Kate was born in Bedford, New York. She is one of four children of Kathleen McNulty (Rooney) and NFL football team New York Giants executive Timothy Christopher Mara. Her younger sister is actress Rooney Mara.
Her grandfathers were Wellington Mara, co-owner of the Giants, and Timothy Rooney, owner of Yonkers Raceway, and her grand-uncle is Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, the former US Ambassador to Ireland. She is the great-granddaughter of Art Rooney Sr., the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise. She often sings the national anthem at Giants home games. Her father has Irish, German, and French-Canadian ancestry, and her mother is of Irish and Italian descent.
Mara graduated from high school a year early. She was accepted at the prestigious NYU Tisch School of the Arts but deferred her admission for three consecutive years.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Class of '09 (2023)
Starring as Ashley Poet
(8 episodes)
- Episode 1x08: Graduation (Jun 21, 2023)
- Episode 1x07: Orders Night (Jun 14, 2023)
- Episode 1x06: Hogan's Alley (Jun 7, 2023)
- Episode 1x05: The Problem Is People (May 31, 2023)
- Episode 1x04: Not Your Girlfriend (May 24, 2023)
- Episode 1x03: Thank You for Not Driving (May 17, 2023)
- Episode 1x02: The Fitness Test (May 10, 2023)
- Episode 1x01: Part of Something (May 10, 2023)
A Teacher (2020)
Starring as Claire Wilson
(10 episodes)
- Episode 1x10: Episode 10 (Dec 29, 2020)
- Episode 1x09: Episode 9 (Dec 22, 2020)
- Episode 1x08: Episode 8 (Dec 15, 2020)
- Episode 1x07: Episode 7 (Dec 8, 2020)
- Episode 1x06: Episode 6 (Dec 1, 2020)
- Episode 1x05: Episode 5 (Nov 24, 2020)
- Episode 1x04: Episode 4 (Nov 17, 2020)
- Episode 1x03: Episode 3 (Nov 10, 2020)
- Episode 1x02: Episode 2 (Nov 10, 2020)
- Episode 1x01: Episode 1 (Nov 10, 2020)
GMA3: What You Need to Know (2020)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 2x57: Kate Mara (Dec 9, 2020)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 4x147: Kate Mara, Dr. Jane Goodall, Ava Louise Murchison (May 2, 2023)
Pose (2018)
Starring as Patty
(6 episodes)
- Episode 1x08: Mother of the Year (Jul 22, 2018)
- Episode 1x06: Love is the Message (Jul 8, 2018)
- Episode 1x05: Mother's Day (Jul 1, 2018)
- Episode 1x03: Giving and Receiving (Jun 17, 2018)
- Episode 1x02: Access (Jun 10, 2018)
- Episode 1x01: Pilot (Jun 3, 2018)
Live with Kelly and Ryan (2017)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 1x30: Will Arnett, Kate Mara (Jun 9, 2017)
Moonbeam City (2015)
Starring as Chrysalis Tate
(2 episodes)
- Episode 1x09: The Legend of Circuit Lake (Dec 2, 2015)
- Episode 1x08: Stuntstravaganza (Nov 18, 2015)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 2017-06-13: Jane Krakowski, Kate Mara, Lily James, Iggy Azalea (Jun 13, 2017)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
(4 episodes)
- Episode 2020-11-05: Kenan Thompson, Kate Mara, James Blake (Nov 5, 2020)
- Episode 2018-04-02: Tracy Morgan, Kate Mara, Chris Lane featuring Tori Kelly (Apr 2, 2018)
- Episode 2017-06-06: Tom Cruise, Kate Mara, Bleachers, Mike McCready (Jun 6, 2017)
- Episode 2015-08-04: Don Rickles, Kate Mara, Penn & Teller (Aug 4, 2015)
House of Cards (2013)
Starring as Zoe Barnes
(13 episodes)
- Episode 2x01: Chapter 14 (Feb 14, 2014)
- Episode 1x13: Chapter 13 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x12: Chapter 12 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x11: Chapter 11 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x10: Chapter 10 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x09: Chapter 9 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x07: Chapter 7 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x06: Chapter 6 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x05: Chapter 5 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x04: Chapter 4 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x03: Chapter 3 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x02: Chapter 2 (Feb 1, 2013)
- Episode 1x01: Chapter 1 (Feb 1, 2013)
Guest starring as Zoe Barnes
- Episode 4x06: Chapter 45 (Mar 4, 2016)
American Horror Story (2011)
Guest starring as Hayden McClaine
(8 episodes)
- Episode 1x12: Afterbirth (Dec 21, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x11: Birth (Dec 14, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x09: Spooky Little Girl (Nov 30, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x08: Rubber Man (Nov 23, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x05: Halloween Part 2 (Nov 2, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x04: Halloween Part 1 (Oct 26, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x03: Murder House (Oct 19, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 1x02: Home Invasion (Oct 12, 2011) [Special Guest Star]
Conan (2010)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2018-06-07: Kate Mara, Sam Richardson, Hari Kondabolu (Jun 7, 2018)
- Episode 2016-11-28: Joel McHale, Kate Mara, Alice Wetterlund (Nov 28, 2016)
The Talk (2010)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 2017-06-16: Kate Mara, Darnell Kirkwood (Jun 16, 2017)
Watch What Happens Live (2009)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
(3 episodes)
- Episode 17x184: Jane Lynch & Kate Mara (Nov 12, 2020)
- Episode 14x93: Hilary Swank, Kate Mara (May 22, 2017)
- Episode 12x130: Jamie Bell, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, & Miles Teller (Aug 6, 2015)
Alan Carr: Chatty Man (2009)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 15x03: Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Claudia Winkleman, Tess Daly, Selena Gomez (Sep 25, 2015)
innerSPACE (2008)
Guest starring as Kate Mara
- Episode 2017-09-07: Thursday, September 07 (Sep 7, 2017)
Nip/Tuck (2003)
Guest starring as Vanessa
(4 episodes)
- Episode 1x07: Cliff Mantegna (Sep 9, 2003)
- Episode 1x06: Megan O'Hara (Sep 2, 2003)
- Episode 1x03: Nanette Babcock (Aug 5, 2003)
- Episode 1x02: Mandi/Randi (Jul 29, 2003)
Everwood (2002)
Guest starring as Kate Morris
(2 episodes)
- Episode 1x21: Episode 20 (May 5, 2003)
- Episode 1x20: Moonlight Sonata (Apr 28, 2003)
24 (2001)
Guest starring as Shari Rothenberg
(5 episodes)
- Episode 5x19: Day 5: 1:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M. (Apr 24, 2006)
- Episode 5x18: Day 5: 12:00 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. (Apr 17, 2006)
- Episode 5x17: Day 5: 11:00 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. (Apr 10, 2006)
- Episode 5x16: Day 5: 10:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M. (Apr 3, 2006)
- Episode 5x15: Day 5: 9:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. (Mar 27, 2006)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
Guest starring as Janelle Macklin
- Episode 5x07: Formalities (Nov 11, 2004)