Mara Wilson, who turned 37 on July 24, candidly reflects on her experience in the industry. She acknowledges that Hollywood often values beauty and youth above all else, stating, “If you’re not cute anymore, if you’re not beautiful, then you are worthless.” Her experience highlights the often harsh realities of growing up in the spotlight, where appearance can overshadow talent.
Wilson first rose to fame at just five years old, when she was cast as Robin Williams’ youngest daughter in the 1993 hit Mrs. Doubtfire. Before landing this role, Wilson had appeared in a few commercials, but her breakthrough came with one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing comedies. Reflecting on this time in her life, Wilson shared, “My parents were proud, but they kept me grounded. If I ever said, ‘I’m the greatest!’ my mom would remind me, ‘You’re just an actor. You’re just a kid.’”
Following her success in Mrs. Doubtfire, Wilson went on to play Susan Walker in the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street. In an article for The Guardian, she recalls her audition for the role, where she told the production team she didn’t believe in Santa Claus. However, she humorously added that she still believed in the tooth fairy, whom she named after her Mrs. Doubtfire co-star, Sally Field.
In 1996, Wilson took on the role of Matilda in the beloved film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic novel, co-starring with Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman. Tragically, this was also the year her mother, Suzie, lost her battle with breast cancer. Wilson has often spoken about how this loss deeply affected her, saying, “There was the person I was before, and then there was the person I became after.” She explained that her mother’s death cast a long shadow over her life, and she struggled to navigate her grief while also dealing with the pressures of fame. Wilson admitted that at the peak of her fame, she felt “the most unhappy.”
At just 11 years old, Wilson reluctantly took on her final major role in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000). She remembers having a negative reaction to the film’s script, feeling that it was no longer appropriate for her age. “The characters were too young. At 11, I had a visceral reaction to the script… Ugh, I thought. How cute,” she recalled in The Guardian.
Despite her reluctance to continue acting, the choice to step away from Hollywood wasn’t entirely hers. As she entered adolescence, Wilson no longer fit the “cute” mold that had once made her a star. She found herself transitioning from a beloved child star to just another quirky, awkward teenager with crooked teeth and messy hair. “At 13, no one had called me cute or mentioned the way I looked in years, at least not in a positive way,” she said.
Backstage at @OkaytoSayTX supporting #mentalhealth awareness and destigmatization! pic.twitter.com/IqfFkuRiPj
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 8, 2018
Now, Mara Wilson has found a new path as a writer. In 2016, she released her memoir, Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, where she opened up about her experiences in Hollywood, including the challenges of being a child actor and her eventual retreat from the industry. She also wrote Good Girls Don’t, another memoir that dives deeper into her life and the expectations placed on her as a young actress.
Though her journey from child star to writer has been marked by challenges, Mara Wilson has found peace in her quieter life away from the spotlight. What do you think of her story? Share your thoughts with us and help spread her story by sharing this article!
