Q & A: Kate Mara

The actress (We Are Marshall) is the great-granddaughter of New York Giants founder Tim Mara and Steelers founder Art Rooney

SI: So are theGiants going to show up for the first half one of these days?

Mara: I can'tbelieve you went there on the first question. We had a rough game againstSeattle, but then we had a bye [last week]. So we're resting--and then it'sgoing to be awesome. Watch out.

SI: If the Giantsare playing the Steelers, who do you root for?

Mara: You have torealize who you are asking this of. If I actually said I was rooting for theGiants, there would be hell to pay. So I root for both offenses. Or I root forwhoever has a better chance to make the Super Bowl.

SI: What was atypical Sunday like for you growing up?

Mara: We'd go tochurch and pray that we'd win and that whoever was injured would get well soon.Then we would drive to Giants Stadium. We usually get there three hours early.We hang out in the [owner's] box beforehand. It's sort of our own tailgatething, but not quite as rowdy as the people outside.

SI: As someone whogrew up in a football family, do you feel a connection with the story behind WeAre Marshall--the 1970 plane crash that killed 45 players and staff membersfrom the school's football team?

Mara: I'm not evengoing to pretend to understand what it feels like to go through something likethat. But I do understand the importance of football in a town or in a family.I can relate to that and to the way football brings people together. I wantedother people who don't necessarily have it in their lives to feel it.

SI: How do youwatch a game?

Mara: If we'reobviously going to win, then I'm O.K. and I'll interact with friends or family.But I usually bite my nails off and drink 10 bottles of water. There's nothingworse than people who want to make you feel better when you are losing. I justwant to smack them.

• For more fromKate Mara, go to SI.com/scorecard.

TWO PHOTOS

JEAN-PAUL AUSSENARD/WIREIMAGE.COM (MARA); RALPH WACLAWICZ/WIREIMAGE.COM (MARA SINGING)