The world first fell in love with Mara Wilson back in the early 1990s. She was a sweet, talented child actor, best known for her roles in family favorites like Miracle on 34th Street and Mrs. Doubtfire. She had this special charm that made people adore her.
Mara, who just turned 37 on July 24, seemed to be on her way to stardom. But as she got older, she didn’t fit into Hollywood’s idea of “cute” anymore and suddenly disappeared from the big screen.
Reflecting on this, Mara said, “If you’re not cute anymore, if you’re not beautiful, then you are worthless. Hollywood was burned out on me.”
But what really happened to Mara Wilson? Let’s dive into her story.
Mara was only five years old when she starred as Robin Williams’ youngest daughter in Mrs. Doubtfire in 1993. She instantly won over millions of fans with her innocence and charm. Before this big role, Mara had already been in commercials, building her experience in front of the camera.
The siblings from ‘MRS DOUBTFIRE’ have reunited over 30 years after the film’s release. pic.twitter.com/igfg92AlN9
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 2, 2024
“My parents grounded me, even though they were proud of me,” Mara recalled with a smile. “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.'”
After Mrs. Doubtfire, Mara landed another big role in 1994’s Miracle on 34th Street, where she played Susan Walker—the same character Natalie Wood portrayed back in 1947. About her audition, Mara wrote in The Guardian, “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,” referencing the Oscar-winning actress who played her mom in Mrs. Doubtfire.
Even though she was starring in hit movies, Mara didn’t always feel happy. In 1996, she played Matilda in the movie Matilda, acting alongside Danny DeVito and his real-life wife, Rhea Perlman. It seemed like a dream role, but that same year, Mara’s mother, Suzie, passed away from breast cancer. The loss shook her deeply.
“I wasn’t really sure who I was anymore,” Mara said. “I felt like I was two different people—before and after her death. She was like this ever-present force in my life, and suddenly she was gone. It was overwhelming. All I wanted was to be a normal kid, especially after my mom passed.”
Despite her fame, Mara was struggling behind the scenes. “I was the most unhappy I’d ever been,” she said, remembering how the pressures of fame wore her down. She was tired, emotionally and physically.
At just 11 years old, Mara took on her last major role in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), a fantasy adventure film. She admitted that she didn’t love the movie. “The characters were too young for me. I was 11, and the writing didn’t sit right with me. I thought, ugh, I’m done with this,” she confessed to The Guardian.
Leaving Hollywood wasn’t just her choice—it was also Hollywood’s. As she entered her teen years, Mara didn’t fit the “cute” roles anymore, and the offers stopped coming.
She described herself during that time as “just another weird, nerdy, loud girl with bad hair and teeth, whose bra strap was always showing.”
“When I was 13, no one complimented me on my looks or called me cute anymore—at least, not in a nice way,” Mara revealed. The transition from being a child star to just another teenager was tough. She was trying to grow up while the world watched, and it took a toll on her self-esteem.
“I had this Hollywood belief that if you’re not attractive or cute, you’re worthless,” she shared. “I connected my fading career to that. Rejection hurts, even when you’re used to it, and Hollywood had burned out on me, just like I had burned out on it.”
Backstage at @OkaytoSayTX supporting #mentalhealth awareness and destigmatization! pic.twitter.com/IqfFkuRiPj
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 8, 2018
Mara’s story didn’t end there, though. She found a new path as 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 life, from her rise to fame to her decision to step away from the spotlight. She humorously discussed everything, including learning about sex on the set of Melrose Place and realizing that Hollywood no longer found her “cute” as she hit adolescence.
She also wrote a memoir titled Good Girls Don’t, where she reflected on what it was like growing up with the pressure to always be perfect, both as a young actress and a regular kid.
Having a rad time at #90sCon! pic.twitter.com/WMEEPpIBRr
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 11, 2022
“Being cute just made me miserable,” Mara admitted in her Guardian essay. “I always expected that I’d quit acting, not that acting would quit me.”
Now, Mara Wilson has found peace outside of Hollywood. She may have stepped away from the limelight, but her story of fame, loss, and self-discovery is still one people can learn from. What do you think of Mara’s journey? Share this story and let us know!
