The news this week that actress Rooney Mara, at far left, has won the role of Lisbeth Salander in the Hollywood movie version of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is a tad mind-boggling since no one much has heard of her work, unless you saw this year’s version of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Apparently the director of “Dragon Tattoo” met her during the upcoming movie about Facebook and says she’s great. After reading two of the books in Stieg Larsson’s triology, I have to say Rooney Mara doesn’t exactly come to mind as playing the whip-smart, computer hacker ruffian that is the heroin Lisbeth Salander. I’ve seen the Swedish movie version of “Dragon” and actress Noomi Rapace, above right, comes across as highly believable. I couldn’t believe how much Rapace seemed to embody the tough Salander. Will Rooney Mara be able to transform? Or is the U.S. version just going to be a cotton-candy adaptation of the book?
Remember there was a time when author Anne Rice was livid that Tom Cruise got the part of Lestat in 1994’s “Interview With the Vampire.” She said he was obviously “no” Lestat. But apparently after seeing the movie, Rice changed her mind and thought Tom was great with ole Brad Pitt as Louis. Perhaps she was just rolling with the publicity machine. But perhaps an open mind should be kept with Rooney as Salander. Sigh. If only it were that easy.
