Rooney Mara “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” Star

Hollywood has found its “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo….”

Rooney Mara will star alongside Daniel Craig in the eagerly-awaited film adaption of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The relatively unknown actress was cast in the role of binge-drinking bisexual Lisbeth Salander, the lead female character in the best selling mystery novel series by Stieg Larsson, Sony Pictures announced Monday. A bevy of Hollywood starlets were pining for the role in the first film in a trilogy based on the popular series. Harry Potter’s Emma Watson even chopped over her lengthy locks for a shot at the role. French actress Lea Seydoux and Australian actress’ Sarah Snook and Sophie Lowe, were reportedly left in the running, before Rooney was ultimately cast as Lisbeth.

The Big Apple native got her start in acting with guest roles on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and ER. In October, she’ll appear in The Social Network, a film about the founding of the popular social networking website Facebook.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens in theaters Dec, 21, 2011. The film will be followed by the second installment in the Swedish trilogy, The Girl Who Played With Fire, which will arrive July 9. The third in final movie in the original series — The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets’ Nest — arrives stateside Oct. 15.