Hayley Mills Bio
Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills (born 18 April 1946) is an English actress and singer whose career began as a child performer and extended across film, television and stage. She rose to international prominence through a string of films for Walt Disney Studios, including Pollyanna (1960) and The Parent Trap (1961), and has continued to work in screen and theatre into the 21st century.
Early Life and Background
Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills was born on 18 April 1946 in Marylebone, London, England, the daughter of actor Sir John Mills and writer and actress Mary Hayley Bell. She grew up in a theatrical family alongside her older sister, actress Juliet Mills, and her brother Jonathan Mills worked in writing and production.
Mills trained in dance at Elmhurst Ballet School, an early element of her performing education that complemented her childhood entry into acting. Her upbringing in a family steeped in performance provided early exposure to film and theatre and helped prepare her for professional work from a young age.
Path to Actress
Mills began acting professionally in 1958 and first attracted attention with her performance in the British crime drama Tiger Bay (1959), in which she co-starred with her father. The role established her as a promising young performer and led to offers from major studios.
Bill Anderson, a Walt Disney producer, saw Tiger Bay and suggested Mills for the lead in Pollyanna (1960), a casting choice that brought Mills broad international recognition. Her early training and family background combined with timely screen opportunities to position her as one of the most notable child stars of her era.
Hayley Mills Career
Early Career (1958–1962)
Mills’s professional career began in 1958 and her breakthrough came with Tiger Bay (1959), which received attention at the British box office. The subsequent move to Hollywood for Disney’s Pollyanna (1960) made her a household name in the United States and earned industry honors recognizing her early promise.
During this period she made multiple films for Walt Disney, appearing in family-oriented features that showcased her singing and acting, and released a record album linked to her film work. By 1962 she was widely voted among the most popular film stars in Britain and had become a leading child performer in Anglo-American cinema.
Breakthrough (1960–1966)
Pollyanna (1960) delivered Mills a defining early success; the film’s reception in the United States cemented her status as a major child star and prompted a special Academy Juvenile Award. Disney cast Mills in The Parent Trap (1961), where she played twins Susan and Sharon and sang the hit single “Let’s Get Together,” a record that charted internationally and broadened her profile beyond film alone.
In 1961 she also starred in Whistle Down the Wind, a British production based on a novel by her mother, Mary Hayley Bell, which performed strongly at the British box office and contributed to her standing as a top national star. Throughout the early 1960s Mills balanced Disney features such as In Search of the Castaways (1962) and Summer Magic (1963) with British films that offered more mature material.
By the mid-1960s Mills began taking on adult roles and stage work, appearing in films such as The Chalk Garden (1964) and That Darn Cat! (1965) and moving toward theatrical performances that included a West End revival of Peter Pan in 1969. This period marked a deliberate transition from child-star parts to more varied adult roles.
Notable Works and Milestones
Signature works from Mills’s career include Tiger Bay, Pollyanna and The Parent Trap, each of which shaped her public image and professional path. She earned industry recognition for her early work and later received the Disney Legends award in recognition of her contributions to the studio’s films. Mills has continued to accept film and television roles across decades, including appearances in feature films and television dramas into the 2010s and 2020s.
Hayley Mills Award Nominations
Across the early part of her career Mills received multiple notable nominations and special recognitions. Her performances in Tiger Bay and in Disney films attracted votes and nominations from major industry organizations, reflecting her status as a prominent young performer in both Britain and the United States.
Hayley Mills Awards Won
Mills’s early work earned her several significant honors, including the BAFTA recognition for Most Promising Newcomer and a special Academy Juvenile Award for her performance in Pollyanna, and she received a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actress. Later in life she was named a Disney Legend in recognition of her contributions to the studio’s legacy.
Family
Mills is the daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and the younger sister of actress Juliet Mills. She has two sons, including musician Crispian Mills, and her extended family has included a number of relatives active in performance and media.
Personal Life
Mills was in a relationship with actor and director Roy Boulting during the 1960s and the couple married in 1971; they later divorced in 1977. She had a long-term relationship with actor Leigh Lawson in the 1970s and 1980s and her partner since 1997 is actor and writer Firdous Bamji.
In April 2008 Mills was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery; she later reported recovery and has spoken publicly about health and wellbeing. She published a memoir, Forever Young: A Memoir, in 2021 recounting her career, challenges and experiences growing up in the spotlight.