Mara Wilson Bio
Mara Elizabeth Wilson (born July 24, 1987) is an American actress who rose to fame as a child star in the 1990s through a string of well-received family films. She became known for playing Natalie Hillard in Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street (1994), and the title character in Matilda (1996). After her role in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), Wilson stepped away from film acting to focus on writing, later returning to performing through web series, podcasts, voice work, and stage projects.
Born in Burbank, California, Wilson grew up in a creative household and began auditioning at a young age. She later studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2009, and has since built a second career as a writer, playwright, and advocate. Today, she is recognized for her memoir, her essays on child stardom, and her outspoken views on mental health and public life.
Early Life and Background
Mara Elizabeth Wilson was born on July 24, 1987, in Burbank, California, the fourth child of Suzie Shapiro and broadcast engineer Mike Wilson. Her mother was of Jewish heritage, while her father is a Catholic of Irish descent. Wilson was raised Jewish and later became an atheist at age 15, before describing herself as agnostic in a 2020 interview. She is a cousin of political commentator Ben Shapiro, a relationship she has publicly distanced from due to differing beliefs.
Wilson became interested in acting at age five, after watching her older brother Danny appear in television commercials. Her parents were initially hesitant, but after she landed several commercials of her own, she was invited to audition for a feature film. During her childhood, Wilson was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also discussed living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These early experiences shaped both her outlook and the creative themes she would later explore as a writer.
Wilson attended John Burroughs High School before transferring to Idyllwild Arts Academy. After graduating in 2005, she moved to New York City to attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2009. While in college, she developed and performed her own one-woman show, an early sign of the storytelling path she would pursue.
Path to Acting
Wilson’s entry into professional acting came through a mix of local commercials and family support. After booking several small jobs, she auditioned for the 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire and was cast as Natalie Hillard, the daughter of Robin Williams’s character. The film became a major hit and immediately established Wilson as a recognizable young performer in Hollywood.
The following year, she appeared in the remake Miracle on 34th Street (1994), further cementing her reputation as a reliable child lead. In 1995, Wilson performed the song “Make ‘Em Laugh” at the 67th Academy Awards broadcast alongside Tim Curry and Kathy Najimy. She also won the ShoWest Award for Young Star of the Year that same year, signaling strong industry confidence in her future.
Mara Wilson Career
Early Career (1993-1997)
Wilson’s first major projects came in quick succession during the mid-1990s. Following Mrs. Doubtfire and Miracle on 34th Street, she was cast by Danny DeVito as the lead in Matilda (1996), based on the Roald Dahl novel. The role earned her three award nominations and a win for the YoungStar Award for Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film. Matilda was dedicated to the memory of her mother, who had passed away from breast cancer in April 1996.
In 1997, Wilson starred opposite Martin Short in A Simple Wish, a fantasy comedy that drew mixed reviews despite another three nominations for the young actress. She also auditioned for What Dreams May Come and Disney’s The Parent Trap remake but was not cast in either role. These years reflected both her popularity and the unpredictable nature of child stardom.
Breakthrough (1996-2000)
The title role in Matilda marked Wilson’s true breakthrough, pairing her with a beloved source story and a celebrated director. The film became a critical and commercial success and remains her most recognized work. Wilson’s performance was praised for balancing humor, intelligence, and emotional depth, qualities that connected with audiences of all ages.
In 1999, she appeared in the television movie Balloon Farm as Willow Johnson, continuing her work in family-oriented productions. Her final big-screen role came in 2000 with Thomas and the Magic Railroad, a fantasy film that was poorly received by critics and performed weakly at the box office. Shortly afterward, Wilson retired from film acting, later explaining that the repetitive nature of film work left little room for creative freedom.
Notable Works and Milestones
Wilson’s signature works remain Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, each of which established her as a defining child actress of the 1990s. Her collaboration with Robin Williams and Danny DeVito shaped her early craft, and her dedication of Matilda to her late mother remains one of her most personal professional moments. These films continue to define her legacy in popular culture.
Mara Wilson Award Nominations
Across her career, Mara Wilson received multiple award nominations for her performances as a child actress, with three nominations each for her work in Matilda and A Simple Wish. She was recognized by young performer awards and film critic groups during the mid-to-late 1990s, reflecting consistent industry acknowledgment of her screen presence. In 2019, she was honored with the LGBTQ Humanist Award from the American Humanist Association.
Mara Wilson Awards Won
Wilson won the ShoWest Award for Young Star of the Year in 1995 and the YoungStar Award for Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film for Matilda. In 2025, she shared a collective Audie Award for her contributions to the audiobook Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle. These wins highlight both her early acting success and her ongoing contributions to audio storytelling.
Mara Wilson Family
Wilson is the fourth of six children and has three older brothers and a younger sister. Her mother, Suzie Shapiro, was a Burbank PTA school volunteer who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995 and died in April 1996, an event that deeply shaped Wilson’s personal and professional life. Her father, Mike Wilson, worked as a broadcast engineer for KTLA. Wilson is a cousin of political commentator Ben Shapiro, though the two have no contact due to sharply differing political views.
Personal Life
Wilson has spoken openly about her mental health, including diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and has advocated for greater awareness through partnerships with organizations such as Project UROK. She also lives with endometriosis and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, serving as an ambassador for the L.A. Dysautonomia Network. In 2016, Wilson publicly came out as bisexual in the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub shooting and has since identified as bisexual and queer.
Wilson has lived in the Queens borough of New York City and later returned to California. She continues to write, perform, and voice-act while maintaining an active presence as an essayist and commentator on child stardom, media, and identity. Her memoir, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, was published on September 13, 2016.