Werner Herzog Brings Two Mara Sisters for the Price of One

Key Points:

• Bucking Fastard, Werner Herzog’s first fiction film since 2019, features Kate and Rooney Mara playing sisters who speak and move in unison, a unique cinematic approach inspired by real-life twins Freda and Greta Chaplin.
• Herzog wrote the script in five days after decades of searching for suitable acting twins ended with the casting of the Mara sisters, who are not twins but managed to convincingly perform as one character.
• The film was financed entirely by Clara Wu Tsai and was produced with Herzog's signature rapid rehearsal and shooting style, emphasizing emotional immediacy and minimal takes, even challenging actors like Orlando Bloom to adapt quickly.
• Bucking Fastard includes a rare non-CGI animal scene featuring a real deer, reflecting Herzog’s evolving perspective on animals, and is dedicated to David Lynch, highlighting thematic connections to Herzog’s earlier essential works.
• The film explores themes of identity, synchronicity, and emotional depth, with Herzog describing it as possibly the most unique film he has ever made, blending his distinct worldview with innovative storytelling techniques.