Mara Wilson
Biography
Mara Wilson is an American actress, born in Burbank, California, who started out as a child performer. She was cast as Natalie Hillard in Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and went on to play Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street (1994), the title role in Matilda (1996), and Annabel Greening opposite Martin Short in A Simple Wish (1997). She won the ShoWest Award for Young Star of the Year in 1995, and her work as Matilda Wormwood, which she took on at nine after Danny DeVito noticed her, earned her a YoungStar Award. Following Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), she left film acting for over a decade to concentrate on writing, including her book Where Am I Now?. She resumed acting in 2012, largely in web series, and has since done voice work and audiobook narration, sharing a collective Audie Award in 2025.
39years old
Turns 40 on July 24in 279 days
- Born Burbank
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Mara Elizabeth Wilson (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 30 years1993 to 2023
Genres
- Comedy57%, 4 films
- Family57%, 4 films
- Drama43%, 3 films
- Fantasy43%, 3 films
- Documentary29%, 2 films
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Big break
Danny DeVito took notice of Wilson's film work, and she landed the lead role of Matilda Wormwood in the 1996 movie Matilda. At the time, she was nine years old.
A role that slipped away
In 1997, Wilson attended a table reading for What Dreams May Come, which starred Robin Williams, but she was not cast. A year later she tried out for Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, and Lindsay Lohan got the role because Wilson was thought too young.
Beyond film
Wilson performed the song "Make 'Em Laugh" alongside Tim Curry and Kathy Najimy. The performance took place during the 67th Academy Awards broadcast on March 27, 1995.
Behind the camera
Wilson wrote the play Sheeple, which was produced in 2013 for the New York International Fringe Festival, and published the book Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame in 2016.
Early training
While in college, Wilson put on a one-woman show of her own titled Weren't You That Girl?. She had moved to New York City after graduating in 2005 to keep studying at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and she graduated in 2009.
Mara Wilson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Worked with
Mara Wilson shares two films with Jack McGee, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Jack McGee's page
Robert Prosky's page
Alec Baldwin's page
Pierce Brosnan's page
Robin Williams's page
Allison Janney's page
All films by Chris Columbus
All films by Danny DeVito
Les MayfieldDirector, 1 film, 1994
All films by Les Mayfield
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.