara.

Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson also attended the Toronto premiere on Monday, the halfway point of the festival. Although King Street has reopened to traffic and many of the vendors on “Festival Street” are gone, the star-studded events are set to continue through next weekend.

Martin McDonagh is bringing his latest, “Wild Horse Nine,” along with stars John Malkovich — who just won the best actor award at the Venice Film festival — and Sam Rockwell.

Meanwhile, “Fleabag” star Andrew Scott was in town promoting his new film “Elsinore,” which tells the real-life story of “Chariots of Fire” actor Ian Charleson, who pushed through his AIDS diagnosis while playing “Hamlet” at London’s National Theatre.

Other films premiering on Monday include the animated “In Waves” starring Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu and Helen Mirren’s thriller “A Talent For Murder.” Mirren was honoured at TIFF’s Tribute Awards on Sunday with an award inspired by TIFF’s women’s empowerment initiative, Share Her Journey.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2026.