Phoenix, Mara found love while filming biblical movie

Actor Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara reportedly fell in love with each other while shooting for the upcoming biblical movie "Mary Magdalene".

In "Mary Magdalene", Mara plays the title character, with Phoenix as Jesus Christ. It was filmed in Italy last year. Phoenix and Mara fell for each other on the set and have been spending a lot of time together ever since, sources told pagesix.com.

Mara's most recent film "Lion" was up for four Golden Globes on January 8. But the actress and Phoenix were instead "holed up together in the desert", a source said, rather than in Los Angeles for the awards ceremony with her co-stars Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman.

Mara and Phoenix were spotted together numerous times when cameras weren't rolling, including when they were smoking together on the balcony of their hotel room in Southern Italy in November last year.

Phoenix's representative insisted that they are "just good friends".

"They worked on (2013 film) 'Her', 'Mary Magdalene' and (their) next movie," his representative said. "They are and have been good friends for quite a long time."

They are starring in Gus Van Sant's "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot", set for 2018 release.

Mara has been in a six-year relationship with director Charlie McDowell. But the duo have not been photographed publicly since August last year, and both their representatives had no comment.

--IANS

nn/rb