"Well, we had to wait for Rooney to be born". Cate's words had the whole room laughing. Rooney no longer cared about the age difference. Like she was no longer bothered by Cate's incredible beauty. It was her wit, her intelligence, her talent for making people feel welcome and safe in her presence that made Rooney love her. While the laughter died down they exchanged smiles and Cate mimicked "Sorry". Rooney nodded in recognition.
It started in Cannes, this feeling of belonging, this realisation that being together could be the next step after their collaboration that turned out to be an intense, emotional experience. Standing next to each other during the minutes long standing ovation after the first showing of Carol, they had felt a new connection. A connection, different in its depth and meaning.
Seeing Carol for the first time in its entirety, both Cate and Rooney had been anxious. Not only for the reaction of their loved ones, the press and the audience, all gathered in the magnificent Grand Théâtre Lumière. This would also be the first time they could see how their much anticipated on screen "chemistry" really looked like.
Oh, it had been there, this chemistry, right from the beginning. Rooney was eager to work with the actress she had admired ever since she saw her as Elizabeth I in 1998. Cate wondered how the intense young woman who had crawled into Lisbeth Salanders skin, would cope playing a shy, brooding girl in the 1950's.
Todd Haynes, their director, was convinced his two leading ladies would make the ideal Carol and Therese. And Rooney had to admit that he was right. From the start, during their very first scenes together, they felt connected, able to follow the other in her mood, in the way she would bring her lines, would make a gesture, would look and feel.
After Rooney had shed her first uncertanties about working with such an accomplished actress, they worked on the same level. There was no hierarchy, only a collaboration of kindred spirits. Rooney loved the way Cate could shift between gravity and humour. Cate admired Rooneys dedication, the way she would really become Therese.
In the confines of the dark theatre they would also see, for the first time, the scenes of Therese and Carols, their, fysical coming together. Rooney had accepted the two love scenes, one fully dressed, the other naked, without much thought. She had been there : with male and female collegues. But Cate was rumoured to be less enthousiastic about sexscenes. And sure enough, she at first had doubted the necessity of their lovemaking in the Drake Hotel, after Carol and Therese had left Waterloo following the exposure by the private detective. But in the end she admitted Todd had been right.
"Here we go…", Cate had mumbled, when the screen was filled with the image of the shabby Waterloo hotelroom. Rooney had grabbed Cate's hand and together they had watched Carol and Therese's wordless, tender lovemaking. They kept holding hands afterwards. Only when the screen turned black after Carol's smile of disbelief and then love at seeing Therese at the Oak Room, they had set each other free. Then the lights went on.
