The world first fell in love with the charming Mara Wilson back in the early 1990s. She was a young actress known for her unforgettable roles in family favorites like Miracle on 34th Street and Mrs. Doubtfire. Her bright smile and natural talent captured the hearts of audiences everywhere.
Now 37 years old as of July 24, Mara looked poised for a bright future, but as she grew up, she felt like she lost her “cute” factor and gradually faded from the spotlight.
“If you’re not cute anymore, if you’re not beautiful, then you are worthless,” Mara reflected. “Hollywood was burned out on me.”
So, what really happened to Mara Wilson? Let’s dive into her story!
At just five years old, Mara played Robin Williams’ youngest daughter in Mrs. Doubtfire, a massive hit in 1993 that became one of the highest-grossing comedies of all time. Even before that, she had already appeared in commercials.
“My parents grounded me even though they were proud of me,” Mara said, sharing a funny memory. “If I ever said something like, ‘I’m the greatest!’ my mom would remind me, ‘You’re just an actor. You’re just a kid.’”
The siblings from ‘MRS DOUBTFIRE’ have reunited over 30 years after the film’s release. pic.twitter.com/igfg92AlN9
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 2, 2024
After her big break in Mrs. Doubtfire, she landed the role of Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street in 1994, the same character that Natalie Wood had played in 1947. Mara vividly remembers her audition: “I read my lines for the production team and told them I didn’t believe in Santa Claus.
But I did believe in the tooth fairy and had named mine after Sally Field,” she wrote in an essay for The Guardian, referring to the Oscar-winning actress who portrayed her mother in Mrs. Doubtfire.
But Mara’s journey wasn’t all sunshine and laughter. In 1996, she starred in the film Matilda, playing the magical girl alongside Danny DeVito and his real-life wife, Rhea Perlman. Sadly, that same year, Mara’s mother, Suzie, lost her battle with breast cancer.
“I wasn’t really sure of my identity. I felt like I was two different people before and after that,” Mara said about her profound grief. “She was like this omnipresent thing in my life.” She added, “I found it kind of overwhelming. I mostly just wanted to be a typical child, especially after my mom’s passing.”
Mara admitted that even as she gained fame, she felt “the most unhappy” she had ever been.
Her final major role came in 2000 when she was just 11 years old, starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. “The characters felt too young for me,” she recalled. “I reacted viscerally to the writing at 11 years old. I thought, ugh, I’m over this,” she told The Guardian.
The decision to step away from Hollywood wasn’t solely hers. As she entered her teenage years, Mara was going through puberty and growing out of the “cute” roles that had made her famous. The offers started to dry up.
“Just another weird, nerdy, loud girl with bad hair and teeth, whose bra strap was always showing,” was how she described herself during this difficult time.
“When I was thirteen, no one had complimented me on my appearance or called me cute—at least not in a flattering way,” she said.
Mara had to navigate the intense demands of celebrity while trying to grow up in the public eye. This took a toll on her self-image. “I had this Hollywood notion that you are worthless if you are not attractive or cute anymore,” she explained. “I connected that directly to my career’s downfall. Rejection still hurts, even if I was kind of burned out on it and Hollywood was burned out on me.”
Backstage at @OkaytoSayTX supporting #mentalhealth awareness and destigmatization! pic.twitter.com/IqfFkuRiPj
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 8, 2018
But Mara didn’t let the past define her. Instead, she shifted gears and became a writer. In 2016, she released her first book, Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, where she opened up about her experiences. The book covers everything from what she learned about relationships while working on Melrose Place to realizing that she was no longer seen as “cute” enough for Hollywood.
She also wrote a memoir titled Good Girls Don’t, where she shared her struggles of living up to expectations as a young performer.
In her column for The Guardian, she stated, “Being cute just made me miserable. I always thought I’d give up acting one day, not that acting would give up on me.”
Having a rad time at #90sCon! pic.twitter.com/WMEEPpIBRr
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 11, 2022
Mara Wilson’s story is a powerful journey of resilience, self-discovery, and learning to find happiness beyond Hollywood’s spotlight.
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