In the early 1990s, audiences fell in love with former child star Mara Wilson, who rose to fame in hit family films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Miracle on 34th Street. Despite early success, Wilson says Hollywood lost interest as she grew older and was no longer seen as “cute,” a shift that deeply affected her confidence and career.
After starring in Matilda, Wilson stepped away from acting, later describing fame as exhausting and unhappy—especially after losing her mother. Now a writer, she has reflected openly on child stardom, rejection, and identity in essays for The Guardian and in her memoir, finding fulfillment away from Hollywood’s spotlight.