'Dragon Tattoo' Stars on Mara's Performance

We're just a day away from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's feverishly anticipated release and ET's Christina McLarty recently sat down with the film stars to talk about, amongst other things, Rooney Mara's already critically acclaimed performance as provocative heroin Lisbeth Salander.

"There was a huge amount of furor when we started this," Daniel Craig said about the media uproar when news broke that Mara would be playing the iconic character. "'Who was gonna play the part, and oh my God, why is Rooney Mara playing it?', and that's all nonsense now. It has no relevance whatsoever."

MORE: Craig & Mara Bond at 'Dragon Tattoo' Premiere

And did he get a chance to congratulate her on her Golden Globe nomination for the role?

According to Craig, he didn't have to. "We knew when she got cast in the role that she was the best thing for it, and we felt it, we saw it, we knew what was going on," he said. "So this is just the icing on the cake, and it's great news for her."

Robin Wright also marveled at the 26-year-old's performance.

"You just want to hug her while she's attacking your neck," she jokes about Mara pulling off both the ferocity and vulnerability of the character. "To find the animal -- which I think, Lisbeth is an animal -- those animals that are so fierce and self protective, they have such a softness and innocence in their eyes. And Rooney was able to convey both."

MORE: Watch: New 'Dragon Tattoo' Footage

Check out the video to hear from Mara herself on how she prepared for such a complex and daunting role, Craig on his controversial Kardashian comments in GQ, and Stellan Skarsgard on if there will be sequels to the already hyped film.