Mara Elizabeth Wilson (born July 24, 1987) is an American actress and writer. She rose to prominence as a child for playing Natalie Hillard in the film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and went on to play Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street (1994), the title character in Matilda (1996), Annabel Greening in A Simple Wish (1997), and Lily Stone in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000). Wilson took a 12-year hiatus following the last film to focus on writing. She returned to acting in 2012, and has predominantly worked in web series.
Early life
Mara Elizabeth Wilson was born in Burbank, California, on July 24, 1987, the oldest daughter of Burbank PTA school volunteer Suzie (née Shapiro; 1953–1996) and KTLA broadcast engineer Mike Wilson. Her mother was Jewish, while her father is half Irish.
Wilson's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer on March 10, 1995, and died on April 26, 1996. The film Matilda was dedicated to her memory. Wilson later recalled that this affected her passion for acting. At age 12, Wilson was diagnosed with obsessive–compulsive disorder. She has also been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She attended Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California. After graduation in 2005, she relocated to...More about Mara Wilson...