Who Is Mara Wilson?
Do you recognize the name, Mara Wilson? If not, just think of 90’s movies like Mrs. Doubfire and Matilda. She was the adorable little girl who starred in those movies, and she became very famous for doing so. These movies are over 20-years-old. Have you wondered what happened to Mara? The girl who starred in ‘Matilda’ looks DRAMATICALLY different today.
Unexpected Fame
Mara was an adorable little girl. Her cute looks and great personality got her cast in a few commercials. When Mara’s family heard about the role of Natalie Hillard in Mrs. Doubfire, they decided to have Mara audition. When her family found out that Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, and Harvey Feinstein were starring in the movie, they realized that it was going to be a major production. Since Mara didn’t have much acting experience, just a few commercials, they didn’t think she would get the role. Her mother said that the audition would be a fun experience for Mara and it would give them something for her scrapbook. When she was cast in the film, her family was thrilled.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mara did a great job in her role of Natalie on Mrs. Doubfire. The film was about a couple in the middle of a divorce and Robin Williams’ character wasn’t allowed to spend as much time with his children as he wanted. To see his kids more, he had his brother help him dress like a woman and he got a job as his family’s housekeeper. The movie came out in 1993 and got great reviews, and the world fell in love with Mara.
Matilda
In 1996, Mara starred in the movie, Matilda. This was another role that she got because she was adorable. Again, it was a star-studded cast with Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman starring as her parents. Mara had the starring role as Matilda, a sweet little girl who was a genius with magical powers. Despite the fact that her family was awful and her principal at the school was a horrible woman, Matilda was a happy child. With the help of her teacher, Miss Honey, she managed to find happiness. This role shot Mara to stardom.
Mara’s Other Roles
Mara was getting roles consistently for many years. She starred as Susan Walker in the remake of Miracle On 34th Street in 1994; she starred in a few episodes of Melrose Place in 1993 playing Nikki. Farm, and Broad City.
Taking a break From Acting
As Mara got older, her interest in acting fading and the job offers weren’t coming as often. When she sat down with The Today Show, she said that he knew that she didn’t fit Hollywood’s image anymore. She chose not to get plastic surgery, and she didn’t want to live in a world where she felt out of control. She decided that she wanted to do her own thing for a while.
Heading To College
In 2005, Mara attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 2009, she graduated. She says that going to school had always been her dream, even when she was younger and working all the time.
Published Author
Mara wanted to tell her story. The story of her fame and her story of growing up. In September 2016, her book, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, was released. In her book she wrote, “Acting is fun but not worth sacrificing my life and face experiences for.”
Mara Was Fortunate
Mara grew up to be a successful, well-adjusted girl. She was one of the lucky ones. Many child stars have struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Many were never able to recover and died as a result of their addiction.
She Still Dabbles
While Mara’s main goal is no longer acting, she is still taking jobs here and there. Many of the roles that she has taken have been voice roles in cartoons. In 2016, she did the voice of Jill Pill/ Quail Mother in BoJack Horseman and in 2018, she was the voice of Liv Amara in TV series, Big Hero 6: The Series. Mara is not trying to win a Golden Globe for her work; she just enjoys taking the occasional job.
